physical landscapes in the UK

• where are upland areas usually found in the UK

  North-West of UK, Scotland and Northern England e.g The Pennines
• where are lowland areas usually found in the UK

  South-East of UK e.g The Fens
• characteristics of upland areas

  • steep relief
  • rivers start here
  • v-shapes
  • less human activity
• characteristics of lowland areas

  • gentle relief
  • rivers end here
  • below sea level
  • more human activity
• what affects size and energy of waves

  how long the wind has been blowing; strength of wind; the fetch(how far wave has travelled)
• how constructive waves are made and its characteristics:

  • waves have low energy from gentle winds
  • long distance between waves- waves arrive at beach calmly/slowly
  • wave height is low
  • strong swash brings and deposits sand
  • weak backwash doesn't erode as much sand and rock
  • waves construct beach
  • beaches are wide and flat.

  
• the coastline is affected by what 5 coastal processes?

  weathering; mass movement; erosion; transportation; deposition
• what are types of weathering?

  mechanical(caused by physical processes) and chemical(caused by chemical alteration to rocks) and biological(cause by plants/animals)
• what occurs in freeze-thaw weathering (mechanical)

  Water enters cracks in rocks during warmer weather. When temperatures drop, the water freezes and expands, exerting pressure on the rock. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles cause the rock to break apart
• what occurs in exfoliation (mechanical weathering)

  Rocks expand when heated and contract when cooled. This repeated heating and cooling causes the outer layers of rock to peel away in thin sheets, similar to the layers of an onion
• what occurs in salt weathering or haloclasty(mechanical)


  Saltwater enters rock cracks; upon evaporation, salt crystals form and expand, breaking the rock
• what occurs in biological weathering(mechanical)

  Plant roots grow into cracks and as they expand, they exert pressure on the rock, causing it to break apart. Burrowing animals also contribute to rock breakdown.
• what occurs in solution(chemical weathering)

  Minerals dissolve directly into water without any chemical reaction, such as halite (rock salt) in water.
• what is rockfall:

  • Description: The rapid free-fall of rock from a steep cliff face or slope.
  • Causes: Weathering (e.g., freeze-thaw), earthquakes, or human activity.
  • Characteristics: Forms a scree or talus slope at the base

  
• what is a landslide:

  • Description: The sudden and rapid movement of a large amount of rock and soil down a slope.
  • Caused by: Heavy rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic activity, or undercutting by rivers or human activity.
  • Characteristics: Can move large amounts of material quickly and can be very destructive.

  
• what is a mudflow:

  • Description: A flow of water-saturated earth material, often following heavy rain.
  • Caused by: Intense rainfall, volcanic eruptions (lahars), or rapid snowmelt.
  • Characteristics: Often follows a natural drainage line and can travel at high speeds

  
• what is rotational slumping:

  • Description: The downward and outward movement of rock and soil along a curved surface.
  • Causes: Saturation of the slope material with water, often occurring in clay-rich soils.
  • Characteristics: Creates a stepped or terraced appearance on the slope

  
• what is hydraulic action in coasts

  The force of water hitting the river banks and bed. This pressure can compress air in cracks, leading to further breakage.
• what is the process of abrasion/corrasion in rivers

  Rock fragments, carried by the river, wear down the riverbed and banks through sandpaper-like action.
• what is the process of attrition in rivers

  Rocks and pebbles carried by the river collide and break into smaller, rounder pieces.
• what is the process of solution or corrasion(erosion)

  Dissolving of rock by slightly acidic rivers.
• what are the 4 main types of transportation of sediment along the coast

  • Traction: Large pebbles and boulders are rolled along the sea bed by the force of the water.
  • Saltation: Small pebbles and stones are bounced along the sea bed.
  • Suspension: Fine material is carried within the water. Sediment is suspended in water.
  • Solution: Dissolved materials are transported within the water
• what is longshore drift

  1)The movement of sediment along the coast by wave action.

  2)Waves hit the shore at an angle, carrying material up the beach in the direction of the prevailing wind (swash).

  3)The backwash then pulls the material straight back down the beach due to gravity

  
• what is coastal deposition

  
  

  where sediment can no longer be carried or moved; occurs when water slows down; in shallow/sheltered areas(bays)
• discordant coastline


  when there are alternate layers of rock type along the shoreline

  
• concordant coastline


  when one rock type runs parallel to the shoreline

  
• how are headlands formed?

  more resistant rock erodes more slowly so they stick out as headlands e.g limestone.
• how are bays formed?

  due to the rapid erosion of less resistant rocks e.g clay
• how destructive waves are made and its characteristics:

  • waves have high energy from strong winds
  • short distance between waves- waves arrive at beach quickly
  • wave height is tall
  • weak swash only deposits small amount of sand and rock
  • strong backwash erodes more sand and rock
  • waves destroy beach
  • beaches are often small and steep.

  
• how are cliffs formed

  through erosion, weathering and mass movement
• how do wave cut platforms form

  • as waves break against cliff they erode the base through hydraulic action and abrasion to form a wave-cut notch
  • over a long time the wave-cut notch gets deeper into the cliff leading to undercutting
  • the top of the cliff becomes more heavy and unsupported and eventually collapses
  • cliff retreat happens over time and leaves a gently sloping wave-cut platform
• how do caves form

  when cracks in cliffs erode further
• how do arches form

  when caves in cliffs are eroded making it larger
• how do arches form


  if a cave is situated on a headland, eventually the backwall will erode all the way through forming an arch
• how do stacks and stumps form

  when an arch continues to widen from erosion and its roof is weakened by weathering processes (freeze-thaw weathering), the top of the arch becomes too weak and collapses leaving a tall narrow stack. overtime this too collapses and forms a stump.
• what waves are sandy beaches formed of

  constructive- sediment is slowly but constantly moved up beach
• what waves are pebble beaches made of

  destructive waves- pebbles are not moved far up beach which makes beach profile steep
• how are sand dunes formedand held together

  form on dry backshore and beyond high tide mark of a sandy beach; held by colonising plants
• how are spits formed

  1)coastline changes direction

  2)longshore drift continues to transport material in the direction of prevailing wind and deposits it out to sea.

  3)As the sediment builds up it forms a spit.

  4)The spit then curves due to waves or secondary winds and a salt marsh is formed behind it.

  
• how are bars formed

  1)when spits extend across a bay and connects two headlands.

  2)Can sometimes create lagoons(a lake trapped behind ridge of sand) they can also be formed offshore (offshore bars)