physical landscapes

• The UK has a wide range of physical landscapes including major rivers, mountain ranges, and cities
• Constructive waves


  Low waves with crests far apart, gentle wave fronts, spilling forward, depositing sand
• Destructive waves


  Close together, steep wave fronts, spilling backwards
• Wave movement


  1. Circular orbit of water in open water

  2. Distortion by friction with sea bed

  3. Top of wave moves faster

  4. Wave breaks
• Types of weathering


  • Mechanical/physical
  • Chemical
  • Biological
• Types of mass movement

  • Slumping/rotational slip
  • Debris/mud flow
  • Rock/landslide
• Causes of coastal erosion

  • Hydraulic power
  • Abrasion
  • Attrition
• Hydraulic power


  Destructive waves causing changes in air pressure in cliff cracks
• Abrasion


  Sand and stones thrown against cliff wearing it away
• Attrition


  Pebbles colliding and becoming smooth
• Longshore drift


  Sediment moving up beach at an angle but backwash going directly out to sea
• Beach formation


  • Constructive waves forming sandy beaches
  • Destructive waves forming pebbly beaches
• Sand dune formation


  1. Sand deposits around obstacle

  2. Plants grow, stabilizing dune

  3. Organic matter increases fertility
• Spits


  Narrow sections of sand reaching out into the sea, caused by longshore drift
• Hard engineering techniques


  • Groynes
  • Sea walls
  • Rock armor
• Soft engineering techniques


  • Beach nourishment
  • Dune regeneration
  • Coastal realignment/managed retreat
• Roots of plants on sand dunes

  • Stabilize the sand dune
  • Rotting organic matter increases fertility allowing more plants to grow
• Spits


  Narrow sections of sand that reach out into the sea
• Bars


  Formed when spits form across a bay
• Hard engineering techniques


  • Groynes
  • Sea wall
  • Rock armor
  • Wire cages full of rocks
• Soft engineering techniques


  • Beach nourishment
  • Dune regeneration
  • Creating new sand dunes
  • Coastal realignment and managed retreat