contains all the information, specific detail and case studies required to get a grade 9 in your Geography GCSE. All landform formations, transportation and erosion processes, case studies - everything you will ever need for the distinctive landscapes topic.
THE UK LANDSCAPE: What is a Landscape Landscape
. The interaction between people and place
. Natural landscape - Original landscape existing before being acted on by human culture.
. Built landscape - A landscape with features reflecting human occupation.
. Distinctive landscape - A landscape with distinct human and physical features.
THE UK LANDSCAPE: Uplands, lowlands and glaciated landscapes Uplands
. These are mostly found in the north and west of the UK.
. Generally formed of harder rock, which resists erosion.
- E.g. Slate, granite.
. Many are glaciated areas.
. The gradient of the land is often steep, and the climate tends to be cooler and wetter.
. The harsh climates and thin soils allow allow rough vegetation to thrive.
. Land uses include: Sheep farming, tourism, forestry.
Lowlands
. Mostly found in south and east.
. Generally formed of softer rocks,
- E.g. Chalk, clay and some sandstone.
. The landscape is flatter with gently rolling hills.
. The climate tends to be warmer and drier.
. There are more fertile soils, including grassy meadows and deciduous trees.
. Land uses include: Tourism, dairy and arable farming.
. Most urban areas and industries are located here.
Glaciated landscapes
. Mostly found in upland areas in the north west.
. The ice was able to erode the landscape, carving out valleys, and also deposited lots of
material as it melted.
WEATHERING AND EROSION: Mechanical, chemical and biological weathering .
Weathering and erosion are examples of geomorphic processes, which change the shape of a
landscape.
Mechanical
. It is the break down of rock without changing it's chemical composition.
. The main type that occurs in the UK is freeze thaw:
- It happens when water gets into cracks of rocks and freeze.
- When freezing it expands, which puts pressure on the rock, and then it thaws which
releases the pressure.
- Continuous freezing and thawing widens the cracks and eventually causes the rock to
break.
Chemical
. Breakdown by changing its chemical composition.
. Carbonation weathering happens in warm and wet conditions:
- Rainwater has C02 dissolved in it, making it a weak carbonic acid.
- This then reacts with rocks that contain calcium carbonate, causing them to dissolve.
Biological
. It is the breakdown of rocks by living things, E.g. plants roots break down rocks by growing
into cracks and growing into cracks.
WEATHERING AND EROSION: Mass movement . It is the shifting of rocks and loose
material; down a slope
- It occurs when the force acting on a slope is greater than the force supporting it.
. It causes coasts to retreat rapidly.
. they are more likely to happen when the material is full of water, which acts as a lubricant.
, . The types of mass movement can be seen in the image.
WEATHERING AND EROSION: Erosion processes . The following occur along
coasts and in river channels.
Hydraulic action
. Along coasts waves crash against rocks and compress the air in the cracks.
. Repeated compression widens the cracks and makes bits of rock break off.
Abrasion
. Eroded particles in the water scrape and rub against rock in the sea bed, cliffs, or river
channels, removing small pieces and wearing them away.
. Most erosion in rivers happens by abrasion.
Attrition
. Eroded particles in the water smash into each other and break into smaller fragments.
. The further material travels, the more eroded it gets.
Solution
. Dissolved Carbon dioxide makes river and sea water slightly acidic.
. The acid then reacts chemically with some rocks.
- E.g. chalk, limestone which dissolves them.
TRANSPORTATION AND DEPOSITION: Transportation . Eroded material is moved by
rivers and the sea using four processes:
Traction
. Large particles like boulders are pushed along the river bed by the force of the water.
Suspension
. Small particles like silt and clay are carried along by water.
Saltation
. Pebble-sized particles are bounced along the river bed by the force of the water.
Solution
. Soluble material dissolves in the water and are carried along.
TRANSPORTATION AND DEPOSITION: Deposition . Deposition is when material
being carried is dropped.
. It occurs when water carrying sediment loses velocity.
Coastal deposition
. Waves that deposit more material than they erode are called constructive waves.
- They have a low frequency and are low and long.
- The swash is powerful, carrying material up the coast, the backwash is weaker, so a lot of
material isn't taken back.
. This means that there is a lot of deposition and very little erosion
. The deposition on the coast is increased when:
- There's a lot of erosion elsewhere on the coast, so there is a lot of material available.
- There's a lot of transportation of material into the area.
River deposition
. Deposition in rivers occur when:
- The volume of water in the river falls.
- The amount of eroded material in the water increases.
- The water is shallower, E.g. on the inside of a bend.
- The river reaches the sea or a lake at it's mouth.
COASTAL LANDFORMS: Headlands and bays . Headlands and bays form where there
are alternating bands (a discordant coastline) of resistant and less resistant rocks along the
coast.
. Differential erosion occurs. Process such as hydraulic action and abrasion erode the
discordant coastile at different rates.
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