Lithosphere

Question 1

Define hydraulic pressure.

Answer 1

The force of waves compressing air in the cracks of a cliff.

Question 2

Define abrasion (coastal)?

Answer 2

Large waves hurling beach material against a cliff.

Question 3

Define attrition.

Answer 3

When waves cause rocks and boulders on the beach to bump into each other and to break up into smaller particles.

Question 4

Define corrosion.

Answer 4

When salts and other acids in seawater slowly dissolve a cliff.

Question 5

How do headlands and bays form?

Answer 5

When destructive waves erode the areas of softer rock of a cliff a bay is formed.
Headlands are what are left as the resistant rock that wasn’t eroded. This leaves the headlands more exposed and they become more vulnerable to erosion while also protecting the bays from destructive waves.

Question 6

How do wave-cut platforms form?

Answer 6

When waves are at their highest they undercut the foot of a cliff to form a wave-cut notch. This continues until the cliff above the notch is left unsupported and collapses. As this repeats the cliff retreats and gradually increases in height. The gently sloping expanse of rock marking the foot of the retreating cliff is a wave-cut platform.

Question 7

How do stacks form?

Answer 7

A joint or fault in a cliff is where the start of the formation takes place. Hydraulic pressure quickly compresses the air inside it and widens the joint. It keeps getting wider until a cave is formed. The cave keeps getting eroded until it is eroded the whole way through and forms an arch. As the arch continues to be eroded the roof of the arch may become so unsupported that it collapses and falls into the sea. This leaves an isolated pillar in the water called a stack. Stacks will continue to be eroded until it is a stump.

Question 8

What is longshore drift?

Answer 8

When waves approach the beach at an angle due to the direction of the prevailing wind, material is carried up the beach. This is called the swash. It then carries material directly back into the ocean in the backwash. Wooden groynes slow down this movement by keeping material on the beach.

Question 9

What is a spit?

Answer 9

When a coast curves inwards and away from its previous direction longshore drift continues on its course. At the position of this change of direction, the longshore drift meets with the sea and is forcefully slowed and it drops its load at that point. This continues and a mound begins to form. This mound eventually surfaces and is now an extension of the beach. As the extension grows longer a spit is formed.

Question 10

How do tombolos form?

Answer 10

When a spit extends outwards to join an offshore island it is called a tombolo.

Question 11

How do bars and lagoons form?

Answer 11

When a spit develops into a bay into which no major river flows it may be able to build across that bay which is called a bar. The trapped water behind the bar is called a lagoon.

Question 12

How can the land around Lulworth Cove be used?

Answer 12

For local estate, locals, farmers and the ministry of defense.

Question 13

What is the conflict at Lulworth Cove between the Ministry of Defense and Tourists, what solutions are there and how effective are they?

Answer 13

Tourists are denied access to large areas around Lulworth Cove for much of the year because of necessary military activity.
Tourists get annoyed because there are access difficulties when roads are closed and restrictions impose on walkers.
The Ministry of Defense get annoyed because tourists do not always respect signage and disturb military activity.

Solutions include:

• Permitting access to the ranges at weekends and busy holiday periods.
• Keeping roads open during the busiest holiday periods.
• Reducing noise levels associated with firing at these times.

These solutions are effective as:

• The M.O.D has said that limiting public access has helped preserve the area and restricting development on the area.
• The limitations mean that some parts of the coastline are available to people who are prepared to walk.

These solutions are ineffective however as:
- There are fewer visitors due to access problems.

Question 14

What is the conflict at Lulworth Cove between

the Locals and Tourists, what solutions are there and how effective are they?

Answer 14

Locals get annoyed because:

• The road to Lulworth Cove is a dead end and is narrow so congestion is an inevitable thing.
• Inconsiderate parking causes problems for locals.
• The character of the village is spoiled by tourists, vehicle noise and litter.
• Litter creates a danger to wildlife and is an eyesore.
• The holiday park is unsightly.
• There is an abundance of tourist shops which do not help with keeping the character. Shops raise prices during peak times.
• Many houses are bought as second homes and lie empty for most of the year. House prices become inflated making it hard for locals to purchase property.

The tourism industry however provides employment for locals and brings money and improves services for the local economy.

Solutions include:

• Managing a car park which accommodates over 500 vehicles in overflow areas. It is surfaced in chalk rubble.
• Constructing a roundabout to provide easy access to the car park.

These are effective as:

• The estate has also has made a bus service available from local railway stations to encourage people not to come by car.
• Car park revenue is used for local facilities.

These are not effective as:

• Car parking charges are high. Visitors can avoid this by parking inconsiderate.
• The chalk in the car park stands out against the green surroundings and it creates huge amounts of dust.

Question 15

What is the conflict at Lulworth Cove between

the Farmers and Conservationalists, what solutions are there and how effective are they?

Answer 15

Farmers want more cattle to get more income, but conservationalists see this as more grass being eaten. The area is a world heritage site, an area of natural beauty and a site of special scientific interest so this is disrespecting that. Footpaths are eroded quickly, the grassland vegetation is very fragile and trampling of the soils mean the soils are very easily eroded.

Solutions include:

• Allowing free admission to the Heritage centre which has things like interpretative boards that encourage environmental conservation.
• The countryside ranger service employs two full time rangers who carry out a wide range of coastal management duties.
• Maintenance of footpaths, replanting of plants, steps have been put in place on steep parts to avoid trampling.

These are not effective because:

• Resurfacing encourages more walkers which cancels out resurfacing efforts.
• The whiteness of the path is an unnatural white scar on the landscape.
• People sometimes avoid timber steps as they’re unnatural.

Question 16

What is the pathway from snow to ice?

Answer 16

Snow -> Firn -> Nevee -> Ice

Question 17

What is the zone of accumulation and the zone of ablation?

Answer 17

The zone of accumulation is where the snow accumulates and is found at the top of a glacier.
The zone of ablation is where the snow leaves the glacier or melts. This is found at the end of a glacier.

Question 18

What are the three main ways glaciers flow?

Answer 18

Internal flow
Basal sliding
Bed deformation

Question 19

What is internal flow?

Answer 19

It is when weight and pressure causes the ice to realign in the direction of the ice’s movement making it easier for them to slide and for the glacier to go downhill.

Question 20

What is basal sliding?

Answer 20

It is when the glacier wants to move over a rocky bed so water goes between the rocks and the glacier and this lubricates the area between them making it easier for the glacier to move.

Question 21

What is bed deformation?

Answer 21

When the glacier moves due to the rock material at the bottom of the glacier deforming. This usually happens when the rock is weak. This is also caused by pressure.

Question 22

What is plucking?

Answer 22

When rocks and stones freeze to the base and the sides of the glacier and are plucked from the original cliff or patch of land it was on leaving a jagged landscape.

Question 23

What is abrasion (glaciation)?

Answer 23

When rocks are embedded in the base and sides of the glacier and they are rubbed against the ground or the rock faces as the glacier moves. The landscape is worn away as a result.

Question 24

What is freeze-thaw action?

Answer 24

Water becomes trapped in a joint. It freezes when it is cold enough and expands by 9-10%. This puts pressure on the rock. The ice melts when its warm enough, this process is repeated which weakens the rock until it shatters into angular fragments.

Question 25

How does a corrie form?

Answer 25

Snow builds up in a sheltered north-facing hollow is compressed and it turns into ice. Over time the weight of the ice and gravity caused the corrie glacier to move downhill due to rotational sliding. Ice freezes onto the backwall and the floor, these are then ripped off in the process of plucking. The backwall is then steepened. Rocks trapped in the ice are now dragged along the base of the hollow and scratch it making the hollow deeper. A glacier has less power at its snout so debris is deposited as a lip. The hollow left over is a corrie.

Question 26

How does an arete form?

Answer 26

When two corries form back-to-back. Aretes become sharper due to frost shattering.

Question 27

How does a pyramidal peak form?

Answer 27

Aretes lead up to a sharp pointed peak at the top called a pyramidal peak.

Question 28

How does a U-Shaped Valley form?

Answer 28

When snow builds up in a v-shaped valley and turns to ice, overtime the ice will become to heavy and its weight and gravity will cause it to move downhill. Due to plucking the valley walls will get steeper and due to abrasion the the valley floor will become deeper, wider and flatter. The result once the glacier leaves is a U-shaped valley.

Question 29

How does a hanging valley form?

Answer 29

A hanging valley is basically a mini u-shaped valley. A U-shaped valley which feeds into a larger U-shaped valley.

Question 30

How does a drumlin form?

Answer 30

When the load carried by a glacier becomes too heavy and was deposited by it. They were shaped later by ice moving over it . As the material was deposited they are made of unsorted angular material.

Question 31

How does terminal moraine form?

Answer 31

This marks the furthest extent of the ice and material is deposited across the valley as the ice starts to melt. This process moves material from the zone of accumulation to the zone of ablation. Material is added to the terminal moraine by the process of bulldozing. Terminal moraine is made of unsorted material as the glacier has the power to move material of all sizes. It is angular in appearance. As the glacier retreats the terminal moraine is left behind and can form a dam across the valley floor forming a ribbon lake.

Question 32

How does an outwash plain form?

Answer 32

Meltwater carries debris from the glacier beyond the terminal moraine and deposits it in a wide area. The material is sorted as it was carried by water and is rounded due to the process of attrition.

Question 33

How do eskers form?

Answer 33

They are produced as a result of running water in or under a glacier. They are the deposits of rivers that flowed in on or under glaciers. When the glacier retreats the sediment that had been deposited in the channel is dropped onto the surface forming a linear mound or hill.

Question 34

Explain the litter conflict in the Cairngorms.

Answer 34

Increasing number of visitors may result in more litter being dropped leaving the landscape unsightly and can be harmful to animals.

This can be managed by educating people to take their litter home, putting up reminder signs or removing litter bins like in Loch Muick. Litter picking duties can also help.

Although bins in toilets become overflowed and people still drop litter.

Question 35

Explain the conservation of the capercaillie conflict in the Cairngorms.

Answer 35

The capercaillie population is declining rapidly and is at risk of extinction. There is a negative impact on capercaillie in woodland areas if dogs are not controlled.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority provide advice to land owners and recreationalists to promote responsible behaviour as well as having a set of paths suitable for dog walkers to remove them from capercaillie populated areas. Rangers can also educate visitors on how to avoid disturbing them.

There have been very few incidents since.

Question 36

Explain the visual pollution conflict in the Cairngorms.

Answer 36

Developments like transmission power lines threaten to reduce visitor numbers as tourists complain about the impact on the landscape. The funicular train scars the landscape. New wind farms cause concern due to the damage caused to the land during construction and to damage to wildlife.

The funicular train is painted blue to fit in with the heather more and the last part is hidden in a tunnel, reducing visual impact. Unused power lines are now removed as well.

Now, wind farm planning applications have to go through very strict process and are not allowed on fragile environments.

Question 37

Explain the traffic conflict in the Cairngorms.

Answer 37

Congestion is a problem in popular tourist attractions near the area like Aviemore, the Ski area and Glen More. Heavy traffic on narrow roads increases the number of potholes which are costly to repair.

There are promotions on the Cairngorm website advertising alternative methods of transport encouraging bus use and rail use. Improvements have also been made to cycle paths and walking paths to encourage visitors to leave their cars at home. Also, additional attractions have been opened in Aviemore to minimise congestion.

90% of visitors still travel by car which reduces the impact of these management attempts. There is still a very large number of people making their way to ski hills and it is growing so congestion stays high.