shaping earth's crust

Question 1

Weathering

Answer 1

Breakdown and decay of rocks that are exposed to weather

Question 2

Two main types of weathering

Answer 2

Mechanical

Chemical

Question 3

Mechanical weathering example

Answer 3

Freeze thaw action/frost action

1. Water runs into joint/crack in rock
2. Water freezes, expands, putting pressure on rock
3. After freezing + thawing, rock fragments break off

Question 4

Chemical weathering example - rainwater on limestone

Answer 4

1. Rainwater travels through atmosphere
2. Mixes with carbon dioxide
3. Makes weak carbonic acid
4. Falls on limestone
5. Changes calcium carbonate (in limestone) to calcium bi carbonate
6. Process/reaction is carbonation
7. Makes it easier for rainwater to dissolve limestone

Question 5

The burren

Answer 5

Carbonation causes rock to dissolve.

Little material is left ons surface to form soil, appears as bare rock

Landscape looks v barren, known as limestone pavement

Surface covered in lots of cracks. Water has laid in these cracks for long.

Question 6

Grykes

Answer 6

The cracks in the rocks

Question 7

Clints

Answer 7

The slabs of rocks

Question 8

Swallow hole

Answer 8

Sometimes grykes may get bigger and a swallow hole will be formed.

Lets water flow underground,

Question 9

Cave

Answer 9

As water flows beneath surface, it dissolves limestone and cuts out tunnels called caves

Question 10

Cavern

Answer 10

If cave is enlarged, its called a cavern

Question 11

Stalactite

Answer 11

Water containing calcium carbonate drips from ceiling.

Evaporation takes place leaving deposits of calcite

Deposits build up over time to form stalactites

Question 12

Stalagmite

Answer 12

Water containing calcium carbonate drips from ceiling to floor

Evaporation takes place leaving deposits of calcite on floor

Deposits build up over time to form stalagmites

Question 13

Pillar/column

Answer 13

Formed when stalactite and stalagmite join together

or when stalactite reaches ground or stalagmite reaches ceiling

Question 14

Flora

Answer 14

Burn has varied plant life and many rare plants can be found such as orchids, ferns, avens

Question 15

Fauna

Answer 15

Burren’s wildlife includes green moth, butterlies, wild goats

Question 16

Landscape

Answer 16

Burren ha wide range of scenery for tourists. Attraction include Aliwee caves and Cliffs of Moher

Question 17

History

Answer 17

Burren’s monuments and archaeological sites provide evidence of historical settlements. These include dolmens and ring forts

Question 18

Mass movement

Answer 18

Movement of any loose material down slope under influence of gravith.

Loose material incl. loose rock, mud, soil (regolith)

Question 19

Influences of mass movement

Answer 19

Gradient

Water content

Human acitivity

Vegetation

Question 20

Gradient

Answer 20

Fastest when slope is steep

Question 21

Water content

Answer 21

Water acts as lubricant, making regolith heavier + surface slippery

Question 22

Human acitivty

Answer 22

Cutting into hillside during construction of roads + railways creat steeper slope

Question 23

Vegetation

Answer 23

Roots of trees + plants bind soil together, slowing down rate of mass movement

Question 24

Types of mass movement

Answer 24

Classified by speed

slow:
Soil creep

fast:
landslide
bog burst
avalanche

Question 25

soil creep

Answer 25

occur on very gentle slopes

might not be noticed except for effect on surface objects eg. leaning poles, fences, walls

greatest near surface, decreases with depth

Question 26

landslides

Answer 26

Sudden rapid movement of regolith down slope

most common in mountainous areas

may occur along coastal cliffs which have been undermined by sea erosion

Question 27

causes of landslides

Answer 27

road/railway cutting into steep slope

constant erosion by waves causing undercutting of cliffs

earthquakes and their aftershocks can trigger landslides

Question 28

Bog burst

Answer 28

movement of peat down hillside

caused by heavy rain saturating peat

can be caused by human activity such as excavation

Question 29

mudflows

Answer 29

can occur on both gentle + steep slopes

torrential rainfall saturated soil and turns into mud

can occur after volcanic eruption

lahar is a volcanic landslide, mud mixes with lava + ash

Question 30

Denudation

Answer 30

Wearing down of solid + loose materials of Earth’s crust

Occurs by weathering + erosion