Most common 10 mark questions plans

10 mark questions plans 

Rocks and weathering 

Human activities on slopes: 

• Mining/quarrying exposes rocks to weathering 

• Surface can be affected by dumping waste e.g. Aberfan, Wales 1966. 

• Lack of/planting vegetation, roots act as an anchor 

• Construction of reservoirs can lead to slope failure e.g. Vajont Dam, Italy 1963 

• Pollution can increase acid rain and hence increase processes such as carbonation 

• Slopes can be undermined by roads 

Rock type/vegetation/climate affects weathering: 

• Climate affects the type and rate of weathering and erosion 

• Mechanical weathering is predominant in cold areas e.g. freeze thaw 

• Chemical weathering is predominant in warm areas e.g. salt crystallisation 

• Van’t Hoff’s law states that with every 10⁰C increase in temperature, there’s a two to three times increase in the rate of chemical weathering 

• Vegetation stabilises slops through roots and interception of water 

• Limestone is vulnerable to carbonation and it contains calcium carbonate 

• Granite is prone to hydrolysis 

• Sedimentary bedding planes found in sedimentary rock may slide along 

• Water promotes slope failure 

Rivers 

River processes in relation to variations in river flow: 

• Draw the Hjulstrom curve 

• High velocities needed from erosion, however lower velocities are needed once the material has been eroded 

• Laminar, helicoidal and turbulent flow if related to erosion 

Human activities leading to the prevention and amelioration of floods: 

• River Ilston case study 

• Modification of the river basin (deepening the channel, widening the channel) 

• Characteristics to increase the velocity of water (straightening the river encourages laminar flow) 

• Afforestation increases interception and therefore reduces surface run off 

• Removed pillars underneath the bridges to prevent damming 

• Washland (sacrificial land especially used for farming) 

• Canalisation (concrete on the river bed to reduce turbulent and helicoidal flow) 

• Gauge for flood prevention and warning 

To what extent can human activities bring about both flooding and low flow in a river basin? 

• Human activities can create conditions influence flooding by creating conditions that increase overland flow, and could therefore bring about over-bankfull conditions (urbanisation and deforestation) 

• Climate change can potentially lead to certain areas to experience more frequent and more intense storms that can lead…