UK physical landscapes
AQA GCSE Geography revision on UK physical landscapes. Aligned to the AQA GCSE Geography 8035 specification. This bank has 28 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 28)
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Question 1
Hydraulic action erodes a coastline by...
- A) Acidic seawater dissolving rock
- B) Pebbles smashing against the cliff
- C) Trapped air being compressed by waves
- D) Sand grains scraping the rock
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Answer: Trapped air being compressed by waves
Four types of coastal erosion: hydraulic action (air compressed in cracks), abrasion (rocks thrown against the cliff), attrition (rocks smashing into each other and rounding), and solution (chemical — acidic seawater dissolves limestone/chalk). Easy mnemonic: HAAS.
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Question 2
A waterfall typically forms where a river crosses a band of...
- A) Permeable rock over impermeable rock
- B) Hard rock over softer rock
- C) Soft rock over hard rock
- D) Two equally hard rocks
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Answer: Hard rock over softer rock
The softer rock below erodes faster, leaving the harder rock as an overhang. Eventually the overhang collapses, the waterfall retreats upstream, and a gorge forms behind it. Classic example: High Force, River Tees.
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Question 3
Longshore drift transports sediment...
- A) Out to sea
- B) Along a beach in a zig-zag pattern
- C) Inland up cliffs
- D) Onto the river beds
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Answer: Along a beach in a zig-zag pattern
Swash brings sediment up the beach at the wave's angle. Backwash returns it down the steepest gradient (perpendicular to coast). Net result: zig-zag movement along the beach in the dominant wind direction. Creates features like spits + bars; can also strip beaches if not managed (groynes are built to trap sediment).
Want to test yourself on the remaining cards for this topic?
25 more questions on UK physical landscapes — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole Geography spec.