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The Physical World

This unit is all about Rivers, Coasts and Glaciers and how these physical entities change the land on which we live over thousands of years.

In particular, you will need to know in detail how various land forms are created, and the processes that help to create the landforms.

A LANDFORM is a particular shape of the land resulting from thousands of years of change.

A PROCESS is a continuing force that can change the natural world.

Meander 12 Apostles, Southern Coast, Australia Franz Joseph Glacier, South Island, New Zealand
Rivers Coasts Glaciers
How rivers change from source to mouth

Landforms of the upper valley - V-shaped valleys and waterfalls

Landforms of the middle reaches - Ox-bow lakes, meanders and floodplains

Landforms of the
lower valley - estuaries and deltas
Coastal processes


Coastal erosion landforms - cliffs, wave cut platforms, coves, bays and headlands, stacks


Coastal deposition landforms - beaches, spits and bars.
The Build up of Ice and glacial processes

Glacial Landforms:

U shaped valleys and truncated spurs

Corries/cirques/cwm

Ribbon lakes

Aretes and pyramidal peaks