UK Erosion MCQs with Answers
Erosion is the process of:
a) Building up landforms
b) Breaking down and wearing away landforms
c) Creating earthquakes
d) Forming new mountains
Answer: b) Breaking down and wearing away landforms
What type of erosion involves the movement of rock fragments by wind, water, or ice?
a) Weathering
b) Deposition
c) Erosional transportation
d) Volcanism
Answer: c) Erosional transportation
The wearing away of rocks by the action of ice is known as:
a) Mechanical erosion
b) Chemical erosion
c) Biological erosion
d) Thermal erosion
Answer: a) Mechanical erosion
Which of the following is an example of chemical erosion?
a) Wind blowing sand against a rock
b) Waves crashing against a cliff
c) Acid rain dissolving limestone
d) Glacier scraping against a mountain
Answer: c) Acid rain dissolving limestone
The process by which water in the cracks of rocks freezes and causes the rock to break apart is called:
a) Corrasion
b) Biological weathering
c) Oxidation
d) Freeze-thaw weathering
Answer: d) Freeze-thaw weathering
The Grand Canyon in the USA is an example of a landform shaped primarily by:
a) Deposition
b) Volcanic activity
c) Erosion by rivers
d) Glacier movement
Answer: c) Erosion by rivers
What type of erosion involves the dissolving of rock by acidic water?
a) Attrition
b) Solution
c) Abrasion
d) Hydraulic action
Answer: b) Solution
Which factor contributes to increased erosion rates?
a) Decreased rainfall
b) Reduced wind speed
c) Higher sea levels
d) Thick vegetation cover
Answer: c) Higher sea levels
The movement of sediment along a coast in a zigzag pattern is known as:
a) Littoral drift
b) Longitudinal drift
c) Linear drift
d) Angular drift
Answer: a) Littoral drift
Which type of erosion involves the physical breaking down of rocks into smaller particles?
a) Chemical erosion
b) Biological erosion
c) Mechanical erosion
d) Thermal erosion
Answer: c) Mechanical erosion
The formation of a sea arch is an example of erosion by:
a) Wind
b) Glaciers
c) Rivers
d) Coastal waves
Answer: d) Coastal waves
The movement of sediment by a river is an example of which type of erosion?
a) Chemical erosion
b) Glacier erosion
c) Wind erosion
d) Fluvial erosion
Answer: d) Fluvial erosion
The process of abrasion in erosion involves the:
a) Dissolving of rock by acidic water
b) Breaking down of rocks by chemical reactions
c) Pounding of rocks by waves or particles
d) Scratching of rocks by plants
Answer: c) Pounding of rocks by waves or particles
Which of these factors contributes to coastal erosion?
a) Planting trees and shrubs
b) Constructing seawalls and groynes
c) Reducing wave energy
d) Adding more sediment to the shoreline
Answer: b) Constructing seawalls and groynes
Erosion can lead to the formation of various landforms, such as:
a) Deserts
b) Glaciers
c) Floodplains
d) Mountains
Answer: c) Floodplains
The process of erosion is part of the larger cycle known as the:
a) Water cycle
b) Carbon cycle
c) Nitrogen cycle
d) Erosion cycle
Answer: a) Water cycle
The process of chemical weathering can be enhanced by the presence of:
a) Oxygen
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Hydrogen peroxide
d) Acidic substances
Answer: d) Acidic substances
The transportation of sediment by wind is commonly referred to as:
a) Fluvial transportation
b) Aeolian transportation
c) Glacial transportation
d) Coastal transportation
Answer: b) Aeolian transportation
The process of erosion is often accelerated by human activities such as:
a) Afforestation
b) Urbanization
c) Reducing sediment deposition
d) Creating barriers
Answer: b) Urbanization
The formation of a V-shaped valley by a river is primarily a result of:
a) Deposition
b) Volcanic activity
c) Chemical weathering
d) Erosion
Answer: d) Erosion
The process by which ice melts and runs off a glacier, carrying sediment with it, is known as:
a) Solifluction
b) Creep
c) Fluvial erosion
d) Glacial erosion
Answer: d) Glacial erosion
The formation of sand dunes is a result of erosion and:
a) Volcanic activity
b) Deposition
c) Oxidation
d) Biological weathering
Answer: b) Deposition
The wearing away of rocks by the grinding action of sediment carried by wind or water is called:
a) Oxidation
b) Abrasion
c) Erosion
d) Dissolution
Answer: b) Abrasion
The formation of a meander in a river involves a combination of erosion and:
a) Saltation
b) Transportation
c) Deposition
d) Sedimentation
Answer: c) Deposition
The movement of sediment down a slope due to gravity is known as:
a) Erosion
b) Abrasion
c) Transportation
d) Mass movement
Answer: d) Mass movement
The process of soil erosion can lead to:
a) Increased soil fertility
b) Enhanced water retention
c) Land degradation
d) Promotion of plant growth
Answer: c) Land degradation
The formation of a waterfall is often a result of differential erosion between:
a) Hard and soft rock layers
b) Igneous and metamorphic rocks
c) Glaciers and rivers
d) Alluvial and aeolian deposits
Answer: a) Hard and soft rock layers
The erosion of coastal cliffs can contribute to the formation of what sediment feature at the base of the cliffs?
a) Barrier island
b) Wave-cut platform
c) Iceberg
d) Moraine
Answer: b) Wave-cut platform
What is the term for the process by which water enters cracks in rocks, freezes, and causes the rock to break apart?
a) Oxidation
b) Solution
c) Freeze-thaw weathering
d) Corrasion
Answer: c) Freeze-thaw weathering
Coastal erosion can threaten vital infrastructure such as:
a) Greenhouses
b) Golf courses
c) Seaside resorts
d) Roads and railways
Answer: d) Roads and railways
The coastal town of Happisburgh in the UK is experiencing rapid erosion, leading to the loss of:
a) Cliffs
b) Sand dunes
c) Historic buildings
d) Marshes
Answer: c) Historic buildings
Which of the following human activities can contribute to erosion?
a) Planting trees and shrubs
b) Building seawalls and groynes
c) Establishing marine reserves
d) Implementing sustainable fishing practices
Answer: b) Building seawalls and groynes
The Isle of Eigg in Scotland is known for its coastal features, including:
a) Barrier reefs
b) Fjords
c) Raised beaches
d) Geysers
Answer: c) Raised beaches
Coastal erosion can expose previously buried remains of:
a) Pirates
b) Dinosaurs
c) Shipwrecks
d) Ancient cities
Answer: c) Shipwrecks
What type of coastal feature is formed when waves erode the back of a headland, creating a curved bay?
a) Arch
b) Spit
c) Cavern
d) Cove
Answer: d) Cove
The erosion of coastal cliffs can contribute to the formation of what sediment feature at the base of the cliffs?
a) Barrier island
b) Wave-cut platform
c) Iceberg
d) Moraine
Answer: b) Wave-cut platform
Coastal erosion can lead to changes in the coastline that affect navigation, leading to the need for updated:
a) Road maps
b) Flight schedules
c) Nautical charts
d) Train timetables
Answer: c) Nautical charts
The Isle of Portland is known for its unique coastal landforms, including:
a) Fjords
b) Barrier islands
c) Chesil Beach
d) Salt flats
Answer: c) Chesil Beach
Coastal erosion can expose valuable mineral deposits, such as:
a) Gold
b) Oil
c) Iron ore
d) Limestone
Answer: c) Iron ore
The formation of barrier islands is often influenced by the movement of:
a) Rivers
b) Glaciers
c) Tides
d) Avalanches
Answer: a) Rivers
Coastal erosion can cause changes in the coastline that affect navigation, leading to the need for updated:
a) Road maps
b) Flight schedules
c) Nautical charts
d) Train timetables
Answer: c) Nautical charts
The formation of wave-cut notches and platforms is primarily a result of:
a) Chemical weathering
b) Biological activity
c) Mechanical weathering
d) Erosion by glaciers
Answer: c) Mechanical weathering
Coastal erosion can lead to the loss of valuable cultural heritage sites, including:
a) Music festivals
b) Historic buildings
c) Art galleries
d) Cinemas
Answer: b) Historic buildings
The formation of a sea arch is primarily a result of erosion by:
a) Wind
b) Glaciers
c) Rivers
d) Coastal waves
Answer: d) Coastal waves
Coastal erosion can threaten vital infrastructure such as:
a) Greenhouses
b) Golf courses
c) Seaside resorts
d) Roads and railways
Answer: d) Roads and railways
Which of the following human activities can contribute to coastal erosion?
a) Planting trees and shrubs
b) Building seawalls and groynes
c) Establishing marine reserves
d) Implementing sustainable fishing practices
Answer: b) Building seawalls and groynes
Coastal erosion can impact local economies by reducing revenue from:
a) Surfing competitions
b) Tourist attractions
c) Geothermal energy production
d) Wind farms
Answer: b) Tourist attractions
The impact of climate change, particularly rising sea levels, can accelerate coastal erosion due to:
a) Reduced wave energy
b) Increased vegetation
c) Enhanced sediment deposition
d) Greater wave action
Answer: d) Greater wave action
Coastal erosion can impact marine ecosystems by altering:
a) Gravity
b) Salinity
c) Ocean currents
d) Earth’s magnetic field
Answer: c) Ocean currents
The expansion of urban development along coastlines can exacerbate coastal erosion due to:
a) Increased vegetation
b) Reduced human activity
c) Increased pollution
d) Removal of natural barriers
Answer: d) Removal of natural barriers