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ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes
ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes
Introduction
Settlement
Historical Factors
Accessibility
The need to communicate with other areas for trade and travel
purposes is another important factor that influences settlement
patterns.
Settlements are often located along transport routes and
communication lines.
These may be roads, railway lines or water routes.
Such settlements are also known as Nodal settlements
Nodal settlements-these are settlements that converge along roads,
railway lines, water routes, mountain passes, gaps river
confluences and valleys.
Nodal settlements are heavily influenced by communication
networks.
Availability of resources
Linear Pattern
Circular pattern
Nucleated/Compact
Land use i.e. what the land is used for in urban area differs with
each area.
Although land uses are usually mixed for example some industries
can be found in residential areas land uses tend to be defined.
Similar land uses attract each other and push other land uses out.
For example if more and more industries locate in a
residential area more and more people will leave due to things like
pollution.
Most areas have one dominant land use.
There are different types of land uses in urban areas.
These can be classified into:
Industrial
Commercial
Residential
In some areas these land uses may mix.
The CBD
Zone of transition
Commuter zone
Assumptions
The model
They made their study well after the other two models had been
published and thus had the benefit of hindsight and cities had since
grown in size.
Findings
They realized the fact that modern cities have a more complex
structure than described by the Concentric and Sector models
Cities usually grow from several independent nuclei rather than or
in addition to the main CBD.
These cores include sub-urban shopping centers in most modern
cities.
Each of these nucleus acts as a point of growth and usually has
some of the functions found in the main CBD and other nuclei for
example it might have banks, shopping malls, supermarkets etc
For example Sam Levy shopping center, Kamphinsa, Westgate,
Makoni shopping centers
These centers grow with time to merge with each other to form one
large urban center.
Harris and Ullman were able to study later urban settlements that
had satellite residential and industrial suburbs in their model.
If the main city becomes too large and congested some functions
may disperse to form new nuclei.
Multiple nuclei thus develop out of the need for quick access to the
center, to keep certain land uses apart and to decentralise.
The city of Harare closely approximates this model with the main
large CBD at the center and various nuclei in the form of shopping
centers such as Borrowdale, Same Levy, Machipisa in Highfield,
Kamphinsa in Greendale, Westgate, Pendennis in Mt Pleasant etc.
It also has satellite towns in Ruwa and Chitungwiza.
ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes: Settlements: Zimbabwe’s
towns and Cities an Introduction
-refers to the means by which goods and people are moved from
one point to another on the earth’s surface.
Transport is an outcome of supply (production) and demand
(consumption).
Goods or raw materials may be produced in one area while
consumers or manufacturers may be found in another area.
Transport therefore acts as a link between the two.
For example Cotton has to be transported from farms to the
weaving industries.
The cloth then has to be transported to clothing industries where
they are turned into clothes.
The clothes then have to be transported back to the customers.
Also the spatial distribution of services such as homes and
workplaces creates the need for transport.
For example people have to be ferried to and from work back to
their homes on a daily basis i.e. commuters.
People also move to a from places of social and cultural activities.
Transport is necessitated by distance.
Wherever there is distance between two places, there will be need
for transport.
Traditional
This refers to forms of transports that have been in use since
antiquity including:
The human being (porter) i.e. walking, running, carrying goods on
their heads, shoulders or backs.
Horses
mules
donkeys
camels
carts
sledges
rickshaws
bicycles
canoes
Dhows.
Modern
Advantages
It is cheap especially where small quantities of goods are involved.
It is easy as there are no special requirements or laws.
It is readily available.
It is versatile i.e. humans can carry a variety of goods without the
need for adaptations
Does not require special transport networks e.g. a railway line as
they can just use tracks.
Can be used to reach remote areas and areas that are hard to access
using other means of transport e.g. mountainous regions.
Disadvantages
Draught power
Refers to the use of animals such as elephants, mules, donkeys,
camels and horses
Advantages
It is cheap
It is much more readily available
Can scale steep terrain and reach inaccessible areas.
Does not require special networks e.g. road/rail
Disadvantages
Advantages
cheap
clean
versatile
simple and available technology which makes them easy to
manufacture and repair
Usually they do not require route permits
Disadvantages
Disadvantages
Advantages
Is fast
They are comfortable e.g. they have air conditioning and heating.
They are protected from weather elements.
They can conduct door to door deliveries.
Independent i.e you can drive them to wherever you like whenever
you want as they do not have fixed time tables or route permits
Disadvantages
Advantages
Disadvantages
Advantages
Is relatively cheap
Caries bulk goods such as coal and unprocessed ores
Carries large amounts of goods and
Carries large amounts of passengers
They are comfortable
Can be very fast
They are less prone to accidents
Disadvantages
Advantages
Is very fast for example a trip to the Victoria Falls takes 1 hour 15
minutes by air and over 12 hours by road.
Is comfortable
Not affected by weather elements.
Not affected by surface relief
Can be used in times of emergency for example helicopters are
used in air rescue missions such as after the earthquake in Nepal.
Can cover large distances without the need to refuel.
They can take direct routes.
They can carry high value goods safely for example there are no
air pirates.
Disadvantages
Advantages
Is relatively cheaper.
Caries bulky goods at once
They are very comfortable for example cruise ships and ocean
liners are often fitted with luxury facilities such as bathrooms,
toilets, casinos and entertainment facilities.
Easy handling of goods for example RoRo ships.
Disadvantages
Advantages
Disadvantages
They are immobile i.e. the route cannot be changed once they are
installed.
Can only carry fluids such as oil, gas and water and not solids like
meat.
They are very expensive to install and maintain.
They are easy to sabotage e.g. the RENAMO bandits constantly
threatened and sabotaged Zimbabwe’s Beira-Feruka pipeline
during the Mozambican Civil War.
Leaks and damage can be difficult to detect if the pipeline is
underground.
Special pipelines are required to carry flammables.
Weathering
Weathering Erosion
Washing away of soil by
Breaking down of rocks
either wind, water or ice.
Happens in situ (is static) Washing away of top soil
Produces gullies and
Produces inselbergs and karst landscapes
dongas
Caused mostly by temperature variances and
Caused by the movement
acid rain (i.e there are two types chemical and
of water, wind and ice
mechanical)
Mass wasting
1. Physical/Mechanical weathering.
2. Chemical weathering.
Oxidation
Hydration
Some types of rocks for example those that contain salt minerals
have the capacity to absorb water into their structure causing them
to swell and become susceptible to future breakdown.
Hydration is in actual fact a physical-chemical weathering
processes since the rocks swell and exert pressure in addition to
changing their chemical structure.
The rock swell during wet periods and contract during dry periods
causing them to fracture and to develop joints and weaknesses.
For example anhydrite absorbs water to become gypsum.
Hydrolysis
Carbonation
Solution
Organic Weathering
Acid rain
Physical weathering
ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes: Physical Weathering
Exfoliation
Rocks expand when heated and contract when cooled much like all
solid materials.
In deserts and areas with scant vegetation, diurnal temperatures can
exceed 50°C.
During the excessive day heat the rocks expand.
The outer layers of the rocks expand faster than the inner layers.
At night the when temperatures drop, in deserts evening
temperatures can and usually fall to below freezing point, the rock
contracts and again the outer layers cool faster than the inner
layers.
This results in stresses being set up within the rock causing outer
layers of the rock to peel off like the rings of an onion.
Thus the process is sometimes called onion weathering.
Also several different minerals within the rock expand and contract
at different rates depending on their physical characteristics.
This will result in granular disintegration with the rock.
This is the process that was thought to result in the creation of
exfoliation domes like Domboshava.
This form of weathering is also known as thermal expansion or
insolation weathering.
Frost shattering
It occurs in rocks that have crevices and joints and where there is
limited vegetation cover and temperatures revolve fluctuate around
0°C.
During the day when temperatures are warmer, water enters the
crevices or joints.
When temperatures fall at night the water freezes leading to
breakdown:
Ice occupies more space than water i.e as the temperature of water
falls below 4°C it starts to expand.
As the water freezes within the rock it attracts more small particles
of water which forms more ice crystals and expands further,
fueling the process.
With each freeze and thaw cycle the joints expand until the rocks
shatter and fall off the main rock as blockfields, scree and talus.
The process is also known as frost wedging
Salt crystallization
Pressure release
Intrusive granite landforms such as batholiths are formed deep below the
surface and under intense pressure due to the weight of the overlying
overburden.
1. Climate
2. Relief
3. Vegetation
4. Rock type
Climate
Relief
Mountain regions have steep slopes which means that in the event
of rain they drain quickly leaving the dry.
As a result physical weathering is dominant at mountain topics
especially when considering how some peaks tend to have
temperatures that fluctuate around the freezing point even if
temperatures are quite higher at the start of the slopes.
Moisture tends to accumulate at the base of mountains aiding
chemical weathering processes.
Granite regions sometimes lead to the development of vleis which
are water logged since granite is impermeable thus favouring
chemical weathering in the moist conditions.
Vegetation
Tree roots penetrate into rocks, widening cracks, release carbon
dioxide during respiration resulting in biological weathering. These
processes are naturally dominant in areas where there are more
trees.
When tree roots decay humic acids are produced causing
biological weathering a process which more readily occurs in areas
with dense vegetation cover and moisture such as in rainforests and
in the tropics.
Lichen and moss grow on rock plateaus and domes aided by
moisture from rain and at the base of slopes forming acids that eat
into rocks.
Rock type
Limestone is very soft and porous (being porous is not the same
thing as being impervious/impermeable) and therefore more easily
affected by processes such as carbonation, more so given the
chemical composition of the rock.
Granite rock is hard and non-porous and thus less susceptible to
chemical weathering processes which require a certain amount of
moisture in order to occur.
Different rock types are composed or different chemicals that stand
on different places of the reactivity series.
Chemicals found in limestone readily react with weak acids while
granite rocks are more resistant.
Exposure
1.Inselbergs/Monadnocks
2) Ruwares/Dwalas/Whalebacks
3) Karst landscapes
4) Mountain peaks that are usually made up of rocks when the mountain
core is exposed.
Tors/Kopjes/Castle kopjes
Balancing rocks
Limestone pavements
ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes: Limestone pavements
Upper course
Middle course
Its less steep, has more water volume, a wider channel and more
velocity due to reduced channel roughness.
Common features include: Open V-shaped valleys, truncated
spurs, meanders, ox-bow lakes and braids.
Erosion is mostly in the form of lateral erosion.
Lower course
River erosion involves the wearing away of rock and soil found
along the river bed and banks.
It also involves the breaking down of the rock particles being
carried downstream by the river.
There are four main processes of erosion.
These are corrasion, attrition, hydraulic action and solution (also
known as corrosion).
Corrasion
Is the wearing down of the sides and bed of the river by the load as
it is being transported by the river.
Corrasion occurs when a river picks up material and rubs its bed
and bank wear them away by abrasion like sandpaper.
Corrasion therefore happens when the river’s sides and bed are
scrapped off by the material being transported by the river.
This process is most pronounced during flooding.
This is the major means of erosion by which a river extends both
vertically and horizontally.
If there are hollows in the river bed, pebbles can get trapped in
these and whirled by turbulent eddies (in circular motion) to form
potholes.
When pebbles are trapped in existing potholes these are deepened
further by the whirling pebbles.
Corrasion wears away the channel’s river bed and add more
material to the river’s load thus amplifying the processes as more
load means more corrasion.
Attrition
Hydraulic Action
refers to the sheer force and turbulence of the moving water which
can be able to remove loose material such as gravel, sand and silt.
This force can also weaken solid rocks by surging into cracks in
the rock.
This processes can be aided when there is air in the cracks which is
compressed causing eventual bank collapse.
Cavitation is a form of hydraulic action caused by bubbles of air
collapsing and the resultant shock waves hit and weaken the banks
of the river.
Hydraulic action by itself is very effective if the river does not
have some load to produce corrosive erosion/abrasive erosion.
Hydraulic action is the weakest and least effective form of erosion.
Solution or Corrosion
The water in the river dissolves some soluble rocks such as rock
salt and sometimes limestone.
This is most effective in areas where the stream bed and banks are
composed of soluble rock for example in limestone regions.
This method of erosion takes place all the time and is independent
of a river’s velocity or discharge.
It is similar to the chemical weathering process of solution.
The river’s corrosive ability is aided, however, if there are acids
within it.
Forms of Erosion
Headward Erosion
Lateral Erosion
Forms of Erosion, Up arrow shows headward erosion, the two arrows
lateral erosion/widening or channel and the downpointin arrow vertical
erosion. Image Credit WikiCommons
The processes by which the river’s sides are worn away and the
channel being extended in width.
This is more pronounced along the bends (outside banks) of
meanders.
Vertical Erosion
Suspension
This is when light silt and mud floats along with the water.
Very fine particles of silt and clay are dislodged and carried away
in the turbulence of the flowing water.
The greater the turbulence the greater larger the quantity and size
of particles picked up by and carried away by the river.
This partly explains why flooded river often have mud coloured
water, it is due to the heavy amounts of suspended material with
the water.
The suspended material usually forms the largest part of a river’s
total load.
It increases in amount towards a river’s mouth also giving the
black/brownish colour to the water that is similar to that of most
rivers after a storm.
Solution/Dissolved Load
Bedload
Deposition
When the river loses its energy to any of the reasons pointed out
above the following happens.
The heaviest material/load is deposited first this is why rivers are
littered with boulders in the upper course.
This is because traction load and siltation loads require more
energy to transport.
The finest material is deposited last and may reach the sea where it
is deposited onto and to form deltas.
The dissolved load which is in solution water is deposited at all but
transported to the sea where it maintains the saltiness of oceans.
The deposition of sand and silt leads to the development of a
gently sloping plain known as a flood plain.
Deposition can result in aggredation where the river’s bed and
gradient are increased. This can happen at deltas and on alluvial
fans.
The following factors affect the river’s energy and ability to erode,
transport and deposit its load.
Type of flow, gradient of channel, volume/discharge, cross-
sectional channel shape, channel roughness.
Type of flow
Discharge/Volume
Channel Roughness
Conclusion
More erosion takes place in the middle course since the channels
are smooth, the gradient steeper than in the lower course, the
wetted perimeter smaller than in the lower course and the volume
of water is high.
A lot of vertical erosion takes place in the upper course.
Most deposition takes place in the lower course of the river since
the gradient is smaller, the wetted perimeter larger, and the
gradient considerably less steep when compared to the other two
courses.
Topics linked to this page are currently being edited and may change
appearance or be unavailable.
1. Narrow valleys
2. Interlocking spurs
3. Waterfalls and rapids
4. Pot holes
5. Gorges
1. Flood Plains
2. Meanders
3. Ox-bow lakes
4. Braids
5. Levées
6. Deltas
Click on each one to learn more about it and where it is most likely to be
formed in a river’s course.
Also minor river features such as bluffs (sometimes known as river cliffs
or bluff lines), point bars, pools and riffles are included in the
descriptions of river landforms that they are often associated with.
Floodplain
These are typically found in the middle and lower course sections
of the river.
They are gently sloping surfaces of alluvium that result from
lateral erosion and material deposited onto the valley floor.
A flood plain commonly has the following river features alluvium,
marshes, meanders and ox-bow lakes which are remnants of cut off
meanders.
When a river is in flood it overflows its banks and covers the
whole plain upon which it deposits some of its load.
The continual deposition results in the formation of levees.
These are ridge like features resulting from deposition.
Flood plains may become so large and wide the the edges of the
meanders may not be able to reach the sides of the valley for
example the Nile River and the (Yellow River) Huang Ho.
In meanders both lateral and vertical erosion takes place resulting
in the removal of the original floodplain and the formation of a
new one.
The pieces that survive the erosion form terraces which have
varying heights and often times the heights of terraces might not
match those on the other side.
This differentiates these terraces from the ones formed by river
rejuvenation.
The river Benue has a well developed flood plain.
It is important to note that floodplains are both a depositional and
erosional feature.
Swamps/Marshes
Bluffs
Meanders
Water flows fastest on the outer bend (concave bank) of the river
where the channel is deeper and there is less friction.
It erodes this bank laterally by attrition and hydraulic action.
There also vertical erosion which deepens the channel, which
reduces friction and increases in energy results in further erosion.
The lateral erosion results in undercutting of the river bank and the
formation of a steep sided river cliff these cliffs are also known as
bluffs.
the inner bend water is slow flowing, due to it being a low energy
zone, deposition occurs resulting in a shallower channel.
This increased friction further reduces the velocity (thus further
reducing energy), encouraging further deposition.
Over time a small river beach or runoff slope builds up on the
inner bend.
The greater erosion of the concave bank occurs just downstream of
the axis of the meander bend, because the course of the maximum
velocity zone in the channel does not reflect the meander shape.
This causes meander to migrate down the valley.
The lateral erosion of the meanders and their migration widen the
flood plain.
A point bar is a depositional feature made of alluvium that
accumulates on the inside bend of streams and rivers below the
slip-off slope.
They are crescent-shaped and located on the inside of a stream
bend of meanders.
They show the former positions of a meander during its
downstream migration.
The term is sometimes used synonymously with slip-0ff slopes
although the term slip-off slope is used to refer to the cross section
and the term point bar is used to refer to the aerial view.
A waterfall can also develop when resistant rock overlies a less resistant
is horizontal or dips gently up river.
Plunge pools
Results
Stream bank cultivation results in siltation and the choking of
rivers and dams.
It also leads to eutrophication as fertilizers containing nitrates are
washed into the rivers.
It also leads to the disturbance of natural ecosystems.
Gold Panning
Results
Urbanization
Results
River diversions
Braiding
Alluvial Fans
Formation of deltas
most of the load carried by rivers is deposited into the oceans, seas
and lakes into which the rivers empty.
Sometimes the load is carried far away into the mouth of the river
before it sinks to the bottom.
Deltas are formed when the load instead sinks at the bottom of the
mouth of the river.
When this happens layers of sediment collect and pile up to form a
gently sloping platform.
With time the platform extends to the surface to form a delta.
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Types of deltas
Arcuate
Is a triangular shaped delta with an arc-shaped shoreline.
The Niger delta is an example of such a delta.
They have coarse and fine sediment in the form of a cone.
It is crossed by many distributaries.
It is useful for man to settle on as it provides arable and fertile
lands as well as pastures for animals.
However the waterlogged conditions tend to favour pests and
diseases.
Birds foot
Is formed where there are weak tidal currents which allow the
distributaries to extend further seawards resulting in a form that
looks much like the shape of a bird’s foot.
An example is the Mississippi River delta.
It consists of very fine material like silt and several distributaries
bordered by levees jutting out from the shore.
Estuarine
Cuspate delta
Inputs
Storages
Flows
Flows and Processes – water moving from one place to another.
Baseflow – water that reaches the channel largely through slow
throughflow and from permeable rock below the water table.
Channel flow – the movement of water within the river channel.
This is also called a river’s discharge.
Groundwater flow – the deeper movement of water through
underlying permeable rock strata below the water table. Limestone
is highly permeable with lots of joints and can lead to faster
groundwater flow.
Infiltration – the downward movement of water into the soil
surface.
Interflow – water flowing downhill through permeable rock above
the water table.
Percolation – the gravity flow of water within soil.
Stemflow – water running down a plant stem or tree trunk.
Surface Runoff – the movement of water over the surface of the
land, usually when the ground is saturated or frozen or when
precipitation is too intense from infiltration to occur.
Throughflow– the movement of water downslope within the soil
layer. Throughflow is fast through pipes (cracks int he soil or
animal burrows).
Output
Sheet flow
Rill flow
Rills are shallow channels (no more than a few tens of centimetres
deep) cut into soil by the erosive action of flowing water.
As the slope steepens,the amount of water increases and sheet flow
encounters surface irregularities sheet flow turns into small
shallow channels or rivulets known as rills.
Gulley flow
Trellis
Dendritic
The word dendritic comes from the Greek dendron meaning tree.
In dendritic drainage patterns the streams join one another in a
shape that looks like the branches of a tree.
These streams eventually end up as one big river (the trunk).
The tributaries join each other at acute angles.
It is commonly found in areas with a uniform rock structure
resulting in uniform erosion.
It is also found in areas which have gentle slopes.
Radial
Convergent Drainage
Parallel.
Hydrograph
Characteristics of a hydrograph
The process.
NB:It is important to note that the Ordinary Level syllabus confines our
study to hot deserts that are otherwise known as tropical deserts. Other
deserts such as the cold deserts of Siberia are beyond the scope of the
syllabus and thus we will limit our notes to hot deserts.
Types of Deserts
1 Reg deserts
2 Hamada Desert
N.B. As has already been said most deserts have all of the landscapes
above within their boundaries. For example while the Sahara desert is
for the most part an Erg desert some parts of it have both Hamada and
Reg landscapes.
The largest arid and semi-arid deserts occur between latitudes 15°
and 30° North and South of the equator.
Most of these deserts are located on the western sides of the
continental masses on which they lie.
They occur within the Trade wind belt where the winds are off-
shore.
Off-shore winds are those winds that blow from the shore towards
the ocean.
These winds (Trade winds) tend to be dry after loosing their
moisture as they journey across the eastern side of contents.
Although west coasts have on-shore winds (winds from the ocean
towards the land) blowing towards them, they rarely bring rain.
This is because the onshore winds meet with cold currents that
blow parallel to coast lines (e.g. the Cold Benguela current in the
case of the Kalahari and the Cold Angola current in the case of the
Namib desert) this causes the moisture within the on-shore winds
to condense and form mist, fog and light rain before the winds
reach the coast.
Most of the winds that blow across deserts are land winds which
are dry/contain little moisture and therefore do not result in any
form of precipitation.
Some deserts as the Arizona desert are far from oceans, moisture
from oceans is exhausted in the form of rainfall in other areas
before it reaches these deserts since they are further in the interior.
Some deserts such as the Gobi Desert, are located in rain shadow
areas because they are in depressions or basins.
Since they are on the leeward side of mountains where warm dry
air is sinking they tend to receive little to no rainfall.
In addition to this the relative humidity of the air mass falls
resulting in high evapotranspiration rates thus exacerbating the
aridity of deserts while increasing their temperature.
The Kalahari and Sahara deserts are also located on the rain
shadow side of major mountains.
In Zimbabwe areas like Save valley and major parts of
Matabeleland are hot and receive very little rainfall, droughts are
frequent and may eventually become deserts.
Some deserts are located in the sub-tropical high pressure zone 30°
North and South of the equator which means winds tend to blow
from these areas and dry warm air is sinking creating permanent
High pressure belts.
In some areas as the Patagonian Desert cool off-shore currents
prevent local on-shore winds from bringing in rain.
Most Hot Deserts are increasing in area in a process called
desertification.
Human action sometimes contribute to desertification so in some
ways deserts are a man made feature.
Climate change has also resulted in changes in local rainfall
patterns with increased incidence of droughts in places like
Somalia where rainfall might not fall for years on end.
This topic will be looked at separately later.
Wind is a process where the wind detaches soil particles from the
land surface and transports them by its force.
It occurs when forces exerted by wind overcome the gravitational
and cohesive forces of soil particles on the surface of the ground.
Important notice
Wind Action
Wind action in deserts are also known as aeolian processes.
These processes include erosion, transportation and deposition.
Erosion
1. Deflation
2. Abrasion
3 Attrition
Is the process by which large rock particles roll and rub against
each other and wear away.
This happens during the wind transportation processes.
This process produces sand particles that are rounded into particles
about the size of millet seeds.
Wind transport
Suspension
Happens when materials are very fine i.e. less than 0.15 mm in
diameter.
This means that they can be easily picked up by the wind,
They are then raised to considerable height and carried, in the air,
for great distances.
Sand particles have been on occasion carried from the Sahara
desert and deposited in Britain a great distance away.
Suspension creates dust storms that often reduce visibility in
deserts to less than a kilometer.
Saltation
When wind speeds exceed the threshhold velocity (that is the speed
required to move grain particles),
fine and coarse-grained sand particles are lifted and rise almost
vertically for several centimeters before falling again to the
ground.
When they return to the ground they follow a flat trajectory that
sees them fall a short distance from where they were picked up but
not in the same place.
The particles are moved by the wind in a leap-frogging and
bouncing manner.
Even in the most severe storms the particles are rarely lifted to
more than 2 meters in height thus differentiating this method of
wind transportation from suspension.
Surface creep
Deposition
Some oases in the Sahara were formed in this manner and may be
below sea level.
Dunes are made from sand that is deposited at the leeward side of
the wind.
Some deflation hollows may be formed in part due to the presence
of faults within the rocks which are exploited and widened by
weathering and the regolith removed by wind erosion.
Note note all oasis are formed by deflation some are naturally
occurring springs and some result as a result of freak storms and
the underlying geological rocks limiting the amount of infiltration.
Sand ripples
Sand Dunes
Barchan Dunes
A barchan dune is a small crescent shaped dune.
It has a height can range from a few meters to about 30 meters in
height and it can be 400 meters wide..
They lie at right angles to the prevailing wind.
It has its “horns” pointing downwind.
They usually form around an obstacle such as a rock, piece of
vegetation or even a dead animal.
As the mound, which is wind ward grows due to continued sand
depositions,
Its leading edges are slowly carried forward in a downwind
direction.
The windward slope of the dune is gentle.
The downwind side is steep and slightly curved.
This is caused by eddies that are set up by the prevailing wind.
A barchan dune moves as grains of sand are moved up the
windward slope to fall onto the leeward side.
They can occur both singly or in groups.
Sief Dunes
Zeugens
Yardang
Rock Pedestal.
Inselberg
Even though some places in deserts do not receive rain at all for
years on end,
There is evidence for example, paleolithic marks on some desert
rocks,
This evidence proves that deserts had more pluvial (humid)
conditions that current arid conditions in the past.
Some wadis, dry river channels and gullies may have been formed
during these pluvial periods.
Wadis/Canyons
Alluvial fans/Bahadas/Bajadas
Mountain Front
Bahada
Knickpoint
Rock pediment
It is the gentle slope that starts at the knickpoint at the foot of the
mountain.
This may be made out of bare rock or it can be covered in alluvium
deposited during floods.
Peripediment
Playa
Mesas and buttes are flat topped uplands with steep sides and often
capped by hard resistant rocks.
Mesas and buttes are desert features created primarily by river
erosion in deserts but carved away further by desert weathering
processes as well as wind (aeolian) processes.
They are formed from what are originally plateaus that are cut into
two by rivers.
These features can be quickly formed because desert rivers have a
lot of erosive power owing to the lack of vegetation, the sudden
and heavy storms that result in violent downpours and ferocious
runoff and the abrasive material that is readily available in deserts.
Messas have a broader top compared to buttes.
They are usually dissected by wadis.
Weathering processes pile up scree/talus at their bases.
Buttes can be formed by mesas that have been carved by erosion.
Human activities
Human factors
Deforestation as people cut down trees for use as firewood,
thatching, making furniture and other industrial and domestic uses.
The clearing of land for agricultural use.
Overgrazing for example in the Sahel region.
Overpopulation as more population increases are not matched with
increases in resources.
Expansion of human settlements such as towns and land is cleared
for industrial and residential use.
Mining activities for example open cast mining and oil mining
which leads to oil spills and destruction of vegetation.
Salinisation which makes soils less fertile and makes vegetation
growth impossible.
Effects of desertification
Reaction
The following methods can be used to prevent and slow down the rate of
desertification:
Climate Weather
Describes the atmospheric conditions at a
Describes the average
specific place at a specific point in time.
conditions expected at a
Weather generally refers to day-to-day
specific place at a given
temperature and precipitation activity (e.g rain
time.
or snow)
Measured over a long Measured for short term e.g on a day to day
period typically 30 years. basis
The study of the climate
The study of weather is called meteorology.
is called climatology.
The following elements are some of the most commonly used to express
weather.
Weather report
Weather forecast
1. Stevenson screen.
2. Six’s thermometer.
3. Hygrometer.
4. Barometer.
5. Sunshine recorder.
6. Anemometer.
7. Rain gauge.
8. Evaporation dish.
How it works
When temperature rises it pushes the alcohol in the left hand limp
down and forces mercury in the right hand limp up.
The alcohol heats up and part of it is vaporized to occupy the
conical bulb.
The reading is taken on the right hand limp which is in the left
hand limp contracts and some of the alcohol in the conical bulb
liquefies so that the mercury flows in the opposite direction.
The minimum temperature is read just above the metal index on
the right hand limp.
Digital thermometers are becoming more and more common. They are
not necessarily more accurate than the traditional mercury and alcohol
thermometers but they are easier to read.
Types of humidity
There are several ways to measure and express humidity:
-is the pressure exerted by the weight of air in the atmosphere of Earth.
It is measured in millibars. It is measured using an instrument known as
a barometer. There are two different types of barometers: the mercury
and aneroid barometers.
Mercury barometer
Advantages
Disadvantages
Aneroid Barometer
These are portable and can be safely used at homes and schools as
they do not contain mercury.
They are made up of an air-tight metal box.
If pressure increases the box is squashed inwards.
Conversely if pressure decreases the box expands outwards.
A complex series of springs is attached to the box.
The other end of the spring is connected to a point which has a
calibrated dial on the other end to record the various pressure
readings.
The spring amplifies the expansions and contractions of the box in
accordance to atmospheric pressure.
Advantages
It is portable.
It can be safely used in the home or at school since it does not rely
on mercury which is poisonous.
It is easier to read since it comes with a calibrated dial.
Can make continuous readings.
Can be attached to a computer to make automated continuous
readings.
Disadvantages
It is less accurate.
Requires great skill and expertise to make.
ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes: Wind direction and speed.
Wind is the movement of air across the earth’s surface due to differences
in pressure between two regions. Air moves from high pressure regions
to low pressure regions. The differences in pressure can be caused by
differential heating of the earth’s surface or by earth and sea breezes.
Points of a compass
The four points N,S,E and W are referred to as the cardinal points.
The additional four points SW,SE,NE and NW are referred to as
the inter-cardinal or ordinal points.
The additional points e.g. SSW are called the secondary-inter-
cardinal points.
Wind direction is typically given in using either the cardinal points
or sometimes in terms of the ordinal points.
Knots
Refers to the fraction of the sky obscured by clouds when observed from
a particular location. Okta is the usual unit of measurement of the cloud
cover. Sky conditions are estimated in terms of how many eighths of the
sky are covered in cloud, ranging from 0 oktas (completely clear sky)
through to 8 oktas (completely overcast).
Cloud cover symbols and measurements.
The diagram above shows how cloud cover can be estimated. An eye
observer makes the necessary estimates at a given point of measurement.
3D cameras and computing software can also be used to make more
accurate estimates of cloud cover nowadays.
Classification of clouds.
NB. Some clouds transverse all heights. These are refered to as clouds of
great-vertical extent for example cumulonimbus clouds.
Cirrus.
Cirrus clouds.
Cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus clouds
Nimbostratus clouds
Nimbostratus clouds
Altocumulus
Altocumulus clouds.
Air masses
Air Masses
1) Tropical continental
2. Tropical Maritime
Form over low latitude oceans and as such are very warm, humid,
and unstable.
The tropical maritime air mass that reaches Zimbabwe is the NE
trades originating from the northern hemisphere subtropical
anticyclone usually centered over central Indian ocean (over the
equator).
3. Polar maritime
are cool moist prevailing winds which blow through out the year.
They are usually associated with continuous light showers and
drizzle especially on windward slopes.
They often give rise to guti conditions immediately after the rainy
season.
When they blow strongly from the south east they often give clear
weather in summer and cloudy weather in winter.
Only blow in the summer and cause rain to fall in the Northern
parts of Zimbabwe especially in late December to early January.
They are not as moist as the North West Monsoons.
ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes: Pressure
Pressure
Altitude
Temperature
The rotation of the earth causes the air at the poles to be “thrown”
away towards the equator.
In theory this would result in air piling at the equator creating a
region of High pressure at the equator.
The reality is much more complicated as other factors like
temperature also affect pressure.
Pressure belts
Low temperatures at the poles cause the air to contract and high
pressure develops as a result.
High temperatures along the equator cause the air to expand and
low pressure, called the doldrum low pressure (the
ITCZ),develops.
Air blowing away from the poles crosses parallels and creates low
pressure belts along 60°N and 60°S.
As air moves in from the poles more air moves in from higher
levels to take its place.
Some of this comes from the rising low pressure air along 60°S
and 60°N.
Air rising at the equator spreads out and moves towards the poles.
As it does so it crosses parallels that are getting shorter and has to
occupy less space resulting in an increase in pressure as it
contracts.
This happens near 30°N and 30°S and the air begins to sink where
it builds up sub-tropical high pressure belts called horse latitudes.
Some of the High pressure air in latitudes 30°N and 30°S moves
over the surface towards the equator and some of it towards the
poles.
The air that moves towards the equator replaces the air that rises
there.
The air moving towards the poles reaches latitudes 60°N and 60°S
where it replaces the air that rises there.
Winds blow over the surface blow from high pressure to low
pressure areas.
At high levels blow from low pressure systems to high pressure
systems.
In each hemisphere there are three pressure systems: Polar High
Pressure, Temperate Low pressure and Sub-Tropical High pressure
and in the midst of both poles is the Equatorial Low pressure.
This is all assuming the earth’s surface was flat and uniform
i.e. if the earth was an isotropic plane.
See the diagram below for a simplified view of the earth’s major
pressure belts.
The earth’s surfaces is not uniform: there are water and land
masses of different shapes and sizes.
The earth’s is also tilted at an of 66.5 degrees and the earth and
land masses are heated and cool at different rates.
1. North East Polar winds: blow from the polar high pressure towards
the temperature low pressure in latitude 60°N (temperate low).
2. South West Winds: blow from the sub-tropical high pressure
regions in latitude 30°N towards the temperate low pressure zone.
3. North East Trade Winds: blow from the sub-tropical high pressure
towards the doldrums along the equator.
In the Southern Hemisphere:
1. South East Polar winds: blow from the polar high pressure towards
the low temperate pressure regions in latitude 60°S.
2. North East Winds: blow from the sub-tropical high pressure in
latitude 30°S towards the temperate low pressure.
3. South East Trade Winds: blow from the sub-tropical high pressure
regions towards the doldrums.
The earth’s pressure belts and associated wind patterns when the earth’s
rotational deflection is taken into account.
Conditions-November to March
Types of rain
There are various types of rain depeding on how the air rises/ is
forced to rise these are:
Frontal/Cyclonic
Occurs along fronts when air e.g S.Western Cape in South Africa.
Relief/Orographic
Occurs when warm air is forced to rise by mountains.
Convectional
Occurs when the air adjacent to an excessively heated ground rises.
Convergence
1. Sleet
2. Hail
3. Dew
4. Hoar Frost
Frost is the coating or deposit of ice that may form in humid air in
cold conditions, usually overnight.
Is common in places like Nyanga, Marondera and some parts of
Harare in winter.
5. Fog/Mist
6. Rime
is a white ice that forms when the water droplets in fog freeze to
the outer surfaces of objects.
Often seen on trees.
7. Snow
8. Drizzle