The Tees-Exe line is a fundamental boundary dividing the physical landscapes of the UK. Which of the following statements correctly contrasts the geological and geomorphological characteristics of the landscape regions found on either side of this boundary?
To the north-west of the line, the landscape is dominated by younger, easily weathered sedimentary clays and sandstones that form rolling plains, whereas to the south-east, the landscape is dominated by highly resistant metamorphic rocks forming steep, rugged mountain ranges.
To the north-west of the line, the landscape is dominated by older, highly resistant igneous and metamorphic rocks forming steep, glaciated uplands with thin, acidic soils, whereas to the south-east, the landscape is dominated by younger, weaker sedimentary rocks forming low-lying, undulating plains with deep, fertile soils.
To the north-west of the line, the landscape consists of extensive lowland river basins with deep, chalky soils prone to coastal deposition, whereas to the south-east, the landscape consists of basaltic plateaus shaped by high-altitude periglacial processes and extensive freeze-thaw shattering.
Both sides of the line are geologically identical, but tectonic tilting has raised the north-west to create high-altitude limestone pavement karst landscapes, while the south-east has subsided to form low-lying wetlands such as the Fens.
