Landforms

What are landforms? are natural physical features of the earth’s surface. 2 Types of forces act on the earth to create landforms: Erosional Elements Tectonics

Valley                                            A valley is a lowland area between higher lands such as mountains.                 Location: Napa Valley, Death Valley; Monument Valley Agent of erosion: water; ice

Plateau A plateau is a large, flat area of land that is higher than the surrounding land. Location examples: Colorado Plateau, Cumberland Plateau Agent of deposition: lava flow Agent of erosion: water or wind erosion

Barrier island A long narrow island running parallel to the mainland, protects the coast from erosion Location Example: Padre Island: Coney Island Agent of erosion and deposition: water(wave action) and wind

Canyon A canyon is a deep valley with very steep sides - often carved from the Earth by a river. Location Example: Grand Canyon; Palo Duro Canyon Agent of erosion: Flowing water

Delta A delta is a low, watery land formed at the mouth of a river. A delta is often (but not always) shaped like a triangle. Location Examples: Mississippi Delta, Nile River Delta Agent of deposition: water flow: silt deposited at rivers end

Tectonic Landforms

Trench a long, narrow, and usually steep-sided depression in the ocean floor formed by plate subduction when plates converge [Same occurrence on land creates a rift valley] Location Example: Marianna Trench in the Pacific ocean

Fault Line Fault lines are the points where the earths plates meet or lay against each other. The movement of the earth along these lines produce earthquakes. Example: San Andreas Fault

Continental Mountains- mountains formed at convergent boundaries (a place where two continental crust collide). Location: Himalaya Mountains in Tibet

Fault-Block Mountains are formed by the movement of large crustal blocks when forces in the Earth’s crust pull it apart. Some parts of the Earth are pushed upward and others collapse down. Example: Grand Tetons

Volcanic Mountains Created by sea –floor spreading and convergent plate boundaries (where oceanic plate collides with continenal plate). Example: Mauna Loa, Hawaii