Table of Contents Exploring Earth’s Surface Ms. De Los Rios Changing Earth’s Surface.

Table of Contents

Exploring Earth’s Surface

Ms. De Los Rios

Changing Earth’s Surface

Vocabulary 3.2

1. Topography- The shape of the land determined by elevation, relief, and landforms. (The arrangement of the natural and artificial physical features of an area.)

1. Elevation- Height above sea level.

2. Relief- The difference in elevation between the highest and lowest parts of an area.

3. Landform- A feature of topography formed by the processes that shape Earth’s surface.

4. Plain- A landform made up of flat or gently rolling land with low relief.

5. Mountain- A landform with high elevation and high relief.

6. Mountain Range- A group of mountains that are closely related in shape, structure, area, and age.

7. Plateau- A large landform that has high elevation and a more or less level surface.

8. Landform- A feature of topography formed by the processes that shape Earth’s surface.

9. Landform Region- A large area of land where the topography is made up mainly of one type of landform.

Lewis & Clark’s JourneyThe route of the Lewis and Clark expedition crossed regions that differed greatly in elevation and relief. What were the highest and lowest points on their route?

Exploring Earth’s Surface

Topography is the shape of the land.

An area’s topography may be:

flat, sloping, hilly, or mountainous

Topography of an area includes :

1. A_________________

2. E________________

3. L_________________

The height above sea level of a point on Earth’s surface is its elevation.

The difference in elevation between the highest and lowest parts of an area is its relief.

The Rocky Mountains include huge mountains separated by deep valleys. These areas have high relief, or great differences in

elevation.

Exploring Earth’s Surface

What Does the Topography in an Area Includes?

There are many different landforms.

• A landform is a feature (characteristic) of topography

Example: a hill or valley

(formed by the processes that shape Earth’s surface.)

Different landforms have different combinations of elevation and relief.

Main Types of Landforms

Landforms vary greatly in size and shape.

Three major types of landforms are:

plains, mountains, and plateaus.

Three major types of landforms are

1. P___________________

2. M___________________

3. P___________________

LandformsPlains, mountains, and plateaus are three of the many landforms that make up the topography of

Earth’s surface.

Exploring Earth’s Surface

Landform- PLAIN

A plain is a landform made up of nearly flat or gently rolling land with low relief. A plain that lies along a seacoast is called a coastal plain. A plain that lies away from the coast is called an interior plain. The broad interior plains of North America are called the Great Plains.

PlainElevation- low

Relief- low

MountainElevation- high

Relief- high

Landform- MOUNTAIN

A mountain is a landform with high elevation and high

relief. A mountain’s base can cover an area of

several square kilometers.

A mountain range is a group of mountains that are

closely related in shape, structure, area, and age.

Mountain RangesElevation- high

Relief- high

Landform- PLATEAU

A landform that has high elevation and a more or less level surface is called a plateau.

The Columbia Plateau in Washington State is an example.

PlateauElevation-High

Relief- Low

A large area of land where the topography is made up mainly of one type of landform is called a landform region.

The Great Plains and Rocky Mountains are examples of major landform regions.

Other terms used to describe landform regions include:

• uplands, which are regions of hilly topography,

• lowlands, which are regions of plains with low elevations.

Landform Regions of the United States: FloridaThe United States has many different landform regions. Identify Florida on the map. Classify it by landform

region.

Exploring Earth’s Surface

Did You Know?

The highest elevation in the United States is Mt. McKinley, Alaska, at 6,194 meters.

The lowest is Death Valley, California, at 86 meters below sea level.