What
are Landforms?
•
Landforms are the natural shapes called landforms.
•
There are many different types of landforms found on the earth:
landforms of continental relief and landforms of coastal relief.
Different
kinds of landforms?
1)
Plain
2)
Desert
3)
Mountain
4)
Valley
5)
Rivers.
6)
Delta
7)
Glaciers & Ice fields
8)
Canyon
9)
Cape
10)
Island
- What is a
PLAIN?
A
plain is a flat area on Earth’s surface.
EXAMPLE
:
The
Great Plains region of the United States reaches across the vast interior of
the country, from the Canadian border in the north to the Mexican border in the
south. Portions of the Great Plains have been called "The
breadbasket" or "The heartland." Tourists who come to the Great
Plains visit places such as Mount Rushmore in South
Dakota and Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
The Coastal Plains lie along the coastline
from New Jersey on the Atlantic Ocean to Texas on the Gulf
of Mexico. The coastal area of South Carolina, called the Low
Country, is a region known for its Southern cuisine, while the coastal area
of Louisiana is famous for its Cajun and Creole cookery.
2.
What is DESERT ?
A desert is any location on Earth
that receives less than ten inches of rain per year. Deserts are extremely dry and may
be either very hot or very cold. Hot deserts are extremely hot during the day and cold at night.
EXAMPLE:
The
Mojave Desert, about 100 miles from Los Angeles and just over 80
miles from Las Vegas, joins together portions
of California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah and is
named for the Native Americans who lived there. The desert is known for its
Joshua trees, a type of yucca tree that needs little water to thrive.
The
Salt Lake Desert is home to the Bonneville Salt Flats where vehicles are pushed
to their limit thanks to the immense area of completely flat land. It lies west
of Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake Desert is also home to Hill Air Force Base and
is used for weapons testing.
3.
What is an MOUNTAIN?
A mountain is a large landform that
stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area, usually in the form of
a peak. A mountain is
generally steeper than a hill. Mountains are
formed through tectonic forces or volcanism
EXAMPLE
:
The American Rocky Mountains run
vertically for more than 3,000 miles, from the Canadian border on the north
to New Mexico in the south. (See reference 9) Winter sports draw
large crowds to areas such as Aspen in Colorado, Jackson
Hole, Wyoming and Sun Valley, Idaho and to parks such as
the Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Teton National Park
and Yellowstone National Park.
On the eastern side of the United States, the
Appalachian Mountains also run vertically and include the Blue Ridge Mountains,
the Alleghenies and the Catskills. Take a drive along a section of the scenic
468-mile Blue Ridge Parkway. It begins at Shenandoah National Park
in Virginia and ends at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
in Tennessee.
4. What is VALLEY?
A low area of land between hills or mountains, typically
with a river or stream flowing through it.
EXAMPLE :
This valley is one that was greatly modified
by glaciers during the last ice age. A valley glacier commonly fills more than
half of the valley length, and as it moves, it modifies the former V-shaped
stream valley into a broad U-shaped or trough-like form. The head of the valley
is sculptured into a large amphitheater called a cirque (visible in the middle
background). Where several cirques approach a summit from different directions,
a sharp, pyramid-shaped peak called a horn is formed (middle background). The
projecting ridges and divides between glacial valleys are subjected to rigorous
ice wedging, abrasion, and mass movement. A knife-edged ridge (arete) is the
result of glaciers coming together from opposite directions Moraine material
composed of rock fragments is created from glacial erosion. A truncated spur is
visible on the right side of the photo just above the tree-covered ridge.
5. What is a RIVER?
•
A river is a natural flowing watercourse,
usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river
• EXAMPLE :
1)
The origin of the 2,350-mile Mississippi River is
in Minnesota at Lake Itaska. The river flows primarily southward,
touching 10 states along the way. It ends at the Mississippi Delta
region, where it flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors sometimes take
a cruise on old-fashioned river boats on
the Mississippi River, reliving the days when paddle boats were abundant
on the river.
The Missouri River
begins at the confluence of three rivers: the Jefferson, the Madison and the
Gallatin. It served as a major conduit for settlers in the western United
States and was nicknamed "The Big Muddy" because of its high level of
turbidity. Visitors often camp along the Missouri.
6. What is DELTA?
The sediment is dropped at the mouth of the river. Some
rivers drop so much sediment that waves and tides can't carry it all away. It
builds up in layers forming a delta. ... Deltas have
a fairly flat section called a delta plain that is above
water.
1)
The biggest delta in
the United States is the Mississippi Delta, where sediment has
collected as the water of the Mississippi empties into the Gulf
of Mexico. The delta is fan-shaped, creating a visual triangle. It is
called delta because it is similar in shape to the Greek letter delta.
The Colorado River used to flow south
from Colorado into the Sea of Cortez, or Gulf of California
where it formed a delta. Because of the proliferation of dams along the river,
the delta became dry. There are efforts being made to revitalize the river and
bring the delta back to health.
7. What is Glaciers and Ice fields ?
• A glacier is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight; it forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation (melting and sublimation) over many years, often centuries.
• The ice field receives more than 400
inches of snow each year,
EXAMPLE:
Rivers of ice formed from
compacting snow, glaciers are found in abundance in Alaska, where there
are over 100,000. The Juneau Icefields are the starting point for 38 glaciers,
one of which is the Mendenhall Glacier. You can see the crystal blue glacier
from the water, from land or by airplane, and because of its ease of access, it
is one of the most frequently visited glaciers in Alaska.
The Stikine Icefield runs
along the border between Alaska and
British Columbia in Canada, in the Coastal Mountains. It
produces LeConte Glacier, which has become a stable glacier due to calving
rather than moving forward.
8. What is Canyon?
a deep gorge, typically one with a river flowing through it,
as found in North America.
. EXAMPLE:
1)
The Grand
Canyon is the main attraction on to Arizona's north . Visitors can view
the canyon from the South Rim year round, but because of winter weather, the
North Rim is accessible only during warmer months. Visitors who wish to go below
the rim of the canyon either hike or take a mule trip to the interior. You will
need a permit if you plan to camp in the backcountry.
The Hawaiian island of Kauai is home to Wiamea Canyon, which
is sometimes referred to as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.. Visit
the Wiamea Canyon State Park or Kokee State Park and spend the day hiking on
the many trails. The park has challenging hikes for experienced hikers and easy
routes for novices.
9. What is CAPE?
- In geography, a cape is a
headland or a promontory of large size extending into a body of water,
usually the sea. A cape usually represents a marked
change in trend of the coastline. ... Capes can be formed by glaciers,
volcanoes, and changes in sea level.
EXAMPLE:
One of the most famous capes in the United States is Cape Canaveral,
known for space launches and home of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The
promontory of land is also the location of Port Canaveral, a busy port for
commercial and cruise ships. (See note #1) Spend a leisurely day at
Jetty Park at the mouth of the port, enjoying the access to the beach on the
Atlantic Ocean.
Wildlife Refuge and by the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. There are
small hotels on Cape Hatteras as well as a few casual restaurants. Visit the
Cape Hatteras lighthouse and climb to the top for a spectacular view of the
ocean.
10. What is an ISLAND?
What is an Archipelago Landform?
An island or isle
is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very
small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be
called islets, skerries, cays or keys
EXAMPLE
:
The Hawaiian Islands, which became a state in 1959,
gave us the hula dance and surfing. The explorer, Captain James Cook,
discovered the islands in 1778 and called them the Sandwich
Islands. Hawaii is a world-famous tourist destination. (See reference
7) Visitors come to relax on Waikiki Beach, visit the WWII memorial at Pearl
Harbor and attend luaus, where they feast on kalua pig roasted in underground
pits.
A United States territory, the
island of Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean. Tourism is a large
part of the economy of Puerto Rico, with major luxury resorts clustered
around San Juan on the northeastern shore. There are a few tourist spots on the
western side of the island as well, but most of these are quieter and less
crowded.
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