The Physiographic Provinces of Virginia
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Virginia has had a long, complex
geologic history, over
___________years
Events that have led to the formation of
a rich diversity of rocks, and events that
have___________, _____________ and
rearranged those rocks in complex
patterns.
A physiographic province is
a________________region, areas
divided according to similar terrain that
has been shaped by a common geologic
history.
Geographers recognize more than 20
physiographic provinces in North
America; __________of these are in the
state of _____________-
Piedmont
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Each province is characterized overall by its
elevation, relief, ___________, and geologic
structure. Because of the region’s history of rock
formation, deformation, and _______________,
specific types of landforms or other geologic
features may be associated with a given
_______________
Coastal Plain
 The Coastal Plain is a
________________area underlain by
young, unconsolidated sediments.
 Includes all of Virginia ___________of
the________________ ____________.
 The Fall Line is where Rivers cross
from the hard igneous and metamorphic
rocks of the _____________onto the
soft roundest rocks in Virginia.
 Deposits of________________, silt and
clay including marine fossils deposited
by rivers.
 Layers of sediment were produced by
erosion of the
_____________________Mountains
and then deposited on the Coastal Plain.
The ___________ is an area of rolling
hills underlain by mostly ancient
_______________ and
____________________ rocks.
Igneous rocks are the roots of volcanoes
formed during an ancient episode of
________________that occurred before
the formation of the Appalachian
Mountains.
Largest physiographic province.
Bounded on the east by the
_____________- __________and on
the west by the mountains of the Blue
Ridge.
Rolling ________________y, deeply
weathered bedrock and rocks are
strongly weathered.
Rocks are generally buried under a
thick (2-20m) blanket of
_______________Topography is more
rugged closer to the Blue Ridge.
Blue Ridge
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The __________ _____________is a
high ridge of crystalline rock separating
the ______________-from the Valley
and Ridge Province.
The ___________--- _________old
igneous and metamorphic rocks of the
Blue Ridge are the oldest in the state.
The ___________ _________province
experienced mountain building during
the Paleozoic era (750-700Ma).
In central and northern Virginia, the 570
million year old _______________ are
over ____________________ rock.
Some metamorphism of these rocks
occurred during the formation of the
__________________ _____________
Valley and Ridge
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Long parallel ridges and valleys of
_________________rock which were
folded and faulted, and eroded
differently.
_____________million years old
sandstones are overlain by carbonates
that make up a region of
__________________and dolomite.
The folding and faulting of the
sedimentary rocks occurred during a
collision between ______________and
North America.
The collision, which occurred in the late
_______________produced the
Appalachian Mountains.
Carbonates were deposited in a shallow
_______________ocean along the
southeast edge of North America.
Carbonates in the Shenandoah Valley
create the correct environment for caves
and sinkholes (_________________
_________________)
Appalachian Plateau
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The _________________
_______________has rugged irregular
topography and is underlain by ancient,
flat-lying __________________ rocks.
 Large folds of rock found in the Valley
and Ridge become smaller folds and
flat-lying rocks in the______________.
 Some parts of the Plateau are relatively
flat, and some are hilly and rugged.
The area is actually a series of plateaus separated
by faults. The upper layers of the Plateau are rich
in mineral resources like ________________,
_________________ and _________________