Changing Earth’s Surface
Table of Contents
Exploring Earth’s Surface
Ms. De Los Rios
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.
Exploring Earth’s Surface
Lewis & Clark’s Journey
The 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.
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___________________
Exploring Earth’s Surface
Landforms
Plains, mountains, and plateaus are three of the many landforms that
make up the topography of Earth’s surface.
Landform- PLAIN
Plain
Elevation- low
Relief- low
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.
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
Elevation- high
Relief- high
Mountain Ranges
Elevation- high
Relief- high
Landform- PLATEAU
Plateau
Elevation-High
Relief- Low
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.
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.
Exploring Earth’s Surface
Landform Regions of the United States: Florida
The United States has many different landform regions. Identify Florida on the
map. Classify it by landform region.
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.