What forces shape the Earth Internal forces Internal

What forces shape the Earth?

Internal forces • Internal forces – Core-center of the earth – Mantle-surrounds the core and has several layers – Magma-molten rock which forms in the mantle – Crust-thin layer of rock at the earth’s surface.

Bodies of Water • Oceans and Seas – One large ocean but geographers divide it into four main parts: Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean (Largest), the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean

Bodies of Water (cont) • Lakes, rivers, and streams • Ground water – Water that is held by the soil, and some flows into the pores of rock below soil

Landforms • Landforms are naturally formed features on the surface of the earth. • Oceanic landforms – The floor of the ocean has ridges, valleys, canyons, and plains just like the earth’s surface.

Types of Maps • Physical maps-help you see the types of landforms and bodies of water found in a specific area. On a physical map color, shading, or contour lines are used to indicate elevation or altitude. • Political maps-show features on the earth’s surface that humans created. Cities, states, territories, or countries are examples of a political map. • Topography maps-shows the landforms with their vertical dimensions and their relationship to other landforms.

Vocabulary • Plateau-a large flatland with one steep side and little relief • Mesa-land formation less extensive than a plateau but has steep walls and a relatively flat top. • Plateau and Mesa mean almost the same thing

Vocabulary continued • Isthmus-a narrow piece of land that connects two landmasses • Island-a tract of land completely surrounded by water, and not large enough to be called a continent

Vocabulary • Volcano-An opening in the earth's crust through which molten lava, ash, and gases are ejected. • Flood plain-the flat area bordering a river, composed of sediment deposited during flooding

Vocabulary • River mouth • Peninsula-a narrow strip of land projecting into a sea or lake from the mainland • Steppe-an extensive grassy plain usually without trees

Vocabulary • Butte-A steep-sided hill with a flat top, often standing alone in an otherwise flat area. A butte is smaller than a mesa. • Prairie-a treeless grassy plain of the central US and S Canada

Vocabulary • Delta-the flat alluvial area at the mouth of some rivers where the mainstream splits up into several distributaries ex. Mississippi Delta • Plateau-a wide mainly level area of elevated land

Vocabulary • Cliff-a high, steep, or overhanging face of rock • Oasis-a fertile patch in a desert occurring where the water table approaches or reaches the ground surface • Cataract-a large waterfall or rapids

Vocabulary • Marsh-An area of soft, wet, low-lying land, characterized by grassy vegetation and often forming a transition zone between water and land.

Vocabulary • Harbor-A sheltered part of a body of water deep enough to provide anchorage for ships. Protects from wind, waves, and currents

Vocabulary • Sea Level-the level of the surface of the sea with respect to the land, taken to be the mean level between high and low tide, and used as a standard base for measuring heights and depths