GEOGRAPHY LANDFORMS TERMS

Rivers – Moving water flowing from high elevation to low elevation Rivers – Moving water flowing from high elevation to low elevation. Tributaries – smaller moving bodies of water that form rivers (streams and creeks)

thin strip of land connecting two larger land masses; land bridge. ISTHMUS-

Narrow strip of water connecting two larger bodies of water. STRAIT -

Ancient snow and ice that are hundreds of feet deep and always moving. GLACIER-

Bodies of water cut out by retreating glaciers. FJORD

VALLEY- Long, low lands between highlands.

– Area between level ground caused by erosion. CANYON

Valley caused by separating plates. RIFT - Valley caused by separating plates.

-Raised flat land with at least one steep cliff. PLATEAU

-plateau with steep cliffs on all sides. MESA BUTTE - Small mesa often found in deserts.

- single face cliff of a plateau. ESCARPMENT - single face cliff of a plateau.

-land with water on all sides. ISLAND -land with water on all sides. ARCHIPELAGO -large group of islands

-land with water on three sides. PENINSULA

Fan shaped deposit of mud and gravel often at the foot of a mountain. DELTA ALLUVIAL FAN – wide flat area of fan shaped land where a river empties into the sea.

Lagoon – small body of water cut off from a large body of water by sand or coral reef.

Atoll - is an island of coral that encircles a dormant volcano partially or completely.

Sea Ocean Lake Gulf Bay

Bodies of water Ocean - Large bodies of salt water that cover two-thirds of the earth’s surface. Sea - Large bodies of salt water that are partially or wholly enclosed by land. Gulf – An area of salt water partly enclosed by coastline. Bay – Fresh or salt water partly enclosed by land; inlet to a lake or sea. Lake – Mostly landlocked body of water.