Russia’s Varied Landscape: Physical Processes at Work Chapter 17 (pages 250-263)

Preview

Analyzing the map of Russia What are some forces that can act upon the land and alter its shape? How might these forces have created some of the geographic features shown on your map?

Reading notes Read the sections (3,5,7 and 9) Label the diagram that corresponds to the physical process Answer the question for that section

3 – How tectonic movement shapes earth

5- How volcanic activity shapes earth

7- How erosion shapes the landscape

9- How glaciation shapes the landscape

How Tectonic Movement Shapes Earth In the early 1900s no one knew what caused earthquakes We know they are caused by plates

The Continents and Oceans Rest on Plates Plates move in three ways We feel this movement as earthquakes Tectonic plates – huge pieces of earth’s lithosphere

The Movement of the Plates Creates Mountains Plates collide and create mountains Fold mountains – the crust folds and wrinkles Faults – cracks between the blocks Fault lines – fault lines that create mountains Fault-block mountains – mountains created when blocks slide upward

Signs of Tectonic Movement in Russia Russia’s landscape is varied because of tectonic movement Landmass – a large unbroken area of land Ural Mountains – fold mountains that run through Russia from north to south Caucasus Mountains – fold mountains in southwest Russia West Sayan Mountains – fault-block mountains in southern Siberia

How Volcanic Activity Shapes Earth Volcanoes can reshape the landscape

Volcanoes Form Below Earth’s Surface Volcanoes occur along the edge of tectonic plates Magma pushes its way to the surface through cracks in the crust Lava – the liquid rock when magma erupts from a volcano

Volcanic Explosions Alter the Landscape Some eruptions are quiet and some are forceful Crater – a large hole created after a violent eruption

Signs of Volcanic Activity in Russia One of the most active earthquake zones because two plates meet under the easternmost Russia The Kliuchevskoi Volcano – most active volcano in Russia and erupted in 1994 The Maly Semyachik Volcano – has a large crater filled with bright, blue water The Krenitsyn Volcano – this volcano has erupted many times, at the base of the volcano is a hole called Ring Lake

How Erosion Shapes the Landscape Landslides can also reshape earth’s surface

Wind, Water, Ice and Gravity Cause Erosion Wind erodes land by picking up tiny grains of dirt and carrying them to distant places V-Shaped Valleys – moving water erodes the land creating deep fast moving rivers Glaciers reshape the land as sheets of ice carve out valleys and create new landforms by depositing rock and soil Gravity is a constant force because everything eventually moves downhill

Floods Build Up Land When rivers flood they deposit a fresh layer of soil Floodplain – the area left behind when the rivers return to its banks

Signs of Erosion in Russia The flat plains of Russia are the results of erosion The Volga River – Europe’s longest river that flows through Russia and empties into the Caspian Sea Sediment – soil or sand carried by rivers as they flow The Amur River – forms a natural boundary between Russia and China and created flat, fertile floodplains The Lena River – flows northward through Siberia and often forms blocks of ice

How Glaciation Shapes the Landscape Glaciers are sheets of ice that cover about 1/10 of earth’s surface

Two Kinds of Glaciers Geographers identify two types of glaciers Continental glaciers – huge sheets of ices in low areas near the poles Alpine glaciers – form in high mountain valleys where snowfall is plentiful and temperatures are low

Glaciers Reshape the Land as They Move Glaciers move slowly but grind rock into soil and push great loads of rock and dirt over long distances Moraines – piles of rock and dirt pushed into mounds Horns – pointed peaks on mountaintops U-Shaped Valleys – carve V-shaped valleys into broad U-shaped valleys

Signs of Glaciation in Russia Parts of Russia were covered by glaciers during the last ice age and have shaped the landscape The Kolka Glacier – located in the Caucasus Mountains on Mount Kazbek Avalanche – sudden movement of large rocks or ice down a mountainside The Amanauzsky Glacier – located in the Western Caucasus Mountains creating a large valet between two jagged mountains The Glaciated Yamal Peninsula – glaciers left behind holes throughout this peninsula