November 1, 2011

Objective: Agenda: Identify the 5 major regions of Virginia Landscape Notes Virginia Map Virginia Map Analysis Homework: Projects due Friday Test is Friday

Landscapes What is a landscape? What is a landform? A region on Earth’s surface in which various landforms are related by a common origin. What is a landform? Hills, valleys, and streams

Landscape Regions: Mountains are high elevations with steep gradients. They have faulted, folded, and tilted rocks. Plateaus are high elevations with horizontal layers. They usually have a fairly level slope Plains are level with little change in slope. They have a low elevation with horizontal rock layers.

The Five Physiographic Provinces of Virginia Virginia Geology The Five Physiographic Provinces of Virginia

The Five Provinces

Virginia is divided into 5 provinces based on their geologic formations.

1. Coastal Plain ( Tidewater)

It is a terraced landscape The Coastal Plain runs from the fall line on the west, to the Atlantic Ocean on the east It is a terraced landscape

Sand, silt and clay produced by erosion of the Appalachian Mts Sand, silt and clay produced by erosion of the Appalachian Mts. covers the plain As sea levels rose and fell, fossils were left at various layers

Virginia Fossils Fossils include various marine organisms like clams, scallops, sharks teeth, and other hard remains

Virginia Fossils Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic fossils are found in Virginia

2. Piedmont

Facts about the Va. Piedmont It is an area of rolling hills underlain by ancient igneous and metamorphic rock It is the largest of the provinces

Mining the Piedmont High quality slate is mined from this area The Piedmont host one of the worlds largest kyanite mines ( see picture of kyanite )

3. Blue Ridge Mountains

Blue Ridge Facts The billion year old igneous and metamorphic rocks are the oldest in the state

Blue Ridge Facts It is a high ridge separating the piedmont from the valley and ridge province

4. Valley and Ridge Province

Valley and Ridge The Valley and Ridge Province is an area of long parallel ridges and valleys underlain by ancient folded and faulted sedimentary rocks

Cambrian fossil algal structures are found in the V&R Province

Limestone outcrops are common in the Valley and Ridge Province

This area is also famous for Karst What does karst mean? Karst is an irregular limestone region with sinks, underground streams, and caverns

Sink holes!

Caverns!

5. Appalachian Plateau

Appalachian Plateau Facts The Appalachian Plateau has rugged, irregular topography and is underlain by ancient, flat-lying sedimentary rocks

Appalachian Plateau Facts Do you notice any thing in these layers?

COAL!

Virginia Coal Most of Virginia's coal is found in the Appalachian Plateau.

Virginia Coal These old sedimentary rocks contain many fossils and tons of coal.