1. Landforms Notes

2. What is a landform?
Landforms are the distinct shapes that make up the earth’s surface.

3. How are landforms created?
A. Water erosion: Moving water carries bits of rock and sand along with it as it flows – changing the shape of the land over a long period of time.

4. Water erosion
Think of snow melting – as it melts along the roadside it carries sand on the road along with it.

5. Landforms created by water erosion
1. Alluvial fans: fan-shaped deposits of water-carried material found at the bottom of a slope.

6. Landforms created by water erosion
2. Delta: A triangular piece of land formed at the mouth (opening)of a river by water-carried material.

7. Landforms created by water erosion
3. Groundwater: Water found underground in the spaces between soil particles and bits of rock.

8. Landforms created by water erosion
4. Waterfalls: A steep drop off of water, formed when water flows over a hard layer of rock covered in a soft layer of rock, eroding the soft layer

9. Landforms created by water erosion
5. Flood plains: A flat or nearly flat land near a river built up by flooding, each time the river overflows it leaves bits of sand and soil behind on the flood plain.  

10. Landforms created by water erosion
6. Meanders: A bend, or snaking pattern, in a river created by water wearing away a path from the river banks – Think of wiggling a jump rope.

11. Landforms created by erosion
7. Oxbow lakes: A landlocked body of water created over time by a meander as it goes from a wiggle to an S shape to a closed-off moon shape.

12. Landforms created by water erosion
8. Valleys: V or U shaped depressions River valleys: Formed by moving water of rivers eating away at the land – river valleys are usually V shaped. Sometimes called a canyon or a gorge.

13. Landforms created by water erosion
8. Glacial valleys: Formed by melting glaciers (huge chunks of ice) – usually U shaped and known having boulders.

14. Landforms created by water erosion
9. Tributary: A stream or river that flows into a larger river.

15. Landforms created by water erosion
10. Gully: A large ditch created in the earth by running water, areas with few plants to hold soil in place are prone to gully erosion.

16. Landforms created by water erosion
11. Rill: A narrow and shallow crack in the land caused the area receiving more water than the ground can hold. Like a small gully.

17. Other Landforms
Aside from water, landforms are also created by things like wind and plate tectonics.

18. Other Landforms
1. Archipelago: A group or chain of islands that make up one place – like Hawaii or Japan – formed by underwater mountains or volcanoes pushing up through the water.

19. Other Landforms
2. Isthmus: A narrow strip of land connecting two larger areas of land.

20. Other Landforms
3. Strait: A narrow body of water connecting two larger bodies of water.

21. Other Landforms
4. Plateau: A level area that is elevated – almost like a mountain with a cut off top – also known as a mesa.