Chapter 2Landforms

Landform•A natural land shape or feature.

topography•Surface landforms of an area.

sand dune

•A hill of sand, made and shaped by wind.

weathering

•The process of wearing away rocks by natural means.

erosion •The process of moving sediment by wind, moving water, or ice.

Delta

• An area of new land at the mouth of a river, formed from sediments carried by the river.

sinkhole•A large hole formed when the roof of a cave collapses.

plate • A section of Earth’s crust and mantle that fits together with other sections like puzzle pieces.

earthquake

• A shaking of Earth’s surface, caused by movement of rock in the crust.

fault

•A crack in Earth’s crust.

magma

•Melted rock that is beneath Earth’s surface.

lava

•Molten rock that flows from a volcano onto Earth’s surface.

volcano

•A mountain that forms as molten rock flows through a crack onto Earth’s surface.