Earth’s Landforms

Chapter 3

Lesson 1

• What are landforms?

• A landform is a physical feature on Earth’s surface.

• Each landform has specific characteristics and each landform forms in a different way.

Landforms

• Page 130-131.

What are the features of the ocean floor?

• An ocean basin is a large underwater area between continents.

• Along the coast of a continent, the ocean floor is called the continental shelf. Here the ocean floor is covered by shallow water and gradually slopes down.

What are the features of the ocean floor?

• Submarine canyon is a steep-sided valley in a continental slope.

• Submarine canyons often are found near the mouths of large rivers.

• At the end of a continental slope is another gradual downward slope called a continental rise.

What are the features of the ocean floor?

• The abyssal plain is a wide, flat area of ocean floor.

• Abyssal plain covers about 40% of the ocean floor.

• Trenches are the deepest parts of the ocean floor.• A seamount is an underwater mountain that rises

from the ocean floor but stops before it reaches the surface of the ocean.

What are the features of the ocean floor?

• Mid-ocean ridges are underwater mountain ranges.

• An indentation called a rift valley occurs along the top of these mountains.

• Pg 132 in text.

How are Earth’s feature mapped?

• Relief Map: A map that uses shading to show elevations.

• A surveyor is a person who takes measurements of land.

• Elevation is the height of land above sea level.

• Benchmark, or permanent reference point, for that elevation.

How are Earth’s features mapped?

• A topographical map uses lines to show elevation.

• A contour line represents different elevations.

What are Earth’s layers?

• The atmosphere includes all of the gases around Earth.

• The hydrosphere covers about 70% of the Earth’s surface. All of the Earth’s liquids make up the hydrosphere.

• The rocky layer of Earth’s surface is called the crust.

What are Earth’s layers?

• The mantle is the layer below the crust.

• The mantle is split into an upper and lower mantle.

• The crust and the top of the upper mantle are the lithosphere.

• The rest of the upper mantle is almost-melted rock, called the asthenosphere.

What are Earth’s layers?

• The lower mantle is solid rock. Below the lower mantle is the core, or the central part of Earth. The core is divided into the inner and outer core.

• The outer core is made of liquid metals, while the inner core is made of solid metals.

• Earth’s biosphere means the parts of Earth where living things are formed.

• Pg 136 text.