Unit 1 Landforms and Oceans Study Guide
Name_________________________ Date_____________
Continental Landforms:
 Canyon: A deep valley with steep rock sides formed by weathering and erosion caused
by a river or stream.
 Delta: A triangular shaped landform located at mouth of a river where rivers leave
deposits of sediment.
 Valley: A long, narrow region of low land between mountain ranges or hills, often
having a river or stream running along the bottom. Valleys are formed through the
erosion of land by rivers or glaciers.
About Earth’s water:
 Divide: A ridge of land that divides two watersheds
 Watershed: The area of land that drains into a single river is the watershed for that
river.
 Fresh Water: Water that is not salty; makes up 3% of Earth’s water.
 Salty Water: Ocean water that is salty; makes up 97% of the Earth’s water.
Comparing Oceanic and Continental Landforms:




Ocean trench is similar to a canyon.
Seamount is similar to a volcano.
Mid-Ocean Ridge is similar to mountains.
Abyssal Plain is similar to plains.
WED….weathering, erosion, and deposition.
 Weathering: The process by which rocks are broken down at the Earth's surface into
such things as sediments, clays, and soils, usually happening over a long period of
time. Example of weathering….plant roots growing in rock cracks or water freezing and
expanding in rock cracks.
 Erosion: The wearing away of rock and carrying of sediment and debris by water,
wind, ice, and gravity.
 Deposition: The laying down of sediment carried by wind, water, or ice. Sediment can
be transported as pebbles, sand & mud, or as salts dissolved in water, usually after
erosion.
Forces of Nature
 Constructive: Nature’s way of creating or building something on the Earth. Examples: Flooding
leaves deposits of rich soil as it recedes. Volcanos can build up lava, creating a larger volcano.
 Destructive: Nature’s way of destroying landforms. Examples: Volcanos exploding and
destroying the landforms around the volcano. Earthquakes destroy landforms through violent
shaking of the earth. Rivers cause weathering and eroding of rock.
Ocean Shore Zone
 Inlets: An curve of a shoreline, usually long and narrow, such as a small bay or
arm. Tides can effect water level of an inlet. Wave and currents can change the
shape of the inlet.
 Estuary: A coastal body of water where fresh water from a river mixes with salt water
from the ocean. This mixture is caused by tides, currents, and waves.
 Barrier Islands: A long narrow island lying parallel and close to the mainland,
protecting the mainland from erosion and storms.
Pollution and Conservation
 Pollution: When the environment is introduced to a substance or thing that has
harmful or poisonous effects.
Examples of pollution:
1. Toxic chemical in the soil, air, or ocean.
2. Oil spills in our oceans.
3. Smoke and fumes from burning fuels.
4. Farmers using fertilizers.
5. Chemical run-off from city roads and other surfaces
 Conservation: The protection of plants and animals, landforms, air, and bodies
of water.
Examples of conservation:
1. Using the three R’s, recycle, reduce, reuse.
2. Growing plants and trees around a farm to prevent topsoil from blowing
away.
3. Instead of throwing away Christmas trees, the city collects them to spread
on the coastal areas to prevent beach erosion.
4. The United States has wildlife preserves that protect animals and their
environment.
5. We should protect our renewable resources, water, soil, and trees.
Landfills vs. Dumps
 A dump is a hole in the ground used as storage for waste materials while a landfill is
also a hole in the ground for waste storage but it is controlled by the government.
 A dump is smaller for smaller communities. A landfill is used more in cities.
 A landfill has a liner at the bottom to catch the liquid produced by solid waste. It also
helps prevent chemicals from seeping into soil and rivers. Dumps do not have a liner so
offer no protection to soil and rivers.
 Landfills are covered every day with soil to stop pests and bad smells from being
released into the air. Dumps are not usually covered with soil.