CH 6 MAJOR LAND FORM OF THE EARTH

Mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains are the four major types of landforms. Minor landforms include buttes, canyons, valleys, and basins.

Man has a direct effect on the shape of landforms by excavating and piling up earth, reclaiming land from the sea and causing subsidence through mining. These activities have greatly increased since the Industrial Revolution with the development of enormous machinc power and explosives for moving material.

Plains are large stretches of flat land. They are, generally, not more than 200 metres above mean sea level. Some plains are extremely level. Others may be slightly rolling and undulating.

A broad level elevated area : plateau.

Flora refers to all plant life and fauna refers to all animal life. Fauna cannot prepare their own food so they depend upon the flora for their food.

a level paved area next to a building; a patio.

Valleys are defined as the low lying areas of land between hills or mountains, normally with a river or some sort of water course running through them.

Glaciers are made up of fallen snow that, over many years, compresses into large, thickened ice masses. 

A building used for storing goods.

Volcanic activity ranges from emission of gases, non-explosive lava emissions to extremely violent explosive bursts that may last many hours. The types of eruptions determine the relative volumes and types of volcaniclastic material and lava flows, consequently the shapes and sizes of volcanoes.