EXPLORING EARTH’S SURFACE

Keith D. Church, Ph.D.

• What does the topography of an area include?

• What are the main types of landforms?

Students will be able to:1.Explain what the topography of an

area includes.2.Identify the main types of landforms.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Mississippi River

Pacific Ocean

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365034155

Topography includes

• Elevation – height above sea level of a point on the earth’s surface

• Relief – difference in elevation between the highest and lowest parts of an area.

• Landforms – a feature of topography (hill, valley, river, etc.

Height and elevation are not the same!

Height is the distance of something from the base to the top.

Elevation is the distance above sea level.

LANDFORMS

Types of Landforms

• Plains – nearly flat or gently rolling land with low relief

Types of Landforms• Mountains – high elevation and high

relief.Mountain range – group of mountains that are closely related in shape, structure, and age.

Types of Landforms

• Plateaus – high elevation and a more or less level surface.

Landform Regions

A large area of land where the topography is made up mainly of one type of landform.