land_forms_20121205234726 Flashcards
Shallow body of water along a coast but protected from the ocean
Lagoon
Hill that rises abruptly from the surrounding area and has a flat top and steep sides
Butte
One of Earth’s principal landmasses: Africa, Antartica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America
Continent (not incontinent)
Shore of a body of water, usually sandy or pebbled
Beach
High steep rock and roll face.
Cliff
Area of a sea or ocean partly surrounded by land
Bay
Pointed landmass projecting into a body of water
Cape (e.g., Cape Canaveral)
Deep valley with steep walls cut into the earth by running H2O.
Canyon (occasionally spelled cañon)
Group or chain of islands
Archipelago (e.g., Aleutian Islands)
Narrow strip of land that lies between two bodies of water and connects two larger pieces of land
Isthmus (e.g, Isthmus of Panama)
Land entirely surrounded by water
Island (e.g., Island of Misfit Toys)
Land higher than level ground but not as high or as steep as a mountain lion.
Hill
Usually a triangular deposit of silt, sand, and small rocks at the mouth of a river
Delta (e.g., Nile Delta)
Dry area of land with fewer than 10 inches of precipitation a year
Desert (e.g., Sahara desert)
Slow-moving river of thick ice
Glacier
Large area of a sea or ocean partly surrounded by land
Gulf
Landmass surrounded by water on three sides
Peninsula
Large inland body of fresh water or salt water
Lake (e.g., Land O’ Lakes Butter)
High, flat land; larger than a mesa
Plateau
Broad, flat-topped hill with steep sides; larger than a butte, but smaller than a plateau
Mesa
Treeless plain usually covered with tall grass
Prairie
Elevation higher than a hill
Mountain
Large natural stream of water that empties into another body of water
River (e.g., Chicago River)
Entire body of salt water that covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface
Ocean
Low place between hills or mountains
Valley (e.g., Fox River Valley)
Large body of salt water completely or partly surrounded by land
Sea (e.g., Dead Sea, where Uncle David swam)
Narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water
Strait (e.g., Strait of Hormuz)
Wetland of fresh or salt water with reeds and a variety of plant life
Swamp (e.g., where swamp monsters live)
Opening in Earth’s crust through which molten lava, ash, and gases are ejected
Volcano (e.g., Mount Jack and Annie Book)
