Geography: Landforms and Plate Tectonics

Study Notes

Types of Mountain Building:
- Volcanic Arcs: formed when oceanic plates subduct under continental plates, resulting in volcanic activity
- Continental Collision: formed when two continental plates collide, resulting in the formation of mountains
- Block Faulting: formed when large blocks of the Earth's crust are pushed upwards or downwards
Mountain Building Processes:
- Folding: when rocks are bent and deformed due to tectonic forces
- Faulting: when rocks are broken and displaced along faults
- Volcanic Activity: when magma rises to the surface, resulting in volcanic eruptions and the formation of volcanic rocks

Theory: the Earth's lithosphere is broken into several large plates that move relative to each other
Types of Plate Boundaries:
- Divergent: where two plates move apart, resulting in the creation of new crust
- Convergent: where two plates move towards each other, resulting in subduction or collision
- Transform: where two plates slide past each other horizontally
Plate Tectonics and Landforms:
- responsible for the formation of mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes
- shapes the Earth's surface through the process of plate movement

Types of Volcanoes:
- Shield Volcanoes: gently sloping volcanoes with a broad base
- Composite Volcanoes: tall, conical volcanoes with a narrow base
- Cinder Cones: small, steep-sided volcanoes formed from accumulated ash and cinder
Volcanic Features:
- Lava Flows: molten rock that flows out of a volcano
- Volcanic Ash: small particles of rock and mineral that are ejected into the air
- Calderas: large depressions formed when a volcano collapses or erupts explosively

Types of Deserts:
- Hot Deserts: characterized by high temperatures and low humidity
- Cold Deserts: characterized by low temperatures and low humidity
Desert Features:
- Dunes: ridges of sand formed by wind action
- Oases: isolated areas of vegetation in the desert
- Playas: dry lake beds that are formed when a lake dries up
Desert Landform Processes:
- Erosion: the removal of rock and soil through wind and water action
- Deposition: the accumulation of rock and soil through wind and water action

Types of Coasts:
- Emergent Coasts: where the land is rising relative to the sea
- Submergent Coasts: where the land is sinking relative to the sea
Coastal Features:
- Beaches: areas of sand and pebbles along the coast
- Cliffs: steep slopes of rock along the coast
- Headlands: areas of land that jut out into the sea
Coastal Processes:
- Erosion: the removal of rock and soil through wave action
- Deposition: the accumulation of rock and soil through wave action
- Longshore Drift: the movement of sediment along the coast due to wave action