Landform Types and Formation

Mountain Formation

• Plate Tectonics: Mountains are formed as a result of the movement of tectonic plates.
  • Continental plates collide, causing the Earth's crust to buckle and fold.
  • Oceanic plates are pushed beneath continental plates, resulting in volcanic activity.
• Types of Mountain Formation:
  1. Fold Mountains: Formed when two plates collide and fold, e.g. Himalayas.
  2. Volcanic Mountains: Formed by volcanic activity, e.g. Mount Fuji.
  3. Block Mountains: Formed when a plate is broken into blocks and pushed upwards, e.g. Sierra Nevada.

Volcanic Landforms

• Volcanic Features:
  • Volcanoes: Landforms that occur when magma from the Earth's interior rises to the surface.
  • Lava Flows: Streams of molten rock that flow out of volcanoes.
  • Volcanic Ash: Small particles of rock that are ejected into the air during eruptions.
• Types of Volcanoes:
  1. Shield Volcanoes: Gently sloping volcanoes with a broad base, e.g. Hawaiian Islands.
  2. Composite Volcanoes: Tall, conical volcanoes with a narrow base, e.g. Mount St. Helens.
  3. Cinder Cones: Small, steep-sided volcanoes formed from accumulated ash and cinder.

Coastal Features

• Wave-Cut Platforms: Flat areas of rock formed by wave erosion at the base of cliffs.
• Headlands: Rocky points that jut out into the sea.
• Bays: Inlets of the sea formed by the curvature of the coastline.
• Deltas: Areas of land formed by the deposition of sediment at the mouth of a river.
• Beaches: Areas of sand or pebbles formed by the deposition of sediment by waves.

Desert Landforms

• Dune Fields: Large areas of sand dunes formed by wind erosion.
• Oases: Isolated areas of vegetation in a desert, often formed around a water source.
• Playas: Dry lake beds formed by the evaporation of water.
• Badlands: Areas of eroded sedimentary rock formed by the action of wind and water.
• Canyons: Deep, narrow valleys formed by the erosion of rock by rivers.

Explore the different types of landforms, including mountains, volcanic landforms, coastal features, and desert landforms, and learn about their formation processes.