Landforms and Earth's Forces

Study Notes

Landforms and Forces

Landforms are shapes on Earth's surface, such as mountains, valleys, plains, and islands.
Mountains rise above 2,000 feet.
Valleys are low areas between mountains.
Plains are stretches of flat land.
Islands are areas of land surrounded by water.
Peninsulas are land surrounded by water on three sides.
Landforms play an important role because scientists study how they're formed and how they affect human activity.

Earth's Plates

The theory of plate tectonics explains the movement of plates that make up Earth's crust.
Plates are large sections of Earth's crust that slowly move.
Movements of plates are usually a few inches per year.
Earth's plates collide, separate, and slide past each other.
This movement creates forces that shape many landforms.
Earth's plates are found under the ocean (ocean plates) and continents (continental plates).

Forces Below Earth's Surface

Earth has three layers: core, mantle, and crust.
The crust is the solid outer layer.
Continents are part of the crust.
The theory of plate tectonics explains how forces below the surface shape landforms.
Earth's plates, or pieces of its crust, are moving.
Some plates, like the Pacific Plate, are large.
Others, like the Nazca Plate, are smaller.
Energy deep within the planet puts pressure on Earth's crust.
This pressure forces plates to move.
Plates move in different directions and speeds.

Academic Vocabulary

Structure describes how something is set up or organized.

Description

Explore the fascinating shapes of landforms on Earth's surface and the forces that create them. This quiz covers the theory of plate tectonics, the movement of Earth's plates, and the effects of these factors on human activity. Test your knowledge of how Earth's structure influences geography and natural formations.