Coastal Features

• Beaches: Accumulations of sand, gravel, or pebbles along a shoreline
  • Formed by wave action and longshore currents
  • Can be erosional (steep) or depositional (gently sloping)
• Cliffs: Steep slopes or vertical faces formed by erosion
  • Can be formed by wave action, weathering, or tectonic activity
• Headlands: Rocky or sandy points that jut out into the sea
  • Formed by differential erosion or tectonic uplift
• Bays: Curved or circular inlets of the sea
  • Formed by tectonic subsidence, erosion, or sediment deposition

Desert Landforms

• Dunes: Mounds or ridges of sand formed by wind deposition
  • Can be stabilized by vegetation or migrate with wind patterns
• Playas: Dry lake beds or flat areas formed by evaporation
  • Can be temporary or permanent, depending on precipitation and evaporation rates
• Oases: Isolated areas of vegetation in arid regions
  • Formed around water sources, such as springs or wells
• Canyons: Deep, narrow valleys formed by erosion
  • Can be carved by water, wind, or tectonic activity

Mountain Formation

• Folding: Process of mountain building through tectonic plate collision
  • Forms mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas or Rocky Mountains
• Volcanic Arcs: Chains of volcanoes formed by subduction zones
  • Examples include the Andes or Japanese island arc
• Block Faulting: Formation of mountains through vertical faulting
  • Examples include the Sierra Nevada or Basin and Range Province
• Uplift: Process of mountain building through tectonic uplift
  • Can be caused by mantle plumes, hotspots, or tectonic convergence

Volcanic Landforms

• Volcanoes: Landforms formed by magma eruption and accumulation
  • Can be shield-shaped, stratovolcanoes, or cinder cones
• Calderas: Large depressions formed by volcanic collapse
  • Examples include Crater Lake or the Grand Canyon
• Lava Flows: Channels of solidified lava formed by volcanic eruption
  • Can be smooth (pahoehoe) or rough (aa) in texture
• Volcanic Fields: Areas of numerous small volcanoes and lava flows
  • Examples include the Hawaiian Islands or Iceland