Landforms of the United States

Landforms

Landforms are features that make up the Earth’s surface. There are many kinds of landforms like deserts, mountains and valleys.

How are Landforms Made?

• Some landforms are created by the action of wind, water, and ice. The action physically changes the Earth’s surfaces, carrying and depositing soil, sand and other debris.

• Crustal movement and other tectonic activity inside Earth create landforms; mountains, faults, sinks, and volcanoes.

BayA bay is a body ofwater that is

partly surrounded by

land.

GulfA gulf is a part ofthe ocean (or sea) that is partly surrounded by

land (it is usually

larger than a bay).

LakeA lake is a large body of water surrounded by land on all

sides.

CapeA cape is a

pointed piece of land that sticks out into a sea, ocean, lake,

orriver.

MouthThe mouth of the river is the place where the river meets the sea or ocean.

SourceA source is the beginning of a

river.The photo is of Lake Ithaca, the source of the Mississippi River.

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TributaryA tributary is a stream or river that flows into a larger river. The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River.

Mountain RangeA mountain range

is a series of mountains ridges alike in form, direction, and origin.

PlainPlains are flat

lands that have only

small changes in

elevation.

PeninsulaA peninsula is a body of land that

is surrounded by

water on three sides.

ValleyA valley is a low place between mountains.

DeltaA delta is a low,

watery land formed at the mouth of a river. It is formed from the silt, sand and small rocks that flow downstream

in the river and are deposited in the delta.

IslandAn island is a

piece of land that is surrounded by water.

Now let’s see what you know!

• Get you response pads

Low land between hills or mountains

A. valleyB. desertC. bayD. plateau

[Enter question here]

A. [Option 1]B. [Option 2]C. [Option 3]D. [Option 4]