Earth Science I - Unit Earth Science I - Unit 1.21.2

Landscapes & Landscapes & GeomorphologyGeomorphology

1.2 Landscapes & 1.2 Landscapes & GeomorphologyGeomorphology

►Three Types of LandformsThree Types of Landforms►Plains, Plateaus, & MountainsPlains, Plateaus, & Mountains

PlainsPlains►Large, relatively flat areasLarge, relatively flat areas

Coastal plains – near the oceansCoastal plains – near the oceans►Lowlands, include swamps, Lowlands, include swamps,

marshes, and low rolling hillsmarshes, and low rolling hills Interior plains – middle of the landInterior plains – middle of the land

►High Plains, covered with grass & High Plains, covered with grass & treestrees

Coastal Plains

River Plains

Sonoran Desert Plains

Sonoran Desert Plains

Sonoran Desert Plains

►PlateausPlateaus Relatively flat, raised areasRelatively flat, raised areas Made of nearly horizontal rocks that Made of nearly horizontal rocks that

have been uplifted by Earth have been uplifted by Earth processesprocesses

Differ from plains because the rise Differ from plains because the rise sharply from their surroundingssharply from their surroundings

Example – Colorado Plateau – has Example – Colorado Plateau – has been cut through by the Colorado been cut through by the Colorado River to form the Grand CanyonRiver to form the Grand Canyon

Plateaus – Namibia, Africa

Plateaus – Masada, Israel

Plateaus – Coastal Plateaus, Ireland

Plateaus – Grand Canyon

Plateaus – Grand Canyon

Colorado Plateau from the Air

►MountainsMountains Tallest mountain = Mount Everest Tallest mountain = Mount Everest

– 8800m above sea level (28,871 – 8800m above sea level (28,871 feet)feet)

Four types of mountainsFour types of mountains►FoldedFolded►UpwarpedUpwarped►Fault-blockFault-block►VolcanicVolcanic

►Folded MountainsFolded Mountains resemble a rug pushed resemble a rug pushed against a wallagainst a wall

processes cause the land to processes cause the land to be pushed together, causing be pushed together, causing it to foldit to fold

Example – Appalachian Example – Appalachian MountainsMountains

Folded Mountains Topographic Map

►Upwarped or Dome MountainsUpwarped or Dome Mountains

Earth’s crust pushed up by Earth’s crust pushed up by forces inside Earthforces inside Earth

Composed of exposed Composed of exposed metamorphic and igneous rocksmetamorphic and igneous rocks

Example – southern Rocky Example – southern Rocky MountainsMountains

Upwarped Mountains, Black Hills, ND

►Fault-Block MountainsFault-Block Mountains huge tilted blocks of rocks separated huge tilted blocks of rocks separated

from surrounding rock by faultsfrom surrounding rock by faults

fault fault – a large crack in rocks – a large crack in rocks along along which there is movementwhich there is movement

one block of rock is pushed up while one block of rock is pushed up while the other is pushed downthe other is pushed down

characterized by sharp jagged peakscharacterized by sharp jagged peaks Example – Sierra Nevada MountainsExample – Sierra Nevada Mountains

Fault-Block Mountains

Fault-Block Mountains,

El Paso, Texas

►Volcanic MountainsVolcanic Mountains

Begin when magma reaches the Begin when magma reaches the Earth’s surface through a weak Earth’s surface through a weak area in the crustarea in the crust

One layer builds on another until One layer builds on another until a cone is formeda cone is formed

Volcanic Mountains, San Francisco Peaks, AZ

Volcanic Mountains, Yangming, China

Sunset Crater, Arizona - A Cinder Cone

Haemus Mountains, the Moon

Mount St. Helens, Washington

►LatitudeLatitude

Lines that circle the earth in an Lines that circle the earth in an East and West directionEast and West direction

Center latitude line = equatorCenter latitude line = equator►Divides the Earth into the Divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Northern and Southern HemisphereHemisphere

Global ViewGlobal View

Global ViewGlobal View► Longitude (Meridians)Longitude (Meridians)

Lines that run from the North Pole to the Lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole and are not parallel to one anotherSouth Pole and are not parallel to one another

Divides the Earth into East and West Divides the Earth into East and West directionsdirections

►Center Longitude line that travels through Center Longitude line that travels through Greenwich, England = Prime MeridianGreenwich, England = Prime Meridian

►Longitude line that is 180 degrees around Longitude line that is 180 degrees around the world from the prime meridian = the world from the prime meridian = international date lineinternational date line

Global ViewGlobal View►Earth TimeEarth Time

Time is measured by the movement of Time is measured by the movement of Earth in relation to the sunEarth in relation to the sun

Time ZonesTime Zones

►There are 24 time zones on Earth There are 24 time zones on Earth because it takes the Earth 24 hours because it takes the Earth 24 hours to make one complete turn or to make one complete turn or rotationrotation

►There are 6 time zones in the U.SThere are 6 time zones in the U.S

Global ViewGlobal View

►Calendar DatesCalendar Dates The calendar date changes as The calendar date changes as

you cross over the international you cross over the international date linedate line►Cross it to the west – add a Cross it to the west – add a day to the calendarday to the calendar►Cross it to the east – subtract Cross it to the east – subtract a day from the calendara day from the calendar

►Time For a Break….Time For a Break….

MapsMaps

►Map projectionsMap projections Used to make maps of EarthUsed to make maps of Earth

►The transferring of points and lines of The transferring of points and lines of Earth to paperEarth to paper

Several different ways to make map Several different ways to make map projectionsprojections►Each method is distorted in some Each method is distorted in some

mannermanner

MapsMaps

►Three types of projectionThree types of projection Mercator Projection Mercator Projection

►Have correct shapes of continentsHave correct shapes of continents►Continents have a distorted areaContinents have a distorted area►Longitude lines are parallel Longitude lines are parallel ►Latitude lines distortedLatitude lines distorted►Areas near the poles are exaggeratedAreas near the poles are exaggerated

MapsMaps

Robinson ProjectionRobinson Projection►Accurate continent shapes with accurate areasAccurate continent shapes with accurate areas►Latitude lines are kept parallelLatitude lines are kept parallel►Longitude lines are kept curvedLongitude lines are kept curved►Less distortion near the polesLess distortion near the poles

MapsMaps

Conic ProjectionConic Projection►Used with weather and road mapsUsed with weather and road maps►Used with maps of small areaUsed with maps of small area►Project points from a globeProject points from a globe

MapsMaps

► Topographic mapsTopographic maps Shows the changes in elevation of the Shows the changes in elevation of the

Earth’s surfaceEarth’s surface Contour linesContour lines

►A line on a map that connects points of A line on a map that connects points of equal elevationequal elevation

Contour intervalContour interval►The distance between contour linesThe distance between contour lines►The closer the lines the steeper the The closer the lines the steeper the

surfacesurface

MapsMaps

Index contoursIndex contours►Marked with their elevationMarked with their elevation

Topographic map rulesTopographic map rules►Read the elevation numbers to determine Read the elevation numbers to determine

if the structure is a hill, basin, or if the structure is a hill, basin, or depressiondepression

►Look for hatchuresLook for hatchures Short lines at right angles to the contour Short lines at right angles to the contour

line, which depicts depressionsline, which depicts depressions Point to lower elevationsPoint to lower elevations

MapsMaps

►Contour lines never crossContour lines never cross If they did it would mean that a If they did it would mean that a

particular place would have two particular place would have two elevationselevations

►Contour lines form V’s that point Contour lines form V’s that point upstream whenever they cross upstream whenever they cross streams.streams. Because streams flow in depressions Because streams flow in depressions

that are lower than the surrounding that are lower than the surrounding areasareas

MapsMaps

►Map Legend and ScaleMap Legend and Scale Map LegendMap Legend

►Explain what the symbols used on the map Explain what the symbols used on the map meanmean

Map ScaleMap Scale►The relationship between the distances on the The relationship between the distances on the

map and actual distances on Earth’s surfacemap and actual distances on Earth’s surface►Used in a ratio (1:100)Used in a ratio (1:100)

1 unit on a map is equal to 100 units on 1 unit on a map is equal to 100 units on landland

MapsMaps

►Uses of MapsUses of Maps The map used will depend on the needThe map used will depend on the need Mercator map – used to determine the Mercator map – used to determine the

relationship between two placesrelationship between two places Robinson – used to see actual shapes of Robinson – used to see actual shapes of

land near the polesland near the poles Conic map – used to travel in straight linesConic map – used to travel in straight lines Topographic – used to see heights in Topographic – used to see heights in

certain placescertain places

Mapping Our PlanetMapping Our Planet

► Remote Sensing from SpaceRemote Sensing from Space Landsat SatellitesLandsat Satellites

►Detect different wavelengths of energy Detect different wavelengths of energy reflected or emitted from Earth’s surfacereflected or emitted from Earth’s surface

►Can show landforms in great detailCan show landforms in great detail Topex-Poseidon SatelliteTopex-Poseidon Satellite

►Uses radar to compute the distance to Uses radar to compute the distance to the ocean’s surfacethe ocean’s surface

►Used to map the ocean bottomUsed to map the ocean bottom

Mapping Our PlanetMapping Our Planet

Global Positioning System (GPS)Global Positioning System (GPS)►Used to determine the exact location on EarthUsed to determine the exact location on Earth►Used in travel and tracking wildlifeUsed in travel and tracking wildlife

►Remote Sensing Under WaterRemote Sensing Under Water SonarSonar

►Uses sound waves to detect ocean bottom Uses sound waves to detect ocean bottom featuresfeatures

►Used to make ocean floor mapsUsed to make ocean floor maps