LANDFORM - California State Polytechnic University, PomonaLANDFORM Lexicons LA1121L, Professor...
Transcript of LANDFORM - California State Polytechnic University, PomonaLANDFORM Lexicons LA1121L, Professor...
LANDFORMLexicons
LA1121L, Professor Briggs, Spring 2019
Alluvial FanA land formation that occurs when sedimentary materials such as rocks, gravel, and silt, are deposited onto land as a result of decreasing or stopped water flow from a river or stream source.
Altitude (elevation)The height above sea level.
By Blair Allen By Blair Allen
ArchipelagoA group of many islands.
ArêteA group sharp ridges of rocks on mountain tops usually caused by melting glaciers.
Aseismic RidgeChain of sea-mounts under the ocean created by a hot-spot under the Earth’s crust.
ArroyoA creek that is sometimes dry during the year from not having a constant water source such as rain.
By Blair Allen
BadlandsBarren, battered and eroded land from water and shaped with the help of wearing and wind-driven sand and rain.
BarchanA sand dune that crescent-shape that faces the wind. The convex shape is formed by the constant blow of wind in one direction.
By Blair Allen
Barrier IslandAn island or group of island, usually in the ocean, that protects the nearby mainland coast from erosion.
BasinAn area of land largely enclosed by higher land.
By Blair Allen
By Kitty Cheung
BayPart of a body of salt water that reaches into the land; usually smaller than a gulf.
BayouA slow moving body of water in a low lying area, usually near the coast, with swamp or marshland in some portions of the shore-line.
By Kitty Cheung
BeachA sloping shoreline consisting of sand, gravel, soil or other sedi-ment.
Beach CuspsBeach formation in the form of an arc with a cusp or point at each end.
By Kitty Cheung
Beach RidgeElevated formation of sand or other beach material running par-allel to a shoreline.
BluffA cliff looking over a body of water or plain.
By Kitty Cheung
Branch (tributary)A river or stream that flows into a larger river or stream.
BlowholeA hole connected to a cave that is attached to a water system that builds up pressure through waves, current or wind. When the pressure is great enough, water is release, usually in a spouting manner.
By Kitty Cheung
BlowoutA depression or a major loss in vegetation in the ground where the wind has blown away sand or topsoil.
Braided RiverA river that has three or move channels that come back togeth-er or drain into the same body of water.
By Abraham Covarrubias
ButteA rock formation with vertical or nearly vertical sides that is flat on top and taller than it is wide.
CanalA man-made waterway connecting two bodies of water and is designed to shorten travel time or irrigate.
By Abraham Covarrubias By Abraham Covarrubias
CanyonNarrow valley with steep sides; usually created by erosion.
CapeA curved or hooked piece of land extending into a body of wa-ter.
CaveA hallow space in the ground or mountain with an opening to enter.
ChannelA narrow deep waterway connecting two larger bodies of wa-ter; the deepest part of the waterway.
By Abraham Covarrubias
ClimateThe pattern of weather conditions (temperature, precipitation) over a long period of time.
By Abraham Covarrubias
CliffA high, steep slope of rock or soil.
By Bryan Covarrubias
ConfluenceTwo or more bodies of water meet and their waters mix.
ContinentOne of the seven largest bodies of land on earth
By Bryan Covarrubias
Continental ShelfPlateau of land surface into the ocean but underwater extend-ing from a continent.
CoveA small bay with a restricted entrance.
By Bryan Covarrubias
Crater LakeA crater or caldera filled with water caused by a volcano erup-tion or meteor impact.
CrevasseA large crack in a glacier that can be seen from the surface.
By Bryan Covarrubias
CuestaA gentle ground slope with a cliff.
CurrentThe flow of a stream of water.
By Bryan Covarrubias
DamA wall built across a stream or river to hold back water.
DeltaLand built up by deposits of sand and silt at the mouth of some rivers.
By Brian Espinoza By Brian Espinoza
DesertDry, barren region usually sandy and without trees, little rainfall or practical use of land unless irrigated.
DivideThe highest ridge of land separating river basins
DomeOval or round land formation that is elevated from the surround-ing areas.
DownstreamThe direction of a river’s flow; toward the mouth of the river.
By Brian Espinoza
By Brian Espinoza
Drainage Basin & Dry LakeAll the water in the river exiting at a point usually into another water system like the ocean, lake or another river.
By Ignacio Flores-Contreras
DuneA pile of sand created by wind or waves (underwater dunes).
EstuaryWhere a river runs into the ocean or other types of salt water.
EscarpmentThe edge of a cliff with a steep slope.
By Ignacio Flores-Contreras By Ignacio Flores-Contreras
FaultA fracture in the rocks along which there has been movement.
FjordA narrow inlet of the sea between high banks or cliffs created by glaciers.
Flats or FlatA floodplain or former floodplain that has a flat ground surface.
FloodplainA flat area of land around a river that floods when the river gets high.
By Ignacio Flores-Contreras
By Ignacio Flores-Contreras
ForestA large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush; exten-sive wooded area.
ForkThe place where a stream or tributary joins a river
By Moises Gomez
GeoA narrow inlet in a cliff usually caused by waves or glaciers.
GeyserAn opening in the ground that ejects hot water and steam due to volcanic activity.
By Moises Gomez By Moises Gomez
GlacierA large body of slow moving ice which alters the land around it through displacement
Glacier CavesA cave at the bottom of a glacier.
GlenA long and deep valley usually with steep sides. See also dale and valley.
GullyA channel cut in the hillside or mountainside.
By Moises Gomez By Moises Gomez
GulfA part of a sea or ocean that reaches into land; usually larger than a bay.
GorgeA deep valley with steep rocks on each side. Also referred to as a valley or canyon.
GrabenA ground depression between two faults.
GuyotA flat top seamount that is or once had volcanic activity.
By Ida Li By Ida Li
Hanging ValleyA valley that is above another valley usually separated by a cliff.
HarborA sheltered area of water where ships may anchor safely.
HeadlandA large area of land extending into a large area of water.
HemisphereHalf of the earth usually referred to as eastern or western; north-ern or southern.
By Ida Li By Ida Li
HighlandAn area of hills, plateaus, and mountains.
HillA raised part of the earth’s surface with sloping sides; old moun-tain which because of erosion has become rounder and short-er.
HogbackAn exposed rock range caused by erosion.
HoodooAn irregular shaped rock formation that is tall and pillar-like.
By Ida Li
By Gia Menchaca
IcebergA large mass of floating ice that has broken off from a glacier, most of this is underwater.
InletA small part of a body of water that reaches into a coast.
By Gia Menchaca
IslandAn area of land completely surrounded by water.
IsletAn island that is uninhabitable, usually all rock with little vegeta-tion.
By Gia Menchaca By Gia Menchaca
IsthmusA narrow strip of land with water on both sides connecting two larger pieces of land.
KarstA soluble rock landscape shaped through erosion.
LakeA large body of water surrounded by land.
LatitudeImaginary lines on a globe or map used to measure distance from the equator; parallel lines running east and west.
By Gia Menchaca By Khoa Nguyen
Lava LakeMolten lava in a crater or vent (similar to a lake filled with lava).
Lava FieldAn area of land covered by lava flow.
Lava SpineVertical flowing lava that grows, usually in a sharp tower like shape.
LongitudeImaginary lines on a globe or map used to measure distance from the Prime Meridian; lines running from pole to pole.
By Khoa Nguyen By Khoa Nguyen
LowlandAn area of low and usually level land.
MarshA wetland with grasses and little or no trees.
MeanderA major bend in a river or stream.
MesaA land formation having a relatively flat top and steep rock walls.
By Khoa Nguyen
By Khoa Nguyen
MoraineDeposits of rock and sediment left from a former or receding glacier.
MountainHigh, rocky land, usually with steep sides and a pointed or rounded top, higher than a hill By Ricardo Oceguera
Mountain PassThe highest point in a mountain range that is passable by foot.
Mountain RangeA long chain of mountains; a row of connected mountains.
By Ricardo Oceguera By Ricardo Oceguera
Mouth (of a river)Place where a river empties into a larger body of water; the end of a river.
Mud VolcanoGeothermal heated mud that bubbles like lava in a volcano.
Natural ArchRock that forms together with a natural rock bridge usually caused by erosion.
OasisA fertile place in the desert where there is water and some veg-etation
By Ricardo Oceguera By Ricardo Oceguera
OceanA largest body of salt water; these cover 3/4 of the earth’s sur-face.
Oceanic BasinAll the land in each specific ocean.
Oceanic PlateauAn elevated area of the sea-floor that is higher than the sur-rounding area.
Oxbow LakeA former meander of a river that has separated into a curved lake.
By Lydia Oweis By Lydia Oweis
PeninsulaA piece of land that extends into a body of water and is sur-rounded on three sides by water.
Pit CraterA hole or crater with steep sides caused by volcanic activity.
PlainA broad, flat or gently rolling area; usually low in elevation.
PlateauFlat highland area with one steep face; elevated plain.
By Lydia Oweis By Lydia Oweis
Plunge PoolA deep area of water under the waterfall.
PondA small body of water surrounded by land.
PortA man-made place along the coastline where ships can load and unload cargo; not a natural harbor.
PotholeA hole in an exposed layer of rock that created by a river’s flowing water.
By Lydia Oweis
By Benjamin Zachariah
Prairie a large plains region with tall grass.
Raised Beach an area of land above the shore that is higher than high tide.
By Benjamin Zachariah
Rapidsa part of a river, generally shallow, where the currents move swiftly over rocks.
Ravinea smaller form of a valley with steep sides.
By Benjamin Zachariah By Benjamin Zachariah
Reef: a ridge of rock or sand at or near the surface of the water
Reservoir: a lake where water is collected and stored for future use.
Riffle: a shallow area of a river, lake or stream that has ripples caused usually by a rocky surface.
River DeltaA branching river extending into another body of water.
By Benjamin Zachariah
By Arielle Talley
SeaA large body of water, usually salt water, partly or completely surrounded by land.
SoundA wide channel connecting two bodies of water or an inlet be-tween the mainland and islands By Arielle Talley
Source (of a river)The place where a river or stream begins.
StraitA narrow waterway connecting two larger bodies of water.
Rivera large stream of water flowing through the land into a lake, ocean, or other body of water.
By Arielle Talley
Rift Valley two separating tectonic plates forming a valley by the land falling.
By Arielle Talley
SwampAn area of land that is always soaked with water; low, wet land that supports grass and trees.
By Ramon Napoles
SinkholeCollapsed limestone or other soft rock that forms a hole on the earth’s surface.
By Ramon Napoles
TerraceA flat area of land like a step on landforms like a mountain, valley or beach.
TideThe regular rising and falling of the water of the oceans and wa-ters connected to the ocean.
UpstreamThe direction toward a river’s source; opposite to the rivers’ flow.
ValleyLow land between hills or mountains.
By Ramon Napoles By Ramon Napoles
VolcanoA cone shaped mountain formed out of rock or ash thrown up from inside the earth, frequently with an opening or depression at the top.
WaterfallPlace where running water makes a sheer drop, usually over a cliff.