landform and their evolution

Landform

A small to medium-sized part of the surface of the earth.

Landscape

A group of related landforms together.

Geomorphic Processes

Processes that shape landforms, including endogenic and exogenic forces.

Erosion

The process by which landforms are worn away by agents such as water and wind.

Deposition

The geological process where material is added to a landform, forming new surfaces.

Peneplain

A nearly flat landform that results from extensive erosion.

Youth Stage

The initial stage in landform development with high velocity streams causing vertical erosion.

Mature Stage

A stage in landform evolution where lateral erosion dominates and valleys widen.

Old Age Stage

The final stage in landform evolution characterized by a broad, low relief landscape.

Gorge

A narrow and deep river valley formed by active down-cutting.

Canyon

A deep valley characterized by steep, step-like sides; wider at the top than at the bottom.

V-shaped Valley

A narrow and deep river valley formed by vertical cutting due to steep slopes.

Erosional Landforms

Landforms created primarily by the erosion of surfaces by water, wind, or ice.

Sinkhole

A circular depression formed by the collapse of surface material over a void.

Karst Topography

A landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks, often characterized by sinkholes.

Glacial Till

Unsorted, mixed debris deposited directly by glacial ice.

Outwash Deposits

Sorted deposits formed by streams of water flowing from melting glaciers.

Moraine

Deposits of glacial till formed at the edge of glaciers.

Alluvial Fan

A fan-shaped deposit of sediment formed where a stream flows out of a mountain.

Delta

A triangular landform at the mouth of a river created by the deposition of sediment.

Meander

A loop-like bend in a river formed through erosion and deposition.

Stalactite

A mineral deposit hanging from the ceiling of a cave, formed by dripping water.

Stalagmite

A mineral deposit rising from the floor of a cave, formed by dripping water.

Tombolo

A bar of sand connecting an island to the mainland.

Erosional Processes of Waves

Activities like wave-cut cliffs and terraces formed by wave action along coastlines.

Wind Erosion

Erosion caused by the wind, involving deflation, abrasion, and impact.

Sand Dunes

Accumulations of sand formed by wind, with various shapes and forms.

Deflation Hollow

A shallow depression caused by wind erosion.

Playas

Shallow lakes that form in desert basins, retaining water temporarily.

Drumlin

A streamlined, oval-shaped hill made of glacial till.