Maps, Landforms, modern map making, map features and topographic maps (Unit #2)

3 basic types of landforms

plains, plateaus, and mountains.

PLAINS

•  large, flat areas, often found in the interior regions of continents.

COASTAL PLAINS

•  plains found near the ocean.

• usually lower in elevation than the land around it

PLATEAUS

flat, raised areas of land

4 main types of mountains

1. folded, 

2. upwarped, 

3. fault-blocked, and 

4. volcanic.

folded mountains

like a rug

ex of folded mountains

appalachian and rocky

how are folded mountains made

• by strong forces inside Earth that squeeze horizontal rock layers, causing them to fold.

Upwarped Mountains

• High peaks and sharp ridges are common.

how are upwarped mountains made?

• form when blocks of Earth’s crust are pushed up by forces inside Earth.

ex of upwarped mountains

southern rockies

Fault block mountains

• are made of huge blocks of rock that are moved up and down.

volcanic mountains

• deposited material piles up layer upon layer until a cone-shaped mountain forms.

MAP SCALE

• relationship between the distances on the map and distances on Earth’s surface.

MAP LEGEND

explains what the symbols used on the map mean.

Topographic maps

• give details about natural features like hills, valleys, and rivers.

• They show changes in elevation of Earth’s surface.

CONTOUR LINES connect what?

levels of equal elevation

CONTOUR INTERVAL

• the difference in elevation between two side by side contour lines.