Geo20F: North American Landform Regions+Tectonic Plates and Earth's Layers

An in-depth review of the North American Landform regions, tectonic plates, Plate boundries, and major landforms in the regions.

What is: Plate Tectonics

It is a scientific theory that explains how major landforms are created as a result of Earth's plate movements

What is a divergent plate boundary?

The place where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other.

What is a convergent plate boundary?

The place where two tectonic plates collide.

What is a transform fault?

The place where two tectonic plates slide against each other.

What is a hotspot?

The place where the Earth's crust is thinner and magma comes through.

What is it called when two tectonic plates are moving away from each other?

A divergent plate boundary

What is it called when two tectonic plates are moving towards each other?

A convergent plate boundary

What does a divergent plate boundary cause/create?

It causes/creates rift valleys and oceanic ridges.

What does a convergent plate boundary cause/create?

It causes/creates mountains and volcanoes

What does a transform fault cause/create?

It causes/creates earthquakes.

Does a divergent plate boundary create or destroy land?

It creates land.

Does a convergent plate boundary create or destroy land?

It destroys land.

Does a transform fault create or destroy land?

It does not create nor destroy land, just mangles it.

What is the difference between a subduction zone and a collision zone?

S=continental goes over the top of oceanic
C=Continental hits another continental

What is the difference between synthetic, recycle, and reuse?

Recycling: reprocessing an item's materials then use elsewhere. (gets changed to a different form
Reusing: repurposing items(keeps form)
Synthetic: made artificially, combine 2+ components; usually cause a chemical reaction

What happens during subduction?

The oceanic plate is more dense, therefore it subducts(goes under) the less dense continental plate.

How are mountains built?

Built when convergent plate boundaries collide and the oceanic plate subducts, lifting the continental crust creating mountains.

What are the nine major landform regions?

1. Pacific ranges
2. Rocky Mountains
3. Interior Plains and Lowlands
4. Appalachian Highlands
5. Coastal Lowlands
6. Caribbean Islands
7. Central American Highlands
8. Western Plateaus, Ranges, and Basins
9. Canadian Shield

How where the landform regions created?

1. Pacific ranges-Convergent plates
2. Rocky Mountains-Convergent plates
3. Interior Plains and Lowlands-No plate activity for a long time, inland lake left sediments which created good soil
4. Appalachian Highlands-Convergent plates, glaciation rounded the mountain.
5. Coastal Lowlands-sediment build up over time/flat piece of land located below sea level. When the ocean level falls, the land is exposed
6. Caribbean Islands-All the boundaries and faults. Volcanoes build islands
7. Central American Highlands-Convergent plates.
8. Western Plateaus-Mantle plumes, lava cools as igneous rock on a high plateau.
9. Canadian Shield-exposed continental crust caused by glaciation scraping away soil and rock to expose shield rock.

Major industries in all landform regions.

1. Pacific ranges-Tourism, Mining
2. Rocky Mountains-Tourism, Mining
3. Interior Plains and Lowlands-Farming, oil
4. Appalachian Highlands-Oil, tourism mining Where is coal found in the Appalachian Mountains?
The Appalachian coal region includes Alabama, Eastern Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. About 27% of the coal produced in the United States came from the Appalachian coal region.
5. Coastal Lowlands-Farming, oil
6. Caribbean Islands-Tourism, Fishing
7. Central American Highlands-Farming, Mining
8. Western Plateaus-Tourism, Mining
9. Canadian Shield-Mining, Hydro, Forestry.

rift valley

a lowland region that forms where Earth's tectonic plates move apart, or rift

lowland

An area where the land is at, near, or below the level of the sea and where there are not usually mountains or large hills.​

Highlands

Areas of high elevation​

a mountainous region​

elevated mountainous plateau​

high hills​

Plateau

high, flat piece of land​
Formed through convergent plates or volcanic activity​

erosion

condition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water and wind