Landforms and Bodies of Water

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary regarding landforms and bodies of water as outlined in the lecture notes.

Landform

Natural shapes or features on the earth's surface.

Canyon

A deep, narrow valley with steep cliffs, formed by erosion.

Island

A piece of land surrounded by water, not connected to other land.

Peninsula

A landform surrounded by water on three sides.

Isthmus

A narrow strip of land that connects two larger areas of land.

River

A large, flowing body of water that usually empties into a sea or ocean.

Volcano

An opening in the earth's crust from which molten rock, gases, and ash erupt.

Plain

A broad, flat or gently rolling area of land.

Waterfall

A stream of water that flows over the edge of a cliff.

Strait

A narrow body of water connecting two larger bodies of water.

Plateau

A large, flat area of land that rises sharply above the surrounding land.

Ocean

A large body of salt water that covers nearly three-fourths of the Earth's surface.

Mountain

A tall, rugged landform that is higher than a hill.

Delta

A low area of mud and sand formed at the mouth of a river.

Bay

A body of water partly enclosed by land, usually smaller than a gulf.

Desert

A very dry area with little or no rainfall.

Glacier

A large mass of slow-moving ice that can change the land around it.

Gulf

A large inlet of an ocean or sea that is partly surrounded by land.

Lake

A large body of water completely surrounded by land.

Sea

A large body of salt water smaller than an ocean.

Fjord

A long, narrow inlet of the sea between tall, steep cliffs.

Hill

A raised area or mound of land that is smaller than a mountain.

Reef

A narrow chain of rocks, sand, or coral found just below or above the water.

Valley

A low area of land between hills or mountains.

Coast

Where water meets the land.