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AV44 Landforms
Landforms and Bodies of Water
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| bay | A body of water that is partly surrounded and that is connected to a larger body of water |
| river mouth | The point where a river enters a lake or sea |
| archipelago | A chain or cluster of islands |
| glacier | A huge,slow moving mass of snow and ice |
| butte | A small,high,flat-topped land form with cliff like sides |
| isthmus | A narrow stripe of land that connects two larger areas of land |
| delta | A plain at the mouth of a river,often triangular in shape,formed where sediment is deposited |
| lake | A larger body of water surrounded by land |
| tributary | A river or stream that flows into a larger river |
| canyon | a deep, narrow valley with steep sides; often with a stream flowing through it. |
| basin | an area that is lower than surrounding land areas; some basins are filled with water. |
| mesa | a high, flat-topped landform with cliff-like sides; larger than a butte. |
| plain | a large area of flat or gently rolling land. |
| moutain | a landform that rises steeply at least 2,000 feet above surrounding land; usually wide at the bottom and rising to a narrow peak. |
| volcano | an opening in Earth’s surface through which molten rock, ashes, and gases escape from the interior. |
| island | an area of land completely surrounded by water. |
| peninsula | an area of land almost completely surrounded by water but connected to the mainland. |
| strait | a narrow stretch of water that connects two larger bodies of water. |
| plateau | a large, flat area that rises above the surrounding land; at least one side has a steep slope. |
| river source | where the river originates or begins. |
| valley | a low stretch of land between mountains or hills; land that is drained by a river. |
| hill | an area that rises above surrounding land and has a rounded top; lower and usually less steep than a mountain. |