vocab word | definition |
elevation | the height of the land in relation to sea level |
contour line | connects all points of equal elevation |
volcano | an opening in the Earth through which hot lava, gases, ash, and rocks may pour our. |
basin | low, bowl-shaped land with higher ground all around it. |
plateau | a broad area of high, mostly flat land |
sea level | the level of the surface of the oceans. |
piedmont | an area at or near the foot of a mountain. |
landforms | physical features on the Earth's surface, such as plains, mountains, hills, and valleys. |
plateau | broad area of high, mostly flat land |
sea level | the level of the surface of the oceans |
current | part of a body of water flowing in a certain direction |
tides | the regular rise and fall of an ocean and of the bodies of water connected to it |
inlet | any area of water extending into the land from a larger body of water |
sound | a long inlet that often separated offshore islands from the mainland |
tribuary | a stream that flows into a larger stream or river |
drainage basin | the land drained by a river system |
fall line | a place where the elevation of the land drops sharply, causing rivers to form waterfalls or rapids. |
climate | the kind of weather a place has most often, year after year. |
natural vegetation | the plant life that grows naturally in a place |
rain shadow | the drier side of a mountain |
humidity | the amount of moisture in the air |
drought | a long period with little or no rain |
arid | dry |
tundra | a cold, dry region where trees cannot grow |
prairie | an area of flat or rolling land covered mostly by grasses and wildflowers. |
savanna | a kind of grassland that has areas with some trees |
natural resource | something found in nature that people can use. |
modify | change |
Fertilizer | material added to the soil to make it more fertile |
irrigation | the use of canals, ditches, or pipes to move water to dry areas |
Nonrenewable | means that a resource cannot be made again by nature or people |
renewable | means that a resource can be made again by nature or by people |
erosion | the wearing away of the Earth's surface |
land use | how most of the land in a place is used |