RELIEF SHAPING

By Carol, Andrea, Paula and Merche

Granite shaping

BouldersBoulders are rock fragments larger than 25.6 centimetres diameter.

Free-standing rock outcrop that rises abruptly from the surrounding smooth and gentle slopes of a rounded hill summit or ridge crest.

Tors

Balanced Rocks

A balancing rock, also called balanced rock or precarious boulder, is a naturally occurring geological formation featuring a large rock or boulder, sometimes of substantial size, resting on other rocks, bedrock or on glacial till.

Structural shaping

An elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape. It may also be called a table hill, table-topped hill or table mountain. It is larger than a butte.

Mesas

They are tall, flat-topped, steep-sided towers of rock.

Buttes

A long, narrow, elevated section of the earth‘s surface, such as a chain of hills or mountains or the divide between adjacent valleys.

Crests

Fluvial shaping

V-shaped valley

The erosive action of the river forms V shaped valleys

WATERFALL

A waterfall is a place where water flows over a vertical drop in the course of a stream or river

MeandersA meander, in general, is a bend in a serpentine watercourse or river.

Deltas form from deposition of sediment carried by a river as the flow leaves its mouth.

DELTAS

RAVINES

A deep narrow step-sided valley formed by the action of water

Estuaries

An estuary is an area where a

fresh water river meets the

ocean.

CANYON

A canyon is a deep narrow valley with steep tall sides

RAPIDSRapids are areas of fast-flowing water in a stream

Gorges

Is a narrow valley with steep rocky walls located between hills or mountains.

COSTAL SHAPING

CLIFFA cliff is a mass of roch that rises very high and is almost vertical

HIGH COAST

It is formed by hard rocks because erosion predominates.

Low Coasts

In the low coasts are sandy because sedimentation predominates

BEACH

Is a narrow, gently sloping strip pf land that lies along the adge of an ocean or sea.

SPIT

Is a deposition bar or beach landform off coast.

TOMBOLOS

A tombolo is when an island is attached to the mainland by a piece of land.

COSTAL LAGOONS

Costal lagoons are sheltered by sandbars as barrier islands.

GROUNDWATER

Aquifers

Are layers of rock or sediments that contain and circulate groundwater.

Overexaploitation and contamination are the main risks connected with the exploitation of aquifers:

•Aquifer overexploitation: if there is more water volume than the capacity of the aquifer.•Aquifers contamination: contaminated water can reach aquifers from human populated areas.

KARST SHAPING

LAPIESWeather limestone surface found in karst regions and consisting of etched, flooted and pitted rock pinnacles separed by deep groves.

SINKHOLE

Is a depession or hole in the ground caused by some form of colase of the surface layer

CAVESIs a hollow place in the ground specially a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter.

SpeleothemsMineral depositions by water in caves, and are usually calcareous.

Shaping from surface run off and torrents

DesertificationIs a type of land degradation in which a relatively dry land region becomes increasely arid.

GULLIESA small valley or ravine originally carried away by running water and serving as a drainageway after prolonged heavy rains.

BADLANDS

Type of landscape of arid characteristics erosioned by water and wind due to the lack of vegetation.

TORRENTS

Is a natural water source where there is a big slope between a mountain area and a flat area. When it suddently rains a lot, water flows through the mountain and leaves sediments in the flat part.

GLACIAL SHAPING

Ice Sheet

Is a mass of glacial ice with more than 50,000 square kilometres

Alpine Glaciars

They are formed on mountainsides and move downwards throung valleys.

MORRAINE

A morraine is material left behind a moving glacial

Cirque glaciarA cirque glacial is formed in a cirque, a bowl-shaped depresion on the side of the near mountains.

U-shaped valley

Is a a steep-sided valley cause by glacial erosion.

Is a thin, almost knife-like, ridge of rock which is typically formed when two glaciers erode parallel U-shaped valleys

Glacial aretes

Wind shaping

Dunes

A dune is a mand of sand formed by the wind.

Tafonis

Are small cave like features found in a granular rock.

Stone Pavements

Small wind-eroded rocks on a land surface.

Costal Dunes

The size of coastal dunes depend on the complex interaction between controlling winds and sediments supply.

Large longitudinal dunes

Caused by a larger dune having its smaller sides blown away.