This document provides an overview of bodies of water and various landforms. It describes the four main oceans, ocean motion including currents, waves and tides, and the hydrologic cycle of water circulation. It also discusses groundwater, lakes, rivers and streams, drainage basins, the continental shelf, continental landforms including relief and topography, and major landforms such as islands, swamps, straits, deltas, oases, plateaus, prairies, steppes, mountains, valleys, glaciers, cataracts and cliffs.

2. Bodies of Water and Landforms Ch. 2, Sec. 2

3. Oceans and Seas The ocean is a connect body of salt water that covers 71% of the earth Divided into 4 sections: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic

4. Ocean Motion Currents – act like rivers flowing through the sea

5. Ocean Motion Waves – Swells or ridges produced by winds

6. Ocean Motion Tides – regular rises and falls of the ocean created by the gravitational pull of the moon or the sun

7. Hydrologic Cycle Continuous circulation of water between the atmosphere, the oceans and the earth 1-water evaporates  2-water exists as vapor in atmosphere  3-vapor cools, condenses and falls back to earth  4-water soaks into ground

9. Ground Water Water held in the pores of rocks Water table – level at which the rock is saturated

10. The water table isn’t constant. It raises or lowers depending on seasonal recharge from rain and also from how much is pumped out.

11. Lakes, Rivers and Streams Lakes hold > 95% of earth’s fresh water Result of glacial action Salt water lakes result from surface changes that cut water off from the sea

12. Dead Sea

13. That’s because the water is so much denser than you that it makes you naturally buoyant. Just don’t get the water in your eyes. It’ll sting.

14. Lakes, Rivers and Streams Rivers and streams flow through channels and move water to or from a larger body of water An area drained by a major river and its tributaries is a drainage basin

15. Continental shelf The point at which the edge of the continent drops off to the deep part of the ocean. Oceanic Landforms

16. Continental Landforms Relief – the difference in elevation of a landform from its lowest point to its highest point The bigger the difference, the greater the relief. 4 categories: mountain, hills, plains, and plateaus

17. Topography is the combination and distribution of different landforms in an area

18. Major Landforms Island – a body of land surrounded by water

19. Swamp – a lowland region that is saturated by water

20. Strait – a narrow channel connecting 2 larger bodies of water

21. Delta – a triangular area of land formed from deposits at the mouth of a river

22. Oasis – a spot of fertile land in a desert, fed by water from wells or underground springs

23. Plateau – a broad, flat area of land higher than the surrounding land

24. Prairie – a large, level area of grassland with few or no trees

25. Steppe – a wide, treeless grassy plain

26. Mountain – natural elevation of the earth’s surface with steep sides and greater height than a hill Valley – low land between hills or mountains

27. Glacier – a large ice mass that moves slowly down a mountain or over land

28. Cataract – a step-like series of waterfalls

29. Cliff – the steep, almost vertical edge of a hill, mountain or plain

30. Group Landform Project!!! In your assigned group, work together to create a map of an imaginary continent on your piece of construction paper. This is a physical map only, so your group will not need to include borders or cities. Group One: Landforms on Page 34 Group Two: Landforms on Page 35