The Grand Canyon in the United States was formed through the interaction of deposition, folding, weathering, erosion, and tectonic uplift over hundreds of millions of years. Sediments were deposited on the canyon floor when it was under a shallow ocean from 2 billion to 230 million years ago. Uplift began 65 million years ago, and a drop in sea level 5.3 million years ago caused the Colorado River to cut deeper through the rock layers, further eroding the canyon to its current depth by 1.2 million years ago. The landscape is the result of these geological and erosional forces acting over hundreds of millions of years.

1. How was this
landscape created?
What factors have determined the formation
of this landscape?

2. Grand Canyon, USA

3. Grand Canyon, USA

5. Grand Canyon,
USA

6. Grand Canyon, Deposition
USA

7. Grand Canyon, Deposition
USA
Folding and

8. Grand Canyon, Deposition
USA
Folding and
Erosion

9. Grand Canyon, Deposition
USA
Folding and
Weathering Erosion

10. Grand Canyon,
USA

11. Grand Canyon,
USA
Weathering Erosion Folding and
Deposition

12. Grand Canyon,
USA Interaction of all these
geomorphic and tectonic
processes created the current
canyon. The oldest deposits at
the bottom are 2 billion years
old, the youngest 230 million
years old at the rim. Most of
these deposits were laid down
when the canyon was actually
under a shallow ocean.
Uplifting began 65 million years
ago. A fall in sea level 5.3
million years ago caused the
river to cut down even faster
through the rock layers. This
increased rate of erosion had
Weathering Erosion Folding and
cut the canyon’s current depth
by 1.2 million years ago.
Landscapes are the product of
Deposition the complex interaction of a
range of processes over long
periods of time.