The document discusses different types of major landforms on Earth's surface including mountains, plateaus, and plains. It defines each landform and provides details on their formation. Mountains are formed through tectonic forces or volcanism and are classified into four types: fold, volcanic, block, and residual. Plateaus are flat, elevated lands that rise sharply on one side and can form from volcanic activity, lava, or erosion. Plains are flat, low-lying areas often formed through sediment deposition by rivers.

1. Sumaya.o.p
1st semester B.Ed
Geography optional

3. INTRODUCTION
 Earth’s surface is uneven in shape and elevation throughout
the world.
 The physical shape or surface of the Earth is referred to as
relief features or landforms of the Earth. Depending up on
their elevation and shape they are called mountains, plateaus,
or plains.
 Major landforms are formed by Earth movements associated
with the movements of crustal plates. These movements
result in elevating, sinking or displacing a portion of the Earth’s
surface.
 The raised landform may be further carved out and shaped by
different forces such as moving ice, rivers, wind, rain or sea
waves.

4. Major Relief Features Of the Earth
Mountains
Plateaus
plains

5. Mountains
 A mountain is a natural elevation of the earth surface
rising more or less abruptly from the surrounding level
and attaining an altitude which, relatively to the
adjacent elevation, is impressive or notable.
 A mountain is a large landform that stretches above
the surrounding land in a limited area, usually in the
form of a peak.
 A mountain is generally steeper than a hill.
 Mountains are formed through tectonic forces or
volcanism. These forces can locally raise the surface of
the earth.

7. Types of Mountains
On the basis of formation mountains have been classified into four
types. They are
1. Fold mountains : Fold mountains are mountains that form
mainly by the effects of folding on layers within the upper part
of the Earth's crust. The forces responsible for formation of the
fold mountains are called orogenic movements.

8. 2. Volcanic mountains: these type of mountain are
formed due to volcanic eruption. Mt. Fujiyama, mt.
Cotopaxi, and mt. Aconcagua are the example of
volcanic mountain.

9. 3. Block mountains: these are formed as a result of
parallel faulting or cracking in the earth followed by
uplift or inking along the fault. The uplifted block
form a horst or a block mountain. Vindhya mountain
in India is one of the example.

10. 4. Residual mountains: The mountains which are
subjected to weathering and erosion for a long time,
are lowered down and are called Relief or Residual
mountains. The mountains of the Western Ghats, the
Aravalli Mountain and the Parasnath mountain of
Bihar belong to this type.

11. Plateaus
A plateau is a flat, elevated landform that rises
sharply above the surrounding area on at least one
side.
 Plateaus occur on every continent and take up a third
of the Earths land. They are one of the major
landforms, along with mountains and plains.
Plateaus can be formed by a number of processes,
including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion
of lava, and erosion by water and glaciers.

13. Plains
 a plain is a flat area.
 Plains occur as lowlands and at the bottoms of valleys
but also on plateaus or uplands at high elevations.
 In a valley, a plain is enclosed on two sides but in
other cases a plain may be delineated by a complete or
partial ring of hills, by mountains or cliffs.
 Most plain are formed by the accumulation of fine soil
brought down by rivers.

15. CONCLUSION
 The earth’ surface does not show a uniform pattern
everywhere. It is uneven and irregular in varying
degree. Depending up on the elevation and shape
landforms or relief feature are called mountains,
plateaus and plains.