Geo

• Topography


  The terrain or landscape (physical/natural features of an area)
• Horizontally layered rock


  Flat layers of rock material formed on top of each other
• Horizontally layered rocks


  • Formed when horizontal sedimentary rocks change their horizontal position
  • Formed when lava flows uplift without changing the surface of the earth, spreading and cooling to form igneous rock
  • Formed when a horizontal layer of sill (horizontal igneous rock landform) gets exposed at the surface
• Landforms associated with horizontally layered rocks

  • Hilly lands in humid areas
  • Rugged hilly landscapes in dry areas
  • Badlands
  • Canyon landscapes
  • Plateau (basaltic plate)
• Formation of canyon landscapes

  1. River causes erosion over a long period of time

  2. Plateau or table landscape is eroded

  3. Harder rock strata remain as steep cliffs, softer rock erodes away
• Formation of karst landscapes

  1. Canyon has already existed, but due to erosion it widens, forming various landscapes

  2. Plateau remains the same height due to cap rock (resistant layer at the top)
• Mesa


  • Flat-topped hill with steep sides, found in landscapes with horizontal strata
  • Width is greater than height
• Formation of mesas


  Once part of a plateau, created through erosion as streams slowly cut through
• Butte


  • Tall, flat-topped, steep-sided towers of rock
  • Height is greater than width
• Formation of buttes


  Once part of a plateau or mesa, created through erosion as streams slowly cut through
• Conical hill


  • Isolated round-topped hill that forms when the resistant cap rock is eroded away
• Scarp retreat/backwasting


  1. Water erodes down the side of horizontally layered rock, rather than through like rivers

  2. Scarp slope refers to a steep slope that is cutting in and "retreating"
• Plateau


  • Extensive high-lying area with a level surface and steep slopes
  • Formed from horizontally bedded rocks subjected to tectonic uplift
  • Top layer is usually resistant cap rock protecting weaker rocks underneath
• Canyon


  • Deep, steep-sided valley with resistant rocks
  • Forms when rivers incise into joints in rocks, with backwasting widening the joints