Elements of relief

a)Mountains chains: very high elevations- Mountains ranges (high and sharp) -

cordilleras-- Massifs: Old mountains ranges (round) -

macizos-b)Plateaus: high flat areas

- Mesas or páramos. - Peneplain -penillanura-c) Plains: low flat areas. - Alluvial plains (rivers) - Coastal plains (sea)d) Basins: low areas below sea level.e) Valleys: - Glaciar Valleys “U-Shape” - River valleys “V-Shape” - “Cannons”

“Young” mountains chains: high and sharp (current tectonic plates contact)

Sharp and high+3500 metres.

The Alps,Switzerland

Old mountains chains (round, eroded)Old tectonic contact.

Old round Mountains chains900 metres

OurenseGalicia

Plateau: High flat areas from eroded mountains (more than 500 metres).

Wide high plain

slope

Harder layers

Páramo or mesa (isolated plateau, or reliefs with flat peak)

Flat peak

More paramos ColoradoUSA

Very flat land, usually less than 300 metres high.

Hilly plain, with river valleys, and not completly flat (llanura con colinas)

350 metresOver sea

valleys

Old mountain chains

Hills

Cáceres

“Wavy appearance”

Low rocky hills

Cáceres

Very low areas, sometimes below sea level, usually in wide river valleys.

EbroBasin,Aragón

U-shapevalley

Narrow valleys in the mountain chains, formed by rivers.

1. Coastal plain (beginning of the continental shelf)2. Cliffs (sharp end of coastline)3. Capes (narrow portion of land entering

in sea)3. Gulfs (big) and bays (small). (water entering in land)4. Peninsulas (land entering in water)5. Archipelagues (group of islands) 6. Atoll (atolón)7. Straits. (lands narrowly divided by

water)

Padre IslandTexas, USA

This plains are caused by proximity to Continental shelf. Very low areas

Flat land

Gulf ofMéxico

USA

México

PeninsulaFlorida

PeninsulaYucatán

BahamasArchipelague

Texas & LouisianaCoastal plain

Cliffs: sharp ending of the continental land.

Mohen,IrelandLayers of

Sedimentary rocks

Narrow portions of land entering in the sea.

Portion of water surrounded partialy by the coastal line.

Bay or Harbour.

Gulf ofMéxico

USA

México

PeninsulaFlorida

PeninsulaYucatán

BahamasArchipelague

Texasplain

Portion of water surrounded partialy by the continent,(much bigger than a bay).

Piece of land almost entirely surrounded byWater.

IberianPeninsula.

Gulf ofMéxico

USA

México

PeninsulaFlorida

PeninsulaYucatán

BahamasArchipelague

Group of islands in the sea or ocean.

Canarias islands

Gulf ofMéxico

USA

México

PeninsulaFlorida

PeninsulaYucatán

BahamasArchipelague

Cuba

a) Continental shelf: underwater plateau 200 m. deep

b) Abyssal plain: underwater plateau + 4000 m. deep.

c) Continental slope: the slope between both of them.

d) Trench (fosas): very deep, in the contact of tectonic plates.

e) Ridges (dorsales oceánicas): mountain ranges in the oceans.

Continental shelf: plain behind the water of the sea, quite hollow

Continental slope: end of the continental shelf, fallingTo the abbysal plain.

Continental slope

Trench(fosa)

Abyssal plain, very deep (+4000 metres)

4. Ocean Ridge

Lava in ridges

Mountain chains in the middle of the ocean, created by the Division of tectonic plates.

Deepest places in the oceans, more than 8000 metres.