Bodies of Water and Landforms

Ch. 2, Sec. 2

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

Ocean Motion• Currents – act like rivers flowing through

the sea

Ocean Motion• Waves – Swells or ridges produced by winds

Ocean Motion• Tides – regular rises and falls of the ocean created by

the gravitational pull of the moon or the sun

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

Ground Water• Water held in the pores of rocks

• Water table – level at which the rock is saturated

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

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

Dead Sea

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.

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

• Continental shelf

• The point at which the edge of the continent drops off to the deep part of the ocean.

Oceanic Landforms

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

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

Major Landforms

• Island – a body of land surrounded by water

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