| Term | Definition |
|---|
| island | body of land surrounded by water |
| archipelago | a group of islands in a large body of water; the body of water in swhich these islands lie |
| atoll | a ring shaped coral reef circling a lagoon |
| continent | seven large land massses of the globe |
| continental shelf | part of a continent submerged in shallow water |
| coastal plain | a stretch of lowland along a sea coast which slopes gently toward the sea |
| plain | a land form that has now visible elevation; flat level land |
| flood plain | plain formed of sediment, typicaly dropped by a river; often floods during high water |
| delta | a triangular shaped area of land formed by a river that opens into the sea; normally has fertile soil that is good for farming |
| valley | a long depression uplands, hills of mountains; a region drained by a river system |
| canyon | a deep valley with steep sides; can be formed by a river |
| butte | a steep sided hill or small mountain that stands alone |
| mesa | a land form with a relative flat top; table land |
| plateau | a land area with a very level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side |
| peninsula | a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides; connected to the mainland |
| cape | a pice of land jutting into a large body of water |
| isthmus | a narrow strip of land bordered by two bodies of water connecting two land forms |
| foothils | low rolling hills near the base of a mountain range |
| piedmont | a gently rolling area between the Applacian Mountains and the Atlantic Coastal Plain |
| mountain | a land form that stands much taller than its surroundings |
| mountain range | a series of mountains connected in a line |
| mountain pass | a passage over a mountain barrier |
| divide | a ridge dividing two adjacent drainage basins |
| volcano | a vent in the earth's crust where lava and other substances are ejected |
| oasis | a fertile area in a desert |
| desert | area with dry and barren weather |
| tundra | a cold dry reigion wiere trees cannot grow, except for shurbs and some plants |
| bay | an arm of the sea extending into land, not of any definite form but smaller than a gulf |
| gulf | a portion of an ocean or sea partly enclosed by land, larger than a bay |
| fjord | arms of the ocean that reah inland and are surrounded by cliffs |
| prevailing winds | major winds or wind streams that head in the same direction |
| tidal range | the difference between high and low tide |
| tide | the rise and fall of an ocean's water produced by the attraction of the moon and sun occuring about every twelve hours |
| sea | great body of salt water |
| ocean currents | the steady flow of ocean water in a prevailing direction |
| mouth | the place where the water of the river empties out |
| source | the place where thee river begins; its origin |
| tributary | a stream that flows into a larger stream or body of water |
| river | a large naural stream of water |
| creek | a small waterway, smaller than a stream |
| stream | a small waterway flowing in a channel, smaller than a river |
| strait | a narrow waterway that connects two large bodies of water |
| sound | a narrow passage of water between a mainland and an island |
| channel | a wide strait as between a continent and an island; the bed or deeper part of a river ot other waterwa;y |
| canal | an artificial waterway used for travel, shipping or irrigation |
| lagoon | a shallow coastal bodies of water separated from the ocean by a series of lands which lie parallel to the shore line |
| swamp | tract of wet, spongy land |
| lake | large inland body of still, fresh water |
| reservoir | a place where water is collected or stored for future use |
| glacier | vast accumulation of ice and snow found in valleys and mountain slopes, moves slowly until it breaks away and melts |
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