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"To the dull mind all nature is leaden. To the illumined mind the whole world burns and sparkles with light." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

1. Plains

• Large, relatively flat areas covering much of the country (~ 1/2)

 

• Coastal Plains

plains along coasts called lowlands because of low elevation  (height above/below sea level) marshes, swamps, low hills Gulf coastal plain, and  Atlantic coastal plain

Atlantic coastal plain

• Interior Plains

• from Appalachian Mts. to Rocky Mts., from Gulf Plain north into Canada

- Great Plains
- Central Lowland

2. Plateaus

relatively flat, raised areas (raised by geologic forces) easy to tell from surrounding area because they are clearly higher in elevation

Colorado Plateau

Colorado Plateau from the Air

3.  Mountains

Rise high above surrounding area. We will look at Four types: 1. Folded  2. Upwarped  3. Fault-block  4. Volcanic

Long's Peak, Colorado

1. Folded mountains
 [Click on image to see full size version]

• layers of rock that have been pushed and caused to fold

- Appalachian Mts. For example

2. Upwarped
 [Click on image to see full size version]

• pushed straight up by deep forces

- our Rocky Mts.

3. Fault-block

Tilted and pushed, separated by faults (cracks along which rock moves)

4. Volcanic

Molten rock is forced through the crust to the surface, and builds up   Ash blows through onto the surface and builds up

  Sunset Crater, Arizona - a cinder cone

Devil's Tower, Wyo., a Volcanic Neck