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Tectonic plates
The Earths crust is divided into different places called tectonic plates. These plates are in
continuous movement. They move slowly at a speed of two to ten centimeters per year.
Some plates move apart , while others collide. The collision of plates has produced many
mountains.
2. WHAT IS THE EARTHs RELIEF?
The Earth's surface is not flat. There are different kinds of relief.
Continental relief
1. Mountains are high landforms with step sides. The world's highest mountain range
is the Himalaya in Asia.
2. Valleys are areas of low land between mountains.
3. Plains are low, flat areas of land. Large plains are often found on the coast , and are
formed by large rivers.
4. Plateaus are large and high plains. The highest plateau is in Tibet in Asia.
5. Basins are natural depressions, of low areas of land . Some are below sea level.
Coastal relief.
1. A peninsula is an area of land surrounded by water on all sides except one.
2. A cape is a part of the coast which extends into the sea.
3. A gulf is a large area of a sea or ocean partially enclosed by land. A bay is a small
gulf.
4. And island is an area of land surrounded by water on all sides.
5. Archipelago is a group of islands.
Coats can be flat and low-lying or high
Beaches are in flat coastal areas.
Cliffs are in high coastal areas.
Oceanic relief.
The ocean floor is irregular.
Its relief is similar to
continental relief.
1. Continental shelves are
near coastlines. These
shelves are vast plateaus
which reach a depth of 150
meters.
2.Continental slopes lead
down to the deeper part of
the oceans.
3. Ocean ridges are large
mountain ranges under the
water. They rise up to 3000
meters
from the ocean
floor.
4.Abyssal plains are large
and deep underwater
3. WATER
3.1 Water on Earth.
We can distinguish two groups
a. Salt water or sea water is found in oceans and seas
b. Fresh water is found in rivers , lakes, glaciers, groundwaters and at the poles.
3.2 The water cycle.
Water is always moving and changing its physical state. This process is called the water
cycle.
There are several stages in the water cycle
2. Middle course . The river is lower down and its slower. It transports the eroded
materials . The landforms are wide shallow valley and meanders.
3. Lower course The river flows very slow so the material is deposited. The main
landforms are wide flat valleys , estuaries and deltas.
b. Lakes are bodies of water surrounded by land. Lakes contain mainly freshwater
however there are some lakes with salt water as Mar Caspio.
c. Groundwaters
Groundwaters run and are stored under the ground. It represents 25% of the water on the
continents. Most groundwaters come from rainfall. Groundwater forms aquifers and
underground rivers and lakes.
d. Glacier
Glaciers are large masses of ice formed by accumulation of snow. Most glaciers are :
1. Polar cap
2. High mountains
Glacier ice is the largest reservoir of freshwater on the Earth
3.4 SALT WATER
It is oceans and seas water .
Oceans and seaswater are in permanent movement . There are three types of
movements:
1. Ocean currents are large masses of water. similar to rivers. Currents can be warm or
cold.
2. Tides are the daily rise and fall of the water level caused by attraction of the Moon and
the Sun.Tides can be high tide and low tide.
3. Waves are undulations of the surface of the produced by wind.
Oceans and seas hold almost all the worlds liquid water.
EXERCISES.
1.
2.
3.
4.
9. Say if next sentences are true or false . Make the right sentence.
a. Rivers begin in a place called course .
b. River is a freshwater body that flows toward the sea or another river.
c. Tributary is a smaller river that flows into a larger river.
10. What are the sentences describing?
a. The river is lower down and its slower. It transports the eroded materials and
b.
b.
c.
c.
d.
foms meanders
They are produced by the action of the wind on the surface of the water.
The Moons gravitational pull produces them.
They are large masses of ice formed by accumulation of snow.
The time in a day when the level of the sea on the coast is at its lowest
They can be warm or cold and move like big rivers across oceans.
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