Scribd
Upload
4 views5 pages

Landforms Notes

Landforms are natural features on Earth's surface formed by internal and external forces, while landscapes are composed of various landforms like mountains, hills, plateaus, plains, and valleys. The document outlines the main types of landforms, their formation processes, and the forces that shape them, including internal forces like volcanic activity and external forces like erosion and deposition. Studying landforms is essential for understanding Earth's surface changes, guiding land use, and planning infrastructure.

Uploaded by

karenmusariri6
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
4 views5 pages

Landforms Notes

Landforms are natural features on Earth's surface formed by internal and external forces, while landscapes are composed of various landforms like mountains, hills, plateaus, plains, and valleys. The document outlines the main types of landforms, their formation processes, and the forces that shape them, including internal forces like volcanic activity and external forces like erosion and deposition. Studying landforms is essential for understanding Earth's surface changes, guiding land use, and planning infrastructure.

Uploaded by

karenmusariri6
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

LANDFORMS AND LANDSCAPES

Form 1 Geography Notes

1. What is a Landform?
A landform is a natural feature on the surface of the earth. Landforms are formed by internal forces (e.g. earth
movements, volcanic activity) and external forces (e.g. weathering, erosion, deposition by rivers, wind, ice and sea
waves).
A landscape is the general appearance of an area, made up of many landforms together, such as mountains, hills,
valleys, plateaus and plains.

2. Main Types of Landforms


(a) Mountains
A mountain is a landform that rises very high and steeply above the surrounding land, usually with a pointed or
rounded top (peak/summit).

● Formed by folding, faulting, or volcanic activity.


● Examples: Mount Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Alps.

(b) Hills
A hill is a raised part of the land, similar to a mountain but smaller in height and with gentler, more rounded slopes.
● Usually formed by erosion or deposition.
● Used for settlement, farming, and grazing.
(c) Plateaus
A plateau is a raised, fairly flat-topped landform that stands above the surrounding land, often with steep sides.

● Also called a "tableland".


● Examples: The Athi Plateau, the Ethiopian Highlands.

(d) Plains
A plain is a large stretch of flat or gently rolling low-lying land, usually with few hills.

● Formed by deposition of material by rivers, wind or ice.


● Good for farming and settlement due to flat, fertile land.

(e) Valleys
A valley is a long, low stretch of land lying between hills or mountains, often with a river or stream flowing through
it.
● V-shaped valleys are formed by river erosion in highland areas.
● U-shaped valleys are formed by glaciers (ice).
3. Forces That Shape Landforms
Internal (Endogenic) Forces
● Earth movements (folding and faulting) — build up mountains and plateaus.
● Volcanic activity — forms volcanic mountains and highlands.

External (Exogenic) Forces


● Weathering — the breaking down of rocks in place.
● Erosion — wearing away and removal of rock/soil by rivers, wind, ice, and sea waves.
● Deposition — laying down of material carried by rivers, wind, ice, or waves, forming plains and deltas.

4. Importance of Studying Landforms


● Helps us understand how the earth’s surface was formed and how it changes.
● Guides land use e.g. farming on plains, tourism on mountains.
● Helps in planning settlements, roads, and other infrastructure.
● Helps explain differences in climate, drainage, and vegetation between regions.

You might also like