ORIENT ISLAMIC SCHOOL

MODULE 2
GEOMORPHOLOGY

NAME : _____________________________________
GRADE: __________________
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 UNIT 1
TOPOGRAPHY ASSOCIATED WITH HORIZONTALLY LAYERED ROCKS
Horizontal strata
 Horizontal rock strata is formed when sediments are deposited and then
compacted to form layers of sedimentary rocks.
 These rocks are parallel to the earth’s surface.
 The strata are equally resistant to erosion.

1. Hilly landscapes in humid areas

 Sheet erosion causes the slopes to be rounded.

 Sheet erosion is when water flows down in this sheets.
 Fine – grained, thick layers of soil are formed.

2. Hilly landscape in arid areas

 Very little water runs down the slopes. These slopes are steep.
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 These slopes are rugged and uneven.

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 3. Basaltic plateau

 The rocks consist of joints and cracks.

 Downward stream erosion takes place in the joints.
 A flat plateau with steep clips and deeply carved valleys form.
 They form over millions of years by lava pouring of narrow cracks in the ground.

4. Canyon landscape

 Tectonic uplift (uplift of the land) has taken place, forming large uneven plateau.
 Rivers erode downwatrds forming deep, steep valleys.
 In humid areas the valley walls become rounded.
 In arid areas the slopes are rugged.
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 5. Karoo landscape

 Karoo landscapes
 Rivers erode downwards forming canyons.
 Scarp retreat caues the canyons to widen and the plateau to become
narrower.
 Scarp retreat is the weather an dthe erosion of a slope so that, it moves
backwards with little change to the gradient of the slope.
 This means that the landform doesn’t become lower but becomes
narrower.
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 Scarp Retreat

1.Slopes eroding back parellel to their original position.

2. These are common in dry areas. Scarp retreast is also known as back wasting.
3. The slope mantains its height but gets narrower.
a. Plateau
 Extensive high lying area that may cover thousands of square km.
 It has a levelsurface with steep slopes.
 The top layer has a resistant cap rock called dolerite.
b. Canyon
 A deep,steep-sided valley with rocks that vary in resistance to erosion.
 It forms when rivers cut into joints of the rocks.
c. Mesa
 Forms from a plateau that has been reduced in size.
 The diameter is larger than the height.
 It has steep slopes.
 The cap rock protects the soft rock underneath.
d. Butte
 Continuing erosion reduces the size of the mesa to form a butte.
 The diameter is narrower than the height.
 It has a flat capped layer of rock and steep slopes.
e. Conical hill
 Is an isolated round topped hill that forms when the resistant cap rock
is eroded away.
f. Pediplain
 It is an extensive flat surface left when the conical hill has been eroded
away.
PEDIPLAIN
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 6. Significance of these landscapes
 Tourist attractions and are therefore a source of income.
 Canyons restrict settlement and agriculture since they are very steep.
 The development of infrstructire is difficult.
 Lack of rainfall, steep slopes and shallow topsoil are not suitable for
growing crops, but the Karoo is successful for sheep farming.
ACTIVITY

A B C

D
E

1. Name the underlying rock strata.

2. Explain the formation of this strata.
3. Describe the area in which these landscapes originate.
4. Name features A, B, C, D, E.
5. Name a difference between A nd B.
Activity 2

1. Briefly describe how mesas form.

2. State one characteristic of a mesa.
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WORKSHEET:
Complete the questions and the table in your workbook.
TOPOGRAPHY ASSOCIATED WITH HORIZONTALLY LAYERED ROCKS
1.1 Define the term Topography.
1.2 Define the phrase horizontally layered rock.
1.3 Explain how horizontally layered rocks form.
1.4 Name 4 landscapes that form from horizontally layered rocks.
1.5 Explain the process of scarp retreat. Use a simple sketch to illustrate the process.
1.6 Define the concepts mass-wasting and sheet erosion.
1.7 You will now copy the table below in your workbook and summarize the 4
landscapes thatdevelop from *HLR. Copy the table in landscape form so that you
have enough space to write down the information.

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CONSOLIDATION EXERCISES:
1. Study the diagram on Topography associated with Horizontally layered rocks
below and answer the questions.

1.1 Identify each of the landforms A, B, C and D.

1.2 Explain how each of the landforms B, C and D were formed.
1.3 State ONE similarity between landforms B and C.
1.4 State ONE difference between landforms B and C.
1.5 Predict how landform C will change over a long period of time.
1.6 What is the difference between landform D and all the other landforms on the
diagram?
1.7 Discuss the economic potential of the area marked E.
1.8 Outline THREE difficulties that this type of landscape poses to human activities.
1.9 What is the resistant layer of hard rock known as?
2. Connect the contour patterns A, B and C with lines to the correct cross-sections
of landforms 1, 2, and 3.
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TOPOGRAPHY ASSOCIATED WITH INCLINED STRATA

1. Inclined rock strata are formed when forces beneath the crust, such as folding
and faulting, cause layers of sedimentary rock to become inclined or tilted.
2. Inclined rock strata do not erodde at the same rate.

UTILIZATION OF LANDSCAPES ASSOCIATED WITH INCLINED STRATA

1. The valleys and plains of cuestas are fertile and can be used for farming.
2. The dip sloeps of homoclinal ridges have resistant rock and this is good for
forestry and grazzing of cattle.
3. Scarp slopes are used for grazing.
TYPES OF INCLINED STRATA
1. Homoclinal ridges
 Result from inclined strata that are unequally resistant to erosion.
 These slopes have a steep scarp sclope and a gentle dip slope.

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ACTIVITY 1
1. Tabulate the landforms associated with horizontal sedimentary and inclined
sedimentary rocks.
2. Describe horizontal sedimentary strata.

3. Provide one characteristic each of :

3.1. Hilly landscape
3.2. Basaltic plateau
3.3. canyon landscape
3.4. karoo landscape
4. Explain scarp retreat.
5. Name 2 similarities between a mesa and a butte.
6.Name one difference between a mesa and a butte.
7. Draw a sketch to illustrate a mesa and a butte.

8. Why is the conical hill different from a mesa.

9. Describe an inclined strata.
10. Provide 2 reasons that cause strata to be inclined.
11. Draw a sketch to illustrate a dip slope.
12. Explain the difference between a cuesta and a hogsback.
Activity 2

1. Identifty the underlying rock structure.

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2. Name slope R.
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3. Name and describe slope P and Q.

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4. Provide 1 significane of slope Q.
5. Why is landscape P of little value to humans.
6. Explain why this landscape will not develop in the Karoo region
TOPOGRAPHY ASSOCIATED WITH MASSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS
INGEOUS INTRUSIONS
 Magma intrudes into cracks of the Earth’s crust where it cools and solidifies to
form different shaped intrusions composed of igneous rocks.
 Igneous locks are masive, they do not have layers.
 Erosion occurs along lines of weakness, called joints and cracks.
 When water enters these cracks, chemical weathering occurs.
TYPES OF IGNEOUS INTRUSIONS

1. Batholith
 It is the largest of all intrusive forms,covering thousands of square km.
 It forms when magma cools and hardens below the earth’s crust.
 It is composed of granite.
 When the overlying rock is removed it is exposed as a dome.
2. Lopolith
 It is an igneous intrusion that forms when sedimentary strata sag creating
a basin shaped mass.
 It is a saucer shapedd feature.
 When the magma cools the weight pushes it down causing it to sag.
3. Laccolith
 It is an digneous intrusion that forms when strata are forced upwards thus
causing a mushroom shape.
 The magma pushes up towards the surface and intrudes between the
horizontal layers.
4. Sills
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 A horizontal intrusion of igneous rocks.

5. Dyke
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 Vertical intrusion of igneous rocks.

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 6. Domes
 When batholith,lacolith and lopolith are exposed to the surface due to
erosion.

7. Tors

 A pile of rocks resting on top of each other.

FORMATION OF A TOR

STAGE 1
 The development of a tor starts of when the igneous rock cools below the
earths surface.
 Joints and cracks form when cooling of the granite takes place.
STAGE 2
 Ground water seeps into the joints and cracks and weathering takes
place.
 Groundwater also dissolves minerals in the granite. ( chemical
weathering)
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 More joints and cracks appear as the overlying rocks are removed
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  The overlying layer of rocks have been removed exposing the core stones
on the surface of the earth.
 Piles of rectangular core stones are now visible on the earth’s surface.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MASSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS

1. Dams are constructed at the top of a dome as water is easily trapped and it flows
under the influence of gravity.
2. The lower slopes are used for the cultivation of vineyards.
3. These are tourists attraction.
Activity

1. Name the above landform.

2. From what type of rock do these landforms originate.
3. Briefly describe what a tor looks like.
4. Describe the formation of a tor.
Activity

1. Provide labels for nos. 1 to 7.

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2. What does intrusive volcanism mean?

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3. Name the underlying rock structure associated with these landscapes.

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4. Compare the shape of 1 and 7.
5. State one difference between 4 and 5.
6. Describe the shape of 3 when it is eventually exposed to the surface.

Overview of South Africa’s topography

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 Learner task

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Slope types

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Slope elements

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