Canadian Geography 1202

Chapter 3: Landforms

1. The Canadian Shield2. The Interior Plains3. The Lowlands4. The mountain rim

- Cordillera in the west- Appalachian in the east

Canada’s Four Basic Landforms

Canadian Shield: A landmass of hard granite rock that covers 50% of the country.

The Canadian Shield

V

Igneous Rock: Very hard, impervious rock formed by molten lava beneath the earths surface.◦ Impervious: water cannot penetrate it

Metamorphic Rock: Rock that has been transformed by heat and pressure beneath the earth’s surface

Sedimentary Rock: Rock composed of sediments formed in layers.

Canadian Shield: Composition

Most of the Canadian Shield was fromed by igneous rock as hot magma melted and cooled

This melted rock contained minerals. As the rock was worn away the minerals

traveled with the sediments and formed layers in sedimentary rock

These layers are fused together when the sedimentary rock is subjected to heat and pressure

Forming mineral deposits.

Mineral Deposits

Using Figure 3.14 on page 34 of your text what are some features that can be identified from the Canadian Shield

A Description of the Canadian Shield

What provinces make up the Canadian ShieldÉ◦ Use figure 3.10 on page 30 to find out.◦ All of these provinces and territories contain some

part of the Canadian Shield North West Territories Saskatchewan Manitoba Ontario Quebec Labrador Nunavut

Canadian Shield: Area

Interior Plains: Erosion wears away the rock of the canadian shield.◦ this rock is transported westward by rivers streams

and ice.◦ Sediments are deposited layer over layer.◦ Over millions of years they form sedimentary rock.

Large mostly flat areas in the interior of the country

Rock layers of the interior plains contain valuable mineral resources and fossils

There is a large amount of oil deposited due to layers of microscopic sea creatures.

The Interior Plains

There are three low land areas in Canada◦ The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands◦ The Hudson Bay Lowlands◦ The Arctic Lowlands

The Lowlands

The smallest of the three regions The countries heart land Most densely populated region of the country Most of Canada’s manufacturing happens

here. Composition:

◦ Sediment deposited from the Canadian shield and Appalachians

◦ Layers of limestone, sandstone, and shale◦ Millions of tonnes of till that is good for farming.

Till Glacial sediment

The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Lowlands

Found south of Hudson Bay Flat layers of sedimentary rock Once covered by Hudson Bay

Hudson Bay Lowlands

Scattered among the islands in the far north

Arctic Lowlands

Using figure 3.10 identify the provinces that contain some portion of the Lowlands◦ Nunavut◦ North West Territiroes◦ Alberta◦ Sasketchewan◦ Manitoba◦ Ontario

Lowlands: Area

Faulting: The breaking of the earth’s crust under forces of tension.

Faulting

How Faulting works

Sediments were deposited in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence area from the Canadian Shield as well as the Appalachians

This sediment formed layers of limestone and shale beneath the surface.

During the last Ice Age, glaciers carved out the rock leaving behind low lying areas.

When the glaciers began to melt the low areas formed the Great Lakes.

The Lakes were originally larger◦ Downtown Toronto would be underwater!!!

How the Great Lakes St.Lawrence Lowlands formed.

Using Figrue 3.10 identify the provinces that share the lowland landform◦ Nunavut◦ Ontario◦ Quebec◦ Manitoba

Lowlands: Area

Folding: The bending of the earths crust under forces of compression.◦ This results in the making of hills and mountains.

Folding

How Folding Works

The Mountain Rim consists of two mountain chains◦ The Western Cordillera◦ Appalachian Region

The Mountain Rim

The earth is made up of five layers◦ The Lithosphere- Crust◦ The Mantle◦ The outer core◦ The Inner Core

The crust sits atop a plastic mantle layer that moves in due to convection◦ Convection: Rising with heat and falling as it cools

These convection currents cause the plates to move. Where plates come together there are forces of

compression at work and we see folding Where plates come apart there are forces of tension

and we see faulting.

The Western Cordillera: Formation

The Mountains of the Western Cordillera are formed in two main ways◦ Folding ◦ Volcanic Activity

The Western Cordillera: Formation

As the Pacific and North American Plate come together there is a great force of compression

Compression causes the plates to ripple and bend upward as the lighter ocean plate passes under the continental plate.

Folding Method

As the Pacific Plate passes under the North American Plate it is subjected to Heat and Pressure

This heat and pressure causes the rock to melt and from into magma plumes.

This magma rises and hardens leaving vast deposits of minerals under the rock of the Cordillera

This rising magma may also shoot out of mountains to form volcanoes

Volcanic Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains are much older that the mountains of the Cordillera.

What does that mean

The Appalachian Mountains

Old Mountains (Appalachian)

Young Mountains (Cordillera)

Tree covered Bare rock

Smooth surfaces Jagged rough appearance

Lower and gentle High and imposing

Using figure 3.10 determine what provinces make up the Mountain Rim◦ Newfoundland and Labrador◦ Nova Scotia◦ New Brunswick◦ Quebec◦ British Columbia◦ Yukon◦ North West Territories

The Mountain Rim

Ch 1: 1a, 2abc, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12. Chapter 2: 12, 13, 20.

Questions Check Chapter 1&2

Topographic map: Maps that provide detailed information about physical features and human activities.

Area symbols: Coloured patterns that represent physical features like lakes and woods

Line symbols: Lines that represent linear features like roads and railways

Point symbols: images that represent features like bridges and buildings.

Legend: key that explains what each symbol, colour, or pattern represents.

Topographic Maps: Reading the Landscape

Symbols

Eastings: Numbers that run across the bottom of that are joined to the lines that run vertically.◦ Places things east or west

Northing: Numbers that run up the side of a map that are joined to lines that run horizontally . ◦ Places things north or south

Topographic Map: Finding Features

Type of grid that is useful in finding large features.

Uses two numbers of easting and two numbers of northing to locate object

Runs the two numbers together to form a four digit number.

Remember EASTING FIRST NORTHING SECOND!!!

If you easting is 33 and your northing is 54 you reference number will be 3354.

Four-Figure Grid Reference

Type of grid reference that is useful for finding small features

Just like four figure grid, only for it splits the distance between the lines into tenths.

This gives you a third digit for your Easting and Northing

Now you would have 354 for your Easting and 639 for your Northing.

REMEMBER EASTING FIRST So you would have 354639 This would read 35 and 4 tenths for your easting 63

and 9 tenths for your northing

Six-Figure Grid Reference

Relief: Elevation of the land or feature Contour Lines: Lines drawn on a map to

show relief. Measured in height above sea level.

Contour Interval: The difference in elevation between one contour line and another.

Topographic Maps: Relief

Topographic Map: Relief

Ratio Scale: A means of indicating that the distance on the ground is a number of times greater than the same distance on a map.

1:50000 1 unit on the map of any size is equal to 50000 times that unit on

the ground 1 cm = 50000cm 1km = 50000km

Large Scale Maps: Maps that show small areas in large detail. ◦ Range from 1:10000 to 1:1000000

Small Scale Maps: Maps that show large areas in small detail◦ Range from 1:1000000 to 1:10000000

Topographic Maps: Scale