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Unit 8: Physical Geography
The layers of the Earth
Crust
The crust is made up of solid rock. The crust underneath the continents is thicker than the crust underneath the oceans.
Mantle
The mantle represents around 80% of the Earth's mass. It is composed of very hot solid rock.
Core
The core is composed mainly of iron. It is divided into two zones.
Outer Core
The outer core is made up of liquid iron.
Inner Core
The inner core is solid. The temperature in the inner core is higher than the outer core but because the pressure is so great the iron cannot melt.
The Earth's Surface
Around 75% of the Earth's surface is water. The rest is continental land masses.
The Earth's Surface
Landforms
Landforms are natural shapes on the Earth's surface. They include hills, valleys, rivers, mountains, plains and lakes, oceans, glaciers and cliffs.
A valley is a low area between mountains or hills.
Hills are high places on the Earth's surface. They have rounded tops and are smaller than mountains.
A river is a stream of water.
Mountains are high places on the Earth's surface. They usually have pointed tops.
A glacier is a huge area of moving ice.
A plain is a large area of flat land.
Cliffs are very steep walls of rock. They are most common by rivers or coasts.
Oceans are masses of salt water.
A plateau is a flat area that is higher than the land around it.
Spanish Geography
The Meseta is a big plateau in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Sistema Central splits the Meseta in two parts.
The mountain regions in the north of the Meseta are Macizo Galacio and the Cordillera Cantábrica.
The Sistema Ibérico is to the east of the Meseta.
Sierra Morena is to the south of the Meseta.
The Pyrenees are in the north of the Iberian Peninsula and the Bética and the Penibética ranges are in the south.
The Guadalquivir plain is between the Sierra Morena and the Penibética.
The Guadalquivir plain is between the Sistema Ibérico and the Pyrenees.
Spanish Hydrology
Mountain rivers in the north have a short course. The main ones are the Bidasoa, Nervión, Sella, Nalón, Navia and Eo. They all drain
into the Cantabrian Sea.
The Miño, Duero, Tajo, Guadiana and Gualdalquivir drain into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Ebro, Júcar and Segura drain into the Mediterranean Sea.
