A landform is any natural formation of rock and dirt, found on Earth. A landform can be as large as a mountain range, or as small as a hill. It can be as large as a continent, or as small as a pond. Geologists study how landforms are created, and how they interact with one another.

As geologists attempt to study, and understand the many landforms found on the Earth, it is helpful for them to look at specific characteristics of these landforms. By recording the many characteristics of different landforms, geologists are able to then compare those characteristics to the characteristics of other landforms.

The most important characteristics that geologists look at are structure, process, slope, and drainage.

Structure

Structure consists of the materials that a landform is made of, and the manner in which these materials are arranged. For example, is a mountain made primarily of granite, sandstone, copper, or of some other material. Is that material arranged in horizontal layers, vertical layers, or in some other configuration.

Landform Process

Process is all of the forces that combined to form the landform. These processes might be weather, pressure, water, wind, moving sheets of ice, etc.

All landforms are being changed by the many different forces that are constantly at work on them.

Landform Slope

The steepness of a landform’s slope gives geologists important clues about its formation, and structure. Slope also influences the evolution of landforms.

Landform Drainage

Drainage is considered separately from other processes, because it is so influential. How quickly water drains away from a landform impacts the overall shape and evolution of that landform tremendously.