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Quiz: Physical Features of the Land

Test your understanding of landforms and physical geography with these questions.

1. What is the difference between a mountain and a hill?

  1. Mountains have water, hills are dry
  2. Mountains are taller and steeper, hills are smaller and rounder
  3. Mountains are in the east, hills are in the west
  4. There is no difference between mountains and hills
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Mountains are very tall landforms with steep sides and peaks, while hills are raised areas that are smaller and more rounded than mountains. Hills are generally under 1,000-2,000 feet tall.

Concept Tested: Mountains, Hills

2. What is a plain?

  1. A high, flat area raised above surrounding land
  2. A large, flat or gently rolling area of land
  3. A low area between mountains
  4. Land completely surrounded by water
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Plains are large, flat or gently rolling areas of land, often covered with grasses or used for farming. The Great Plains in the central US is a famous example.

Concept Tested: Plains

3. What is a plateau?

  1. A deep valley with steep sides
  2. A flat, raised area of land like a giant table
  3. A low wetland area near the coast
  4. A river that flows underground
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. A plateau is a flat, raised area of land—like a giant table! Plateaus are higher than the land around them but have flat tops, unlike mountains. The Colorado Plateau is home to the Grand Canyon.

Concept Tested: Plateaus

4. What shaped most valleys in the United States?

  1. Earthquakes only
  2. Human construction
  3. Rivers cutting through rock or glaciers carving the land
  4. Volcanic eruptions
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. Most valleys were formed by rivers cutting through rock over millions of years (creating V-shaped valleys) or by glaciers carving out the land (creating U-shaped valleys).

Concept Tested: Valleys

5. What defines a desert?

  1. A place that is always hot
  2. A place covered with sand dunes
  3. A place that receives less than 10 inches of precipitation per year
  4. A place with no plants or animals
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. A desert is defined by its lack of precipitation—receiving less than 10 inches per year. Deserts can be hot (like the Sonoran) or cold (like the Great Basin in Nevada).

Concept Tested: Deserts

6. What is a peninsula?

  1. Land completely surrounded by water
  2. Land surrounded by water on three sides but connected to the mainland
  3. A high mountain peak
  4. A deep canyon carved by a river
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. A peninsula is land surrounded by water on three sides but connected to the mainland on one side. Florida is the most famous US peninsula.

Concept Tested: Peninsulas

7. Which mountain range runs through the eastern United States?

  1. Rocky Mountains
  2. Sierra Nevada
  3. Appalachian Mountains
  4. Cascade Range
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. The Appalachian Mountains run through the eastern United States from Alabama to Maine. They are much older and more worn down than the Rocky Mountains.

Concept Tested: Appalachian Mountains

8. Which is true about the Rocky Mountains?

  1. They are the oldest mountains in North America
  2. They stretch over 3,000 miles from New Mexico to Canada
  3. They are located entirely in California
  4. They have no snow on their peaks
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. The Rocky Mountains stretch over 3,000 miles from New Mexico all the way to Canada and Alaska. They are the largest mountain system in North America.

Concept Tested: Rocky Mountains

9. Why is the Great Plains called the "Breadbasket of America"?

  1. It has the most bakeries in the country
  2. It grows huge amounts of wheat and grain that feed people around the world
  3. It has the highest mountains
  4. It has the most water features
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. The Great Plains are called the "Breadbasket of America" because the region produces enormous amounts of wheat and grain. The flat land and rich soil make it perfect for farming.

Concept Tested: Great Plains

10. What river carved the Grand Canyon?

  1. Mississippi River
  2. Missouri River
  3. Colorado River
  4. Columbia River
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. The Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon over millions of years. The canyon is about 277 miles long and over a mile deep!

Concept Tested: Colorado Plateau

11. Which mountain range is known for its volcanic peaks, including Mount St. Helens?

  1. Appalachian Mountains
  2. Rocky Mountains
  3. Sierra Nevada
  4. Cascade Range
Show Answer

The correct answer is D. The Cascade Range runs through Washington, Oregon, and northern California and is famous for its volcanic peaks. Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980.

Concept Tested: Cascade Range

12. Why are the Appalachian Mountains lower and more rounded than the Rocky Mountains?

  1. They are made of softer rock
  2. They are much older and have eroded over hundreds of millions of years
  3. They have more rivers running through them
  4. They receive more rainfall
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. The Appalachian Mountains are much older (about 480 million years old) than the Rocky Mountains (about 80-55 million years old). The Appalachians were once as tall as the Rockies but have been worn down by erosion over time.

Concept Tested: Appalachian Mountains