Basin and Range

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/basin-and-range

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Basin and Range?Approximately 800,000 square kilometers (310,000 square miles)
2. What is the dominant geological process?Extensional tectonics, characterized by crustal stretching and normal faulting
3. What is the primary climate type?Arid to semi-arid, with low precipitation and high evaporation rates
4. Why are there so many mountains and valleys in the Basin and Range?The Earth's crust there has been pulled apart for about 17 million years, causing blocks to drop down and others to lift up, creating basins and ranges.
5. How do plants and animals survive in the Basin and Range's dry climate?Many plants store water or keep it inside, and animals are active at night, burrow, or use water very efficiently to live in the arid environment.

Extensional Tectonics: Geological processes involving the stretching and thinning of the Earth's crust, leading to faulting and basin formation.
Normal Fault: A type of fault where the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall, a common feature in extensional settings.
Arid/Semi-Arid Climate: Climates characterized by a severe lack of available water, with low precipitation and high evaporation rates.
Lithosphere: The rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.