Q: How much of Alberta’s land surface does the Canadian Shield cover?
A: 3% (about 15,540 km²
Q: What types of rocks are exposed at the surface in the Canadian Shield region?
A: Hard igneous and metamorphic rocks
Q: What is the age of the Canadian Shield rocks?
A: Precambrian—some of the oldest rocks on Earth
Q: Why is the Canadian Shield surface relatively flat?
A: Long-term erosion by water and glaciers scoured and leveled the ancient mountains
Q: Are Canadian Shield rocks found only in northeastern Alberta?
A: Exposed only in the northeast but eroded pieces are scattered across the province by glaciers
Q: What glacial evidence is visible on Canadian Shield rocks?
A: Polished surfaces and grooves aligned with ice movement direction
Q: What percentage of Alberta does the Interior Plains region cover?
A: 87%
Q: Where is the Interior Plains located?
A: Between the Canadian Shield and the Foothills
Q: What types of surface features are found in the Interior Plains?
badlands River valleys
Q: What covers most of the Interior Plains region?
A: Glacial drift
Q: What type of rocks are found near the Shield boundary?
A: Older Devonian limestones
Q: What type of rocks are found near the Foothills?
A: Younger Cretaceous sandstones and shales
Q: How thick are the sedimentary rocks in the Interior Plains?
A: Up to 6 km thick near the Foothills thinning toward the northeast
Q: What natural resources are found in Interior Plains rocks?
A: Petroleum, coal
Q: How is the bedding of exposed bedrock in river valleys typically oriented?
A: Near horizontal
Q: What percentage of Alberta do the Rocky Mountains and Foothills cover?
A: 10%
Q: What types of rocks make up the Rocky Mountains and Foothills?
A: The same sedimentary rocks underlying the Plains but faulted
Q: What causes the mountain ridges in the Rockies?
A: Eastward thrusting and faulting of sedimentary layers
Q: What are the three subdivisions of the Rocky Mountains region?
A: Main Ranges Front Ranges
Q: What characterizes the Main Ranges?
A: Westernmost highest elevations
Q: What characterizes the Front Ranges?
A: Younger more deformed limestones and dolomites
Q: What characterizes the Foothills?
A: Easternmost lowest elevations
Q: What is Alberta’s highest point?
A: Summit of Mount Columbia — 3747 m
