Plateau (2024)

A plateau is a flat, elevated landform that rises sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Plateaus occur on every continent and take up a third of the Earth's land. They are one of the four major landforms, along with mountains, plains, and hills.

There are two kinds of plateaus: dissected plateaus and volcanic plateaus. A dissected plateau forms as a result of upward movement in the Earths crust. The uplift is caused by the slow collision of tectonic plates. The Colorado Plateau, in the western United States, has been rising about .03 centimeter (.01 inch) a year for more than 10 million years.

A volcanic plateau is formed by numerous small volcanic eruptions that slowly build up over time, forming a plateau from the resulting lava flows. The North Island Volcanic Plateau covers most of the central part of the North Island of New Zealand. This volcanic plateau still has three active volcanoes: Mount Tongariro, Mount Ngauruhoe, and Mount Ruapehu.

Erosion can influence the shape of a plateau. Soft rock often erodes away on the top of a plateau. Many plateaus are therefore topped with a hard, durable surface called caprock. Caprock protects the plateau from erosion of the soil underneath it.

Valleys form when river water cuts through the plateau. The Columbia Plateau, between the Cascade and Rocky mountains in the northwestern United States, is cut through by the Columbia River.

Erosion shapes plateaus in other ways. Sometimes, a plateau is so eroded that it is broken up into smaller raised sections called outliers. Many outlier plateaus are composed of very old, dense rock formations. Iron ore and coal often are found in plateau outliers.

The largest plateau in the world is the Tibetan Plateau, located in central Asia. It stretches through the countries of Tibet, China, and India and occupies an area of 2.5 million square kilometers (1.5 million square miles), which is four times the size of the U.S. state of Texas.

Fast Fact

Oceanic Plateaus
Plateaus in the ocean are divided into two groups. One group is made of continental crust. The other is made of igneous rock. Igneous oceanic plateaus represent an age between the older, less-dense continental crust and the younger, more dense oceanic crust.

Plateau (2024)

FAQs

What is called a plateau? ›

A plateau is a flat, elevated landform that rises sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Plateaus occur on every continent and take up a third of the Earth's land. They are one of the four major landforms, along with mountains, plains, and hills.

What is a plateau in life? ›

A relatively stable level, period, or state. The idea of reaching a plateau is often used in reference to economic markets, diets or exercise regimes when there is no longer an incline in success or improvement. More and more, it seems people are also applying it to their own career, creative practice or life.

What is plateau in medical terms? ›

(plă-tō′ ) 1. An elevated and usually flat area; a steady and consistent fever appears as a plateau on the patient's chart of vital signs. 2. The stage in training or skill acquisition when progress occurs at a very slow or flat rate in comparison with earlier phases.

What does plateau mean in vocabulary? ›

A plateau is a high, flat area of land. The word has also been stretched to include a leveling off of progress. At first the children at the sleepover were running wild, but then their energy level reached a plateau. You can see the word plate inside plateau.

What causes a plateau? ›

Many plateaus form as magma deep inside the Earth pushes toward the surface but fails to break through the crust. Instead, the magma lifts up the large, flat, impenetrable rock above it. Geologists believe a cushion of magma may have given the Colorado Plateau its final lift beginning about ten million years ago.

What is a plateau for kids? ›

A plateau is a raised area of land that's flat on top, sometimes found in mountainous areas. So if someone has hit a plateau, they aren't going up or down. Their progress is flat.

What is the biblical meaning of plateau? ›

As we progress spiritually in the gospel, we often reach a plateau where we are not making any further upward progress but are comfortable with where we are. When this happens, we must exercise our faith by stepping beyond our familiar experiences and surroundings.

Why do I feel like I'm plateauing? ›

A workout plateau occurs when you do the same exercise routine or type of activity for an extended period. Over time, you become accustomed to the demands of your workouts and your body adapts accordingly ( 1 ). As you become more efficient, you may burn fewer calories and build less muscle.

How to get out of a plateau in life? ›

How Do You Deal When Life Hits a Plateau?
  1. Accept that it's a natural part of life. Life goes up and down like waves. ...
  2. See the low period as an opportunity to slow down. When life is down, take this as a chance to slow down. ...
  3. Look out for an epiphany that leads to change. ...
  4. What does that change look like?
Apr 16, 2019

What is plateau in female? ›

Plateau in females

The plateau stage in females is basically a continuation of the same changes evident in the excitement stage. The cl*tor*s becomes extremely sensitive and withdraws slightly, and the Bartholin glands produce further lubrication.

Will a weight loss plateau go away on its own female? ›

Do Weight Loss Plateaus Go Away On Their Own? In some cases, a weight loss plateau may resolve itself. If you've only hit a slight snag, continuing your same habits may get you moving in the right direction again. You may even stay at the same weight for a few weeks and then start to lose weight again.

What is a plateau in psychology? ›

Psychology. a period of little or no apparent progress in an individual's learning, marked by an inability to increase speed, reduce number of errors, etc., and indicated by a horizontal stretch in a learning curve or graph.

What is plateau in human development? ›

The plateau effect can be described as a stage in a person's or an organization's development where further progress becomes difficult, leading to a leveling off or stagnation in performance. It is often characterized by a lack of significant improvement, despite continued effort and investment.

What is the most famous plateau in the world? ›

The Tibetan plateau– this is the highest, largest and most famous plateau in the world; it is located in South-Central Asia and Stretches through the countries of Tibet, China, and India. It is 1,000 km.

What is plateau in weight loss? ›

When the calories you burn equal the calories you eat, you reach a plateau. To lose more weight, you need to either increase your physical activity or decrease the calories you eat.

Why is it called plateau State? ›

The state is named after the picturesque Jos Plateau, a mountainous area in the north of the state with captivating rock formations. Bare rocks are scattered across the grasslands, which cover the plateau.

What is the difference between a plateau and a mesa? ›

Plateaus are an extensive, raised, flat-surfaced area. Mesas are isolated, broad flat-topped mountains with at least one steep side. Mesas are abundant in the southwestern states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. Buttes are smaller flat topped mountains or hills with steep slopes on all sides.

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