General Science - Earth's Processes

Dynamic

The Earth’s crust is:

constantly shaped

The Earth’s surface is:

Geomorphic Processes

These are natural mechanisms that shape and alter the Earth’s surface over time, forming various landforms such as mountains, valleys, plains, and plateaus.

Exogenic Processes

The forces which derive their strength from the earth’s exterior or originate within the earth’s atmosphere.

Weathering

is the process of breaking down rocks and minerals.

Weathering, mass movements, erosion, and deposition

the main exogenic processes.

Mechanical Weathering, Chemical Weathering, and Biological Weathering

3 Types of Weathering

Mechanical Weathering

Breaking down rocks and minerals by physical forces without changing their composition.

Chemical Weathering

Breaking down rocks and minerals by chemical reactions. It changes both physical and chemical composition of rocks.

Biological Weathering

Breaking down rocks and minerals is caused by plants or animals. It can be both mechanical and chemical.

Running Water, Frost or Root Wedging, Exfoliation, and Wind

Agents of Mechanical Weathering:

Hydrolysis, Oxidation, Carbonation, and Acid Precipitation

Agents of Chemical Weathering:

Hydrolysis

a new solution (a mixture of two or more substances) is formed as chemicals in rock interact with water.

Carbonation

It is the mixing of water with carbon dioxide to make carbonic acid. This type of weathering is important in the formation of caves

Oxidation

It occurs when oxygen combines with another substance and creates compounds called oxides. Rust, for example, is iron oxide.

Acid precipitation

Caused mostly by the burning of fossil fuels, acid rain is a form of precipitation with high levels of sulfuric acid, which can cause erosion in the materials in which it comes in contact.

Erosion

It is a geological process of moving sediments by natural forces, such as wind, water, ice or gravity

Volume, Slope, and Type of Landscape

Factors that affect erosion:

Rocky and Smooth

two types of landscape:

Rocky Landscapes

landscapes can trap sediments.

Smooth Landscapes

landscapes may cause sediments to travel far.

Deposition

are sediments after it has been moved by water, wind, and gravity

Endogenic Processes

The forces which derive their strength from the inside of the Earth.

Folding and Faulting, and Heat in the Earth’s Interior

2 types of Endogenic forces:

Stress

the amount of force that acts on a rock

Folding

involves the bending of rock layers under compressional forces.

Faulting

fractures and displaces rock along fault planes due to tension or compression

Syncline, Anticline, and Monocline

Types of Folding:

Normal Fault, Reverse Fault, and Strike-Slip Fault

Types of Faulting:

Conduction

transfer of heat by touch. Heat flows from warmer to cooler area. The mantle is hot because of the heat conducted from the core.

Convection

transfer of heat by the movement of materials. Convection in the mantle is the same as the convection in a pot of water on a stove.

Pangaea

It stated that the continents once formed a single landmass, called:

Mesozoic Era

The continents started breaking into smaller continents during the:

Alfred Wegener

He is a German meteorologist. • He proposed the Continental Drift Theory

1912

The Continental Drift Theory was proposed on the year:

Fossil Evidences, Rock Formation Evidence, Edges of Africa and South America fits

Pieces of Evidences of the Continental Drift Theory:

Fossil Evidences

Similar fossils have been discovered in matching coastlines on different continents.

Fossils of Mesosaurus

a freshwater reptile, have been found both in Brazil and western Africa.

Rock formation evidence

Identical rocks, of the same type and age, are found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Edges of Africa and South America fits

The edges of the continents are like jigsaw puzzles that fit together.

Ice Wedging

When water fills a crack or pore, it expands because it freezes and splits the rock apart