Surface feature of The Earth

Page 1

Changes to Earth's Surface

Page 2

What Are Surface Features?

  • Definition: Landforms and bodies of water that cover the Earth’s surface.

  • Examples:

    • Mountains

    • Valleys

    • Canyons

    • Beaches

    • Sand dunes

    • Barrier Islands

    • Flood-plains

    • Volcanoes

    • Oceans

    • Lakes

    • Rivers

Page 3

Constructive vs. Destructive Forces

  • Destructive Forces: Break down features on Earth's surface.

  • Constructive Forces: Build up features on Earth's surface.

  • Examples:

    • Mt. Everest (Constructive)

    • Niagara Falls (Destructive)

Page 4

Destructive Forces

  • Definition: Forces that destroy or break down surface features.

  • Examples of Destructive Processes:

    • Weathering (chemical or mechanical)

    • Erosion (by water - rivers, oceans, wind)

    • Impact of organisms

    • Earthquakes

Page 5

Summary of Forces

  • Constructive: Forces that build up features.

  • Destructive: Forces that break down features.

Page 6

What are Constructive and Destructive Forces?

  • Constructive Forces:

    • Deposition

    • Volcanoes

    • Crust Deformation

    • Plate Tectonics

    • Earthquakes

    • Biological activities

  • Destructive Forces:

    • Weathering

    • Erosion

    • Volcanoes

    • Plate Tectonics

    • Earthquakes

    • Biological activities

Page 7

Constructive Forces: Stream Deposition

  • Process: Rivers pick up sediment and deposit it when water slows down.

  • Creates: Floodplains and Deltas.

Page 8

Constructive Forces: Glacial Deposits

  • Process: Glaciers move and deposit sediment where they end.

  • Creates: Moraine (long, low hill).

Page 9

Constructive Forces: Wind and Wave Deposits

  • Wind Deposit: Creates Sand Dunes.

  • Wave Deposit: Creates Beaches, sand bars, and barrier islands.

Page 10

Constructive Forces: Volcanoes and Crust Deformation

  • Volcanoes: Create Islands and new igneous rock.

  • Crust Deformation: Creates hills, valleys, and cliffs (faults).

Page 11

Constructive Forces: Plate Tectonics

  • Convergent Boundaries: Create Mountains, Trenches, and Volcanoes.

  • Divergent Boundaries: Create Mid-Ocean Ridge and new rock.

  • Transform Boundaries: Create cracks in the crust.

Page 12

Destructive Force: Weathering

  • Definition: Process of breaking down rocks and land.

  • Causes: Gravity, wind, water, ice.

    • Example: Rain washes rocks down a mountain.

Page 13

Destructive Force: Erosion

  • Definition: Movement of weathered rocks and sediment.

  • Causes: Water, ice, wind, gravity.

Page 14

Destructive Force: Mechanical Weathering

  • Definition: Breaking rock into smaller pieces.

  • Causes:

    • Temperature changes

    • Flowing rivers

    • Roots pushing into rocks

    • Animals burrowing

Page 15

Destructive Force: Mechanical Weathering and Erosion from Water and Ice

  • Process: Water freezes in cracks, expanding and causing rocks to break (ice wedging).

Page 16

Destructive Force: Mechanical Weathering from Wind, Water, and Ice

  • Continuous erosion causes changes to landforms over time.

Page 17

Destructive Force: Mechanical Weathering by Plants and Animals

  • Process: Plant roots break apart rocks; animals disrupt soil.

Page 18

Destructive Force: Chemical Weathering

  • Definition: Changes in molecules due to chemical reactions.

  • Requirements: Moisture and heat must be present.

  • Main agents: Water, oxygen, carbon.

Page 19

Destructive Force: Earthquakes

  • Definition: Sudden release of stored energy in Earth's crust.

  • Causes: Strain on fault lines, leading to ground shaking and displacement.

Page 20

Destructive Force: Earthquakes at Transform Boundaries

  • Example: San Andreas Fault.

  • Occurs when tectonic plates grind past each other.

Page 21

Destructive Force: Changes from Earthquakes

  • Effects:

    • Buildings collapse

    • Land shifts and alters formations

    • Roads and streams may change course.

Page 22

Constructive Forces: Identification

  • Definition: Forces that build up features on the Earth's surface.

  • Examples:

    • Deposition (Deltas, sand dunes)

    • Tectonic plates colliding (Mountains)

    • Crust deformation (Folding or Faulting)

    • Volcanoes

    • Earthquakes

Page 23

Constructive Force: Deposition of Sediment

  • Process: Sediment is carried and deposited by various forces.

    • Wind: creates sand dunes.

    • Water: creates deltas.

    • Ice: glaciers carry and deposit rock.

Page 24

Constructive Force: Deposition by Wind

  • Result: Sand transported by wind creates sand dunes.

Page 25

Constructive Force: Deposition by Water

  • Examples:

    • Amazon River Delta into Atlantic Ocean

    • Mississippi River Delta into Gulf of Mexico.

Page 26

Constructive Force: Deposition by Glaciers

  • Glaciers pick up rock and sediments, depositing them elsewhere.

Page 27

Constructive Force: Tectonic Plates

  • Movement of tectonic plates forms mountains and ridges.

Page 28

Constructive Force: Mountain Ranges

  • Examples:

    • Rockies

    • Andes

    • Himalayas (formed by convergent boundaries).

Page 29

Constructive Force: Divergent Boundaries

  • Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Great Rift Valley formed as plates separate.

Page 30

Constructive Force: Faults and Folding

  • Definition: Cracks in Earth's crust where movement occurs.

  • Cause of earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Page 31

Constructive Force: Volcanoes

  • Definition: Openings in Earth's surface allowing molten rock and gases to escape.

  • Effects: Formation of mountains and land over time.

Page 32

Constructive Force: Volcanoes and Plate Boundaries

  • Location: Active volcanoes are often found along plate boundaries (e.g., Ring of Fire).

Page 33

Constructive Force: Volcanoes

  • Notable example: Mount St. Helens.