PHYSICAL PROCESSES

Learning Goal 2: Describe how internal and external physical processes create landforms and shape patterns in the physical environment.

CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS:

•Describe the physical processes that affect the environment.•Examine the physical processes that affect the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.•Describe the characteristics of different landforms and the physical processes that cause their development.

INTERNAL PHYSICAL PROCESSES

• Internal processes are events that occur within (under) the earth’s surface, specifically plate tectonics.

• Volcanoes, mountains, rift valleys, and islands are the result of these processes.

TECTONIC FORCES

• The earth’s crust (lithosphere) is made up of tectonic plates that move over the hot flexible layer of the upper mantle. As the plates move they shape the physical features of the earth.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCpeF1ZJ7_M

TECTONIC FORCES: TYPES OF TECTONIC FORCES: TYPES OF BOUNDARIESBOUNDARIES

Convergent- Collision (Slam Together)

Convergent-Subduction (one under the other)

Divergent (Go away from each other)

Transforming/Faulting (slide past each other)

EXTERNAL PHYSICAL PROCESSES

• External processes are those that occur outside the earth’s crust including…

• Weather• Weathering vs. Erosion• Soil building

WEATHER

• Weather is the condition of the atmosphere (temperature and precipitation) at a particular location and time. Weather is short term!

WEATHERING VS. EROSION

• Weathering breaks down rock.

• Erosion then occurs when weathered material is moved by the action of wind, water, and ice.

• Material (soil, rocks, etc) is moved by one of these agents to another location.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyysL02ZvQ8

TYPES OF EROSION

Weathering breaks down rock.

EROSION MOVES THE ROCK ACROSS THE EARTH’S SURFACE

WATER (BIGGEST FORCE OF EROSION)

Running water & Wave action: CANYONS

WIND EROSION

Moves & deposits sediment:DUNES

ICE EROSION

Moves & leaves debris behind: Carves out GLACIERS & VALLEYS

SOIL-BUILDING PROCESS

• Soil building is…• The collection of a loose mixture of weathered

rock, organic matter, air, and water that support plant vegetation.

• Weathering and erosion are part of the process that builds soil.

• It is important because different soils support different types of vegetation

THE FOUR SPHERES

• The earth’s physical environment can be divided into four categories (made up of?).

• Lithosphere=• Atmosphere=• Hydrosphere=• Biosphere=

LITHOSPHERE

• The lithosphere is outermost shell of the earth composed of the upper mantle and the crust. It is made up of soil, rocks, landforms, and other surface features. The lithosphere is affected by many process, both internal (plate tectonics) and external (weather, erosion, soil building).

ATMOSPHERE

• The atmosphere is the body of air that surrounds the earth’s surface. The atmosphere is most affected by wind currents. It is affected by external processes.

HYDROSPHERE

• The hydrosphere is composed of the water on earth including oceans, lake, rivers, and supplies underground. The hydrosphere is affected by ocean currents. It is affected by external processes.

BIOSPHERE

• The biosphere is the world of living things (people, plants, and animals) that occupy the lands and waters of earth. It is affected by internal and external processes.

LANDFORMS

• Landforms are naturally formed features on the surface (lithosphere) of the earth.

• There are many different types of landforms, both oceanic (water) and continental (land). The major feature that designates different landforms is relief.

• Relief: The variations in elevation of an area of the earth's surface.