Geography A Changing Earth
What is the smallest ice mass
A glacier
Glacier
A large body of ice that moves slowly across land
Ring of Fire
A long, narrow band of volcanoes surrounding the Pacific ocean
Fault
A place where two tectonic plates grind against each other
Earthquakes
A shaking or trembling of Earth, caused by the collision of tectonic plates
How did the Ring of Fire get its name
Because it forms a long, narrow band of volcanoes around or encircling the Pacific ocean
Earths surface plates are moving. Why don't we feel the ground moving under us
Because the earth crust is not a solid sheet of rock
What are some human actions that have changed earth
Coal mining has leveled mountains; acres of forest that have been cut down have caused landslides and erosions; canals have altered natural waterways; pollution caused by burning gasoline and other fuels can lead to chemical erosion; even buildings can be eroded by chemical pollutants
Does soft rock erode faster or slower than dense rock
Faster
1931
Floods in China leave 80 million homeless
Changes by human processes happen
Quickly
Weathering
The process by which Earth's surface is worn away by natural forces
Erosion
The process by which weathered bits of rock are moved elsewhere by water, wind, or ice
What events are slow change
Wind erosion; water erosion; plate movement
What are two ways that an ocean can affect a coastline
They buildup of materials can create landforms and when waves pound rocks into sand is deposited on the coastline
Which canyon was formed when the hard rock that was left behind from the soft rock that was worn away
Utah's Bryce Canyon
What are two causes of earthquakes
When rocks on either side of a fault move and when volcanoes erupt
Seven unique continents on earth
Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia
What is one major reason why humans have change the environment of Earth faster and more completely in the last 50 years
Demand for food and natural resources is greater than ever
1906
Earthquake, fire devastates San Francisco
2011
Earthquake, tsunami near Japan triggers nuclear accident
What events are sudden change
Earthquake; glacier; tsunami volcano eruption
What formation in the United States was caused by weathering and erosion in
The Grand Canyon
Can plants cause weathering
Yes because a small seed can fall into a crack in rocks and when rain falls it causes the seeds to sprout which causes the plants roots to expand and they can split the rock apart
What can form valleys and planes
Masses of ice and snow
Can effects of weathering be apparent from one day to the next
Not necessarily they only become obvious over time
What is the second largest mass of ice and snow
Polar ice caps (which are high-altitude ice masses)
What is the number of tectonic plates
16
What are some human actions of change
Cutting down forest; mining; digging canals; pollution
2010
Haiti earthquake kills more than 220,000 people
2005
Hurricane Katrina strikes southeastern United States
What is the largest mass of ice and snow
Ice sheets
Tectonic plate
One of the 16 pieces of Earth's crust
What are some natural forces of change
Plate movements; weathering; erosion; water and ice movement
Changes by natural physical processes happen
Slowly
Tectonic plates are parts of what layer of earth
The crust
Tsunami
A giant ocean wave caused by volcanic eruptions or movement of the earth under the ocean floor
Continent
A large, unbroken mass of land
What is the difference between weathering and erosion
Weathering is where Earth's surface is worn away by forces such as wind, rain, chemicals and movement of ice and flowing waters whereas erosion works with weathering moving around weathered materials
When plates collide or move apart what happens; when they hit a mountain what happens; when they move apart what happens
When they move apart new landforms can be made and also a crack can form and magma can rise through the crust and form a new crest as it cools; when they hit, mountain ranges can result
