Human and Natural Process That Shape the Earth

Human and Natural Process That Shape the Earth

Weathering • Rocks are broken down by effects of weather • Pieces do not move to a new location • Two types: Mechanical and Chemical

Mechanical Weathering • A natural force that breaks rock into smaller pieces, such as a landslide, wind, water, tree roots, etc…. .

Chemical Weathering • A chemical reaction happens • The rock not only breaks it into smaller pieces but changes it into a different material. • This is how rocks turn into sand, soil or rust. • Ex: Some rocks react with oxygen or carbon dioxide, so contact with the air can be enough to cause chemical weathering.

Erosion • Any process that moves rock particles from one place to another. • Ex: An ocean wave or a river washing over a rock, which will carry pebbles or rock chunks to new places.

Hurricanes • Begin as tropical disturbances when surface temperatures of water are at least 80° F. • Is a tropical depression when wind speeds reach 38 mph • Becomes a tropical storm when sustained wind speeds top 39 mph and it is given a name. • When sustained wind speeds reach 74 mph it becomes a hurricane and is rated

Hurricanes • Also known as cyclones or typhoons in other parts of the world • Wind speeds can be over 160 miles an hour • Can unleash more than 2. 4 trillion gallons (9 trillion liters) of rain a day. • Rains cause damage by spawning floods and landslides, which may occur many miles inland. • Destructive winds may spawn

Tornadoes • Narrow, violently rotating columns of air that extend from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground • The most violent of all atmospheric storms • Wind speeds can reach up to 300 mph • Very little (if any) warning • Rated on Fujita Scale (F-Scale) or Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale)

Earthquakes • Mainly caused by tectonic plates rubbing together violently but can also be caused by volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts, nuclear experiments and perhaps fracking • Effects: Shaking, land slippage, landslides, land rupture, fires, liquefaction, floods and tsunamis • Not very predictable • Measured on the Richter Scale