Physical ProcessesPhysical Processes

Cy-Woods HS Cy-Woods HS

Physical ProcessesPhysical Processes

• Natural events that Natural events that affect the affect the environments of environments of regions.regions.

EarthEarth

• Earth is made up of 4 Earth is made up of 4 spheres:spheres:

• LithosphereLithosphere• AtmosphereAtmosphere• HydrosphereHydrosphere• BiosphereBiosphere

LithosphereLithosphere

• Crust and Upper Crust and Upper MantleMantle

• Solid rock portion of Solid rock portion of EarthEarth

AtmosphereAtmosphere

• The layer of gases The layer of gases surrounding Earthsurrounding Earth

• Oxygen we breatheOxygen we breathe

• protects the Earthprotects the Earth

• medium for weather medium for weather and climateand climate

HydrosphereHydrosphere

• Water elements of Water elements of EarthEarth

• Ocean, seas, rivers, Ocean, seas, rivers, lakes, and water in lakes, and water in the atmospherethe atmosphere

BiosphereBiosphere

• Part of Earth where Part of Earth where plants and animals plants and animals livelive

• Made up of Made up of Lithosphere, Lithosphere, Atmosphere, and Atmosphere, and HydrosphereHydrosphere

Physical ProcessesPhysical Processes

• Impact these spheres, Impact these spheres, but more importantly, but more importantly, they impact they impact usus..

WeatheringWeathering

• Mechanical weathering:Mechanical weathering:

• Processes that break Processes that break rock into smaller pieces rock into smaller pieces without changing the without changing the composition of the rockcomposition of the rock

• Ex. Ice, plant roots, Ex. Ice, plant roots, human activitieshuman activities

• More common in dry More common in dry areasareas

WeatheringWeathering

• Chemical weathering:Chemical weathering:

• Process when the rock is Process when the rock is changed into a new changed into a new substance substance

• Decomposes as a result Decomposes as a result of interaction between air of interaction between air or water and the rockor water and the rock

• More common in warm, More common in warm, moist climatesmoist climates

ErosionErosion

• Water erosionWater erosion

• The movement of The movement of weathered material by weathered material by waterwater

• Reshapes landforms Reshapes landforms by depositing or by depositing or removing sedimentremoving sediment

ErosionErosion

• Wind erosionWind erosion

• The movement of The movement of weathered material by weathered material by windwind

• Reshapes landforms Reshapes landforms by depositing or by depositing or removing sedimentremoving sediment

ErosionErosion• Glaciation Glaciation

• The movement of weathered The movement of weathered material by glaciermaterial by glacier

• Reshapes landforms by Reshapes landforms by depositing or removing depositing or removing sedimentsediment

• Carves the land dramaticallyCarves the land dramatically

Tectonic ForcesTectonic Forces

• Internal forces that Internal forces that shape Earth’s surface shape Earth’s surface and begin beneath and begin beneath the lithospherethe lithosphere

• VolcanoesVolcanoes

Tectonic ForcesTectonic Forces

• Internal forces that Internal forces that shape Earth’s surface shape Earth’s surface and begin beneath and begin beneath the lithospherethe lithosphere

• EarthquakesEarthquakes

• Mostly along Mostly along boundaries (fault boundaries (fault lines)lines)

Tectonic ForcesTectonic Forces

• Internal forces that Internal forces that shape Earth’s surface shape Earth’s surface and begin beneath and begin beneath the lithospherethe lithosphere

• TsunamiTsunami

• Result of earthquakes Result of earthquakes and landslidesand landslides

Soil-buildingSoil-building

• Processes that determine the Processes that determine the soil-composition of a regionsoil-composition of a region

• Determines agricultureDetermines agriculture

Soil-buildingSoil-building

• DesertificationDesertification

• an expansion of dry an expansion of dry conditions to moist conditions to moist areas that are next to areas that are next to desertsdeserts

• Dry soil = poor Dry soil = poor agricultureagriculture

Climate and WeatherClimate and Weather

• Determines Determines agriculture, carrying agriculture, carrying capacity, and life of capacity, and life of regionsregions

• Extreme climatesExtreme climates

Climate and WeatherClimate and Weather

• DisastersDisasters

• Hurricanes, droughts, Hurricanes, droughts, tornados, floods, tornados, floods, blizzardsblizzards