Rapid Processes Change Landforms

Science Matters Earth Science Unit 4.1

Look carefully at the following 4 photos of La Conchita.

Take a moment to describe the hillside with a partner.

Before

This is the same location.

Describe what you see.

Mount Saint Helens the day before it erupted.

The thin outer layer of the earth is called the “crust” and it forms the Earth’s surface.

A volcano is an opening in the Earth’s crust that allows the molten rock, magma, to rise up from the Earth’s interior.

Mount St. Helens during its eruption.

Magma gets collected in the Magma chamber of the volcano and bursts out with a lot of force through the opening spilling on the the outside ground. This is called a volcanic Eruption

Here, you can see the erupting ash.

The eruption left behind a large crater.

Before and After a Volcanic Eruption

What changes do you see in the landscape?

EarthquakeEarthquakes are tremors in the ground, created by the sudden movement of the earth’s crust.

It starts deep underground and spreads like the ripples in a pond.

Most Earthquakes are mild and undetected.

The shockwaves may be strong enough to cause cracks in the earth, buildings to fall, or even mountains to rise.

Before and After an Earthquake

Tsunami

When an Earthquake happens under the ocean, the shock waves can cause a surge of water.

Walls of water can travel across the ocean and reach land, causing a tsunami.

Before and After a Tsunami

Before and After a Tornado

Before and After a Landslide

THE EARTH IS EVER CHANGING, SHIFTING AND REMOLDING ITSELF.

Rapid Processes with examples of locations• Landslides... La Conchita, Japan • Earthquakes...San Francisco• Tsunami...Japan• Volcanoes...Mt. Fuji, Mt. Etna, Mauna Kea,

Mt. St. Helens• Tornadoes.. Midwestern region of the US