We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. Essential Question… What forces have helped to shape the Earth’s surface? We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.

We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. The Lithosphere…. …is the Earth’s crust and top section of the mantle. It is broken into a number of tectonic plates that move. At one point in history, all of the continents were one large land mass but eventually the pieces split apart and drifted to their present location because the tectonic plates are constantly moving. This moving causes mountain building, seafloor spreading and rift valleys, earthquakes and tsunamis, and volcanoes. We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.

Effects of Plate Tectonic Movement Mountain Building Two plates pushing into each other, fold upwards and create mountains Himalayan Mountains & Andes Mountains Seafloor Spreading & Rift Valleys Tectonic plates that pull apart creates valleys and new crust material Earthquakes & Tsunamis When plates get stuck and then suddenly separate, it causes vibrations known as an earthquake. If they occur under the ocean, the vibration can create a giant wave known as a tsunami. Japan’s earthquake in 2012 Volcanoes When one plate goes under another, a hot spot can form and create a volcano “Ring of Fire” around the Pacific is the best example We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.

We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. Other Forces…. Weathering Wind, weather, ice and living things wearing down rocks is known as “weathering” Erosion The process by which rock, sand and soil are broken down and carried away is known as erosion. Grand Canyon & the Great Lakes are the best examples. Deposition The same forces that erode in one place can deposit particles and sediment in another, building it up. Rivers carry sediment downstream and deposit it. We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.

We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. The Hydrosphere…. …is the surface of the Earth that is covered by water. More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is water and about 97% of that is the oceans. Less than 1% is found in the atmosphere, groundwater or in freshwater lakes and rivers. The Water Cycle, Tides and Currents are key components of the hydrosphere. We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.

We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. The Water Cycle…. Solar energy heats the surface of oceans, seas and lakes. This causes some of the surface water to evaporate into the atmosphere. The water vapor rises until it becomes cooler. The water vapor then condenses into tiny droplets small enough to float in the atmosphere as clouds. When the droplets grow larger and heavier, they fall back to Earth as precipitation (rain, snow or hail). The water is absorbed by the ground or forms lakes, streams and rivers. Much of the groundwater eventually drains back into the ocean and the cycle continues. We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.

We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. Tides…. Every day, the ocean rises and falls, this is called high tide and low tide. It is caused by the gravitational pull of the moon. A high tide occurs when ocean waters are pulled towards the moon, causing sea levels to be at their highest. A low tide will occur at the areas where the pull of the moon is weaker. We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.

We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. Currents…. …are the movement of ocean water and occur because of the spinning of the Earth and wind. Most currents form circular patterns on the surface of the ocean. Water heated by the sun moves away from the Equator and carries heat energy towards the poles. The transfer of energy moves warm water from the tropics to colder areas and cold water from the poles to the tropical areas. We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.

We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. The Atmosphere…. …is the area around the Earth that is made up of gases. Nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%) are the two main gases. …absorbs solar radiation, controls temperatures and distributes water through weather patterns. Weather includes humidity, winds and precipitation and is found closest to Earth. Climate is the average weather conditions of a place over a long period of time. We will learn how the Earth’s surface is shaped by physical processes. I will be able to accurately describe the key ways that the Earth’s surface has changed over time.