1. AP Environmental Science Mr. Grant Lesson 20
Earth’s Physical Systems: Matter, Energy, and Geology
Geology: The Physical Basis For Environmental Science

2. Objectives: Define the terms lithosphere and rock cycle.
Explain how plate tectonics and the rock cycle shape the landscape around us and the earth beneath our feet.

3. Define the terms lithosphere and rock cycle.
Lithosphere: The outer layer of earth, consisting of curst and uppermost mantle. More generally the solid part of the Earth, including rocks, sediment, and soil at the surface and extending down many miles underground.
Rock Cycle: The very slow process in which rocks and the minerals that make them up are heated, melted, cooled, broken, and reassembled, forming igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

4. Explain how plate tectonics and the rock cycle shape the landscape around us and the earth beneath our feet.
Earth’s geology is dynamic, and a human lifetime is a blink of the eye in the long course of geological time.
Earth consist of distinct layers that differ in composition, temperature, density, and other characteristics.
Plate tectonics is a fundamental system that shapes Earth’s physical geography, as well as producing earthquakes and volcanoes.
Tectonic plates meet at three types of boundaries: divergent, transform, and convergent.
Matter is cycled within the lithosphere, and rocks transform from one type to another.

5. Geology Physical processes at and below the Earth: Shape the landscape
Lay the foundation for environmental systems and life
Provide energy from fossil fuels and geothermal sources
Geology = the study of Earth’s physical features, processes, and history
A human lifetime is just the blink of an eye in geologic time

6. The geologic record

7. Our plant consists of layers
Core = solid iron in the center
Molten iron in the outer core
Mantle = less dense, elastic rock
Aesthenosphere: very soft or melted rock
Area of geothermal energy
Crust = the thin, brittle, low- density layer of rock
Lithosphere = the uppermost mantle and the crust

8. Plate tectonics Plate tectonics = movement of lithospheric plates
Heat from Earth’s inner layers drives convection currents
Pushing the mantle’s soft rock up (as it warms) and down (as it cools) like a conveyor belt
The lithosphere is dragged along with the mantle
Continents have combined, separated, and recombined over millions of years
Pangaea = all landmasses were joined into 1 supercontinent 225 million years ago

9. The Earth has 15 major tectonic plates
Movement of these plates influences climate and evolution

10. Earth’s crust is created and destroyed
Divergent plate boundaries
Magma rises to the surface
Pushing plates apart
Creating new crust
Has volcanoes and hydrothermal vents
Transform plate boundaries
Two plates meet, slipping and grinding
Friction spawns earthquakes along strike-slip faults

11. Tectonic plates can collide
Convergent plate boundaries = where plates collide
Subduction = the oceanic plate slides beneath continental crust (e.g. the Cascades, Andes Mountains)
Magma erupts through the surface in volcanoes
Continental collision = two plates of continental crust collide
Built the Himalaya and Appalachian Mountains 11

12. Plate tectonics produces Earth’s landforms
Tectonics builds mountains
Shapes the geography of oceans, islands, and continents
Gives rise to earthquakes and volcanoes
Determines locations of geothermal energy sources
Topography created by tectonics shapes climate
Altering patterns of rain, wind, currents, heating, cooling
Thereby affecting the locations of biomes
Influencing where animals and plants live

13. The rock cycle
Rock cycle = the heating, melting, cooling, breaking, and reassembling of rocks and minerals
Rock = any solid aggregation of minerals
Mineral = any element or inorganic compound
Has a crystal structure, specific chemical composition, and distinct physical properties
Rocks help determine soil characteristics
Which influences the region’s plants community
Helps us appreciate the formation and conservation of soils, minerals, fossil fuels, and other natural resources 13

14. Igneous rock Magma = molten, liquid rock
Lava = magma released from the lithosphere
Igneous rock = forms when magma cools
Intrusive igneous rock = magma that cools slowly below Earth’s surface (e.g. granite)
Extrusive igneous rock = magma ejected from a volcano (e.g. basalt) 14

15. Sedimentary rock
Sediments = rock particles blown by wind or washed away by water
Sedimentary rock = sediments are compacted or cemented (dissolved minerals crystallize and bind together)
Sandstone, limestone, shale
Lithification = formation of rock (and fossils) through compaction and crystallization 15

16. Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock = great heat or pressure on a rock changes its form
High temperature reshapes crystals
Changing rock’s appearance and physical properties
Marble = heated and pressurized limestone
Slate = heated and pressurized shale 16

17. David Gallo on life in the deep oceans (13:23)
TED Video
A pioneer in ocean exploration, David Gallo is an enthusiastic ambassador between the sea and those of us on dry land.
With vibrant video clips captured by submarines, David Gallo takes us to some of Earth's darkest, most violent, toxic and beautiful habitats, the valleys and volcanic ridges of the oceans' depths, where life is bizarre, resilient and shockingly abundant.
David Gallo on life in the deep oceans (13:23)