Constructive vs. Destructive Processes EQ: What are constructive and destructive processes?

Constructive vs. Destructive Constructive forces affect the earth's surface by building it up while forming new crust and landforms like mountains, islands, deltas, and sand dunes. Destructive forces affect the earth's surface by breaking down landforms to form new ones through the processes of weathering and erosion.

Scientists believe that the Earth’s crust is broken into large pieces called plates. There are two types of plates, oceanic and continental.

When the plates interact with each other, they change the Earth’s surface. Sometimes these processes are constructive, meaning they build up areas of the Earth. Other times they are destructive, or destroy areas of the Earth.

When plates collide, they can build mountains When plates collide, they can build mountains. The Himalayan Mountains and the Andes Mountains are being formed because of the collision of plates. (See Before picture) When plates diverge, or move apart, they can also construct new areas of land. This is the way the ocean ridges are built. On land, the Great Rift Valley in Africa is built this way.

Other constructive processes include volcanoes like those creating the Hawaiian Islands. Earthquakes along fault lines can also build areas of Earth’s crust.

So with all this construction of new areas, why isn’t the Earth getting bigger and bigger? Destructive processes are constantly wearing down Earth’s surface. Weathering breaks up the crust. Erosion carries away the broken up parts. Earthquakes and volcanoes can also destroy areas of the Earth. I thought there was an island here?

There is a constant building up and breaking down of Earth’s surface There is a constant building up and breaking down of Earth’s surface. Some changes are sudden. Some happen so slowly that we hardly notice them at all. Whether slow or fast, the surface of the Earth is different today than it was yesterday.