Constructive & Destructive Forces

EQ: What is the difference between a Constructive Force and a Destructive Force?

Constructive Forces- Natural forces that build or construct landforms and cause changes in the Earth’s surface. Examples: Volcanoes -Delta Deposition -Faults Earthquakes -Sand Dunes

Constructive Forces Constructive forces affect the earth's surface by building it up to form new landforms like mountains and islands. Examples of these type of forces are: Deposition is the dropping off of bits of eroded rock. This process helps to build up Earth’s surface by filling in depressions, or basins. Earthquakes Volcanoes

- Earthquakes - Glaciers Destructive Forces – Natural forces that destroy landforms and causes damaging changes in the Earth’s surface. - Earthquakes - Glaciers Weathering/Erosion - Landslides Volcanoes - Tsunami

Earthquakes: Shaking that results from the movement of rock (tectonic plates) beneath Earth’s surface Destructive force or Constructive force Most occur because of moving crust

Earthquakes causes vibration across the ground, sending shock waves that crumble buildings. http://jclahr.com/alaska/aeic/taurho/eqeffects/eqtsun.mov

Stress: Force that acts on rock to change its shape and volume Energy is stored in the rock until it breaks or changes shape

Faults: Break in Earth’s crust where slabs of crust slip past each other When stress builds up, the rock breaks along a fault Usually occur along plate boundaries

3 Main Types of Faults: Strike-Slip – Rocks on each side slide past each other with little (or no) up & down motion - Transform boundaries - Caused by Shearing - San Andreas (California)

Measuring Quakes: Seismograph – instrument used to measure the vibrations and seismic waves of earthquakes.

Rating Scales used for Quakes: Richter – Rate quakes according to the size of the seismic waves - low ---> high (1-9) -each # is 10x stronger - humans cannot feel a quake below 2 - 6 or more = major quake - Measures magnitude

Misc. Info: Tsunami – a series of seismic sea waves - result from underwater earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions

Volcanoes: Destructive AND Constructive Weak spot in the crust where molten material from the mantle comes to the surface Magma – Hot molten rock located Below ground. Lava – magma that reaches the surface.

Volcanoes can quickly change the Earth, too, by pouring out hot, liquid rock called lava.

Pahoehoe Aa

Weathering: Process that breaks down rock & other substances at the Earth’s surface- very slow process Temperature, Water, & gases in the atmosphere all contribute to weathering

2 Types of Weathering: Mechanical Chemical

Mechanical Weathering: Process by which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces Small pieces have same material as the original rock Very slow occurrence

The most common type of mechanical weathering is the constant freezing, and thawing of water. In liquid form, water is able to penetrate the many holes and joints within a rock. As the temperature drops water freezes and expands, becoming about 10% larger than it was in liquid form. The result is that the holes and cracks in rocks are pushed outward. Even the strongest rocks are no match for this force.

Rock split apart by Mechanical weathering.

Mechanical Weathering: Caused by…(Agents) Freezing and Thawing Release of Pressure Growth of Plants Abrasion – Grinding away of rock by other rock particles that are carried by water, ice, wind, or gravity

Chemical Weathering: Breaks down rock through chemical changes- Chemical properties are actually changed. Rock particles have different mineral make-up than original rock

Stalactites & Stalagmites created by acid rain falling into these limestone caverns.

Erosion: Process by which natural forces move weathered rock & soil from one place to another (by wind, water, ice, & gravity) Sediment Material moved by weathering and erosion

Mass Movement: Deposition Caused by gravity Occurs where bits of rock are dropped off (deposited) because of erosion On land sediment can be moved down hill by: Landslide Mudslide

Landslide: Most destructive When rock & soil slide quickly down a steep slope

Mudslide

Technology and Human Interventions Humans try to CONTROL these forces. seismological studies flood control (dams, levees, storm drain management, etc.) beach reclamation (Georgia coastal islands)

Seismological Studies Scientists study earthquakes so that they can understand how they work and so that they can try to predict future quakes. Earthquakes are recorded by instruments called “seismographs”. A short wiggly line means a small earthquake and a large one means a large earthquake.

Flood Control The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began constructing dams in Georgia for navigation and flood control in the 1940s and 1950s under the Flood Control Act of 1944 and the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954.

Flood Control Methods Dams control the water flow in a stream or river. A levee is an embankment designed to prevent the flooding of a river. Storm drains are for carrying off rainfall drained from paved surfaces, roofs, etc.

Beach Reclamation Weather, waves and wind cause the coastline to wash away. Keeping sand dunes intact helps to keep the beaches from eroding.