Erosion, weathering, mass wasting. Earth's Interior Geologic Time Assignment

Erosion, weathering, mass cachexy. Earths Interior geological Time Scale - Assignment ExampleSoil erosion can be prevented by set scentbreaks. Windbreaks be lines of planted bushes and plants that hold soil firmly with their roots and prevent it from being washed away. opposite methods include terracing, in which level plains are cut on hillsides and crops are grown on these plains. (wikipedia.org).Weathering is the move of decomposition or breakdown of soils and arguings when they come in direct contact with natural forces such as wind, rain and love. Weathering is of two types, mechanical and chemical. Mechanical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks overdue to wind, heat, rain and ice. Sand that is carried by wind grinds down the surfaces of rocks, causing wind erosion/weathering. Higher temperatures cause cracks in rocks. This mostly occurs when sun rays heat up the surface of the rocks while the inside of the rock remains cool. When the surface of such rocks cools down at night, it contracts. Repeated contraction and expansion causes cracks in the rock, leading to its breakdown and weathering. Raindrops too cause weathering, either by wearing down the rocks or by causing chemical switchs by mixing with minerals in the rocks. scum glaciers running over rocks also lead to their breakdown. Chemical weathering occurs when environmental agents, such as CO2, react with rock minerals. (wikipedia.org) Mass wasting is the process by which soil and rocks move down a be given due the action of gravity. This occurs when the gravitational forces acting on a soil layer on a slope exceeds the frictional force that is keeping the soil layer in place. The maximum angle of the slope at which the soil continues to stay in place without being pulled by gravity is called angle of repose. Mass wasting occurs when the slopes angle exceeds the angle of repose. Landslides, mudflows and creeps are examples of mass wasting. It usually occurs due to change in slope angle, weathering of rocks, intensive increase or decrease in water content of the soil, and deprivation of vegetation to hold the soil together. (wikipedia.org) 2. Earths lithosphere and plate architectonics The earths lithosphere is the self-colored outermost region of the earth, comprising of the impertinence and the upper mantle. Lithosphere is of two types, oceanic and continental. The oceanic lithosphere is the crust that exists beneath the oceans, and whose onerousness is about 50-100 Km. Continental lithosphere is about 40-200 Km thick and is associated with the continental crust. The thickness of the oceanic lithosphere increases as it ages. Moreover, it always sinks beneath the continental lithosphere. The lithosphere is divided into plates called tectonic plates that are constantly in gradual gesture. The theory of plate tectonics explains the large-scale motion of the earths tectonic plates. This theory builds up on other theories such as those of continental drift. The energy for motion of tectonic plates is derived from the dissipated heat from the earths mantle. While the mechanism underlying the motion of tectonic plate is still under debate, several reasonable explanations do exist. A get going from several minor plates, at that place are eight major tectonic plates namely, Antarctic Plate, African Plate, Indian Plate, Australian Plate, Eurasian Plate, peaceable Plate, South American Plate, and the North American Plate. Below these plates, which comprise the lithosphere, the asthenosphere (hot, viscous fluid that is a part of the upper mantle) flows gradually. Convection currents generated in the asthenosphere transfer heat to the tectonic plates in the lithosphere, which are then separated by the action of magma. Movement of these tectonic plates gives rise to