LAND FORMATION

You may not realize it, but the land is changing all the time. The Earth is always
working to build new land and to wear down the old.
Sometimes changes to the Earth happen rapidly, but other changes can take millions
of years!
Process That Change the Earth
Slow Processes : Weathering, Erosion, Deposition of Sediment
Rapid Processes : Earthquakes, Volcanic Eruptions, Landslides

Constructive Forces
The processes for building new land are called constructive forces. Three of the main
contructive forces are crustal deformation, volcanic eruptions, and deposition of sediment.
Crustal deformation occurs when the shape of land (or crust) is changed or deformed.
One of the main causes is movement of the Earths plates. When the plates collide or push
toward each other, pressure builds. This can cause two things to happen. The rock can either
fold or fault.

Folding
Imagine the tremendous force created when two of the Earths plates collide! Over
time, the pressure can cause rock to fold. When that happens, the rock gets pushed up, and
mountains are formed.
Usually, mountains form in ranges, or groups. Some of the best-known mountain
ranges are the Himalayas, the Alps, and the Andes. The Rocky Mountains stretch all the way
from New Mexico to British Columbia, Canada. Thats about 3.000 miles (4.828 km).

Faults
Sometimes, when plates collide, the Earths crust can crack, or fracture. A fault is
formed. Along the crack, or fault line, the rock is being pushed together. Sooner or later, the
pressure has to be released. When that happens, the result is an earthquake.
The San Andreas Fault
The best known fault in North America is the San Andreas Fault. It runs about
800 miles (1.287 km) through California. It was responsible for one of the most
famous earthquakes in history, called the Great San Fransisco Earthquakes of 1906.
That earthquake and the fires it caused were one of the greatest natural disasters ever
to hit the United States.

Magnitude and Effect
1 to 3. Can be recorded, but rarely causes damage. Usually not felt by humans.
3 to 6. Can be felt by humans. Damage is usually minor. Some buildings can be affected.
6 to 9+. Can cause great damage. An earthquake with a magnitude over can cause damage for
100 miles (160 km). Anything greater than 8 can cause severe damage over an area of
hundreds of square miles. Earthquakes over 8 only happen about once a year.
Dr. Charles Richter realized that the shocks caused by earthquakes could be
measured. A machine called a seismograph measures the shock, or seismic waves. The
magnitude of an earthquake is measured from 1 to 10, with 1 being the smallest and 10 the
largest.
Each number on the Richter scale represents a tenfold increase in the strength of the
earthquake. An earthquake with a magnitude of 2 is ten times stronger than an earthquake
with a magnitude of 1.

Volcanic Eruptions
The sight of a mountain pouring out smoke and red hot lava is one of the most
amazing in all of nature. A volcano is an opening in the Earths crust that allows molten rock
to escape. This molten rock, or lava, cools after it escapes and becomes igneous rock.
The eruption occurs when pressure forces the release of lava from a volcano.
Active, Dormant, or Extinct?
Active
A volcano that has erupted in recent history or that is expected to erupt again
in the near future.
Dormant
A volcano that has not erupted for a very long time, but may erupt in the
future.
Extinct
A volcano that scientists believe not erupt again.


Mount St. Helens
It started with a series of small earthquakes. They shook Mount St. Helens in
Washington State for several months. Steam began to shoot from the top of the
mountain. Then, on My 18, 1980, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 caused a
collapse of the op of the mountain. Hot magma and ash began gushing out.
Before it was over, 230 square miles (596 sq km) of land were covered in lava
and ash. Thousands of acres were destroyed. Along with thousands of forest animals
and millions of fish, 57 people lost their lives.

Deposition of Sediments
If you could cut into the surface of the Earth, youd find places where the rock is
layered like a birthday cake. These are layers of sedimentary rock, which form when rain,
snow, ice, or wind carry rock particles. These particles are deposited in the water.
Over time, a process called lithification causes the sediment to turn into sedimentary
rock.

Destructive Forces
So far, weve only looked at ways that land is built up. In order for new rocks to be
created, older ones must be destroyed.
Land is broken down by destructive forces. These process are at work all the time.
Because they work slowly, it is sometimes hard to notice their effect. Without them, however,
new rock could never be formed. The two main destructive forces are weathering and
erosion.

Erosion
Once rock begin to break down through weathering, erosion can take over. Erosion is
the process by which rock particles are moved. Water, wind, ice, and gravity can all cause
sediment to break away from rocks.
Usually, particles move from higher places to lower places. Gravity can cause
weathered rocks to fall down a mountainside. Rain can wash it into a river, where it moves
farther down still. The power of the flow of the river can cause even more sediment to break
off along the riverbed.