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Agent of ChAnge on eArth

Q1: How can we broadly divide the agents of change on the Earth?

Answer: A. Internal Agents of Change

The agents of change, which have their origin in the interior of the Earth and bring
about changes on its surface, are called the "Internal Agents of Change". Some of
the important internal agents of change are as follows:

1) Contraction of Earth
It is the most important internal agent of change on earth. The interior of the
Earth is extremely hot but it is it is gradually cooling. As it cools down it contracts
and occupies less space. This contraction of the earth causes wrinkles or folds on
the crust of the Earth so that some portions become mountains and valleys.

2) Volcanic Action
When lava, comes out, accumulates on the surface of the earth. In the course of
thousands thrusts volcanic of years, this mass of lava grows big enough to be
called a mountain. Sometimes this lava spreads over the surface and forms a
plateau.

3) Earthquakes
Earthquake is a shake or sudden shock of part of the earth's surface. Earthquakes
that occur near large cities cause much damage and loss of life.

B. External Agents of Change

The external agents of change are those forces which work above the surface of
the earth to bring about the changes. Such agents are rainfall, rivers, sea waves,
winds, temperature etc. These agents continuously work to bring about changes
on the surface of the Earth.
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1) Rainfall
When the raindrops strike the ground, they remove the surface soil and carry it
away. The places where the rainfall is heavy and the slope of the land is steeper,
the process of the removal of soil becomes rapid.

2) Rivers
At the mountain stage the rivers erode the soil.
This action continues for thousands of years with the result that valleys are
formed. At this stage the rivers remove large quantities of mud and sand. A river
when reaches the plain, it wears away its banks and at the same time reshapes
them.

3) The Sea
The waves of the sea continuously strike against the shores. They erode the shore
areas and deposit the eroded material near the coastal zones.

4) Winds
The blowing winds carry particles of sand with them. These sand particles work
like a sandpaper. They strike against the rocks and wear them away. When strong
dust storms blow. they carry with them even gravels (small stones). These gravels
strike the rocks with force and thus large-scale corrosion is caused.

5) Temperature
By the repeated action of expansion and contraction the rocks break up in dry
regions, especially in deserts, this action is very powerful on account of the
extremities of temperature.
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Q2: Describe the changes brought about on the surfaces of the Earth by the
volcanic action.
Answer: The crust is usually weak where the fold mountains are formed The lava,
comes out, accumulates on the surface of the earth. In the course of thousands of
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years, this mass of lava grows big enough to be called a mountain. Sometimes this
lava spreads over the surface and forms a plateau.
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Q3: How are Earthquakes caused?
Answer: Forces within the earth continually squeeze and stretch the rocks that
make up the outer layers of the earth. These forces originate in the enormous
heat of the earth's interior, which is about 980°C at a depth of 150 kilometers.
When the strain becomes too great, the rocks rupture (break). The disturbance
caused by the rupture is an earthquake.

Q4: Describe the destructive and constructive role of the floods.

Answer: During the flood season the river water spreads over a vast area and
deposits its alluvium on the ground and thus makes the plain fertile for crops.
Sometimes, instead of bringing fertile alluvium, the river water deposits sand and
stones in the fields thus spoiling the agricultural lands.

Q5: What role do the winds play to bring about changes on the Earth?
Answer: The blowing winds carry particles of sand with them. These sand
particles work like a sandpaper. They strike against the rocks and wear them
away. When strong dust storms blow, they carry with them even gravels (small
stones). These gravels strike the rocks with force and thus large-scale erosion is
caused.

Q6: Why is the sand found in abundance in hot desert areas?

Answer: At daytime, rocks are heated by the sun and they expand. At night, they
cool down and contract. By the repeated action of expansion and contraction the
rocks break up in dry regions, especially in deserts, this action is very powerful on
account of the extremities of temperature. The rocks are thus broken up into
sand.
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Q7: How are following formed?

A. Faults
B. Stalagmites
C. Caverns
D. Capes

Answer: 1. Faults
When hard and resistant rocks in the interior of the earth are cool down, the
don't contract but break down forming cracks and fracture. these cracks and
fractures of rocks are called faults.

2. Stalagmites
stalagmites are types of rocks formation which rise from the floor of a cave due to
the accumulation of lime stone deposited on the floor by the falling of limestone
in small drops on the selling.

3. Caverns
Caverns are large chambers in a cave. they are formed by the diss solution of
limestone. when rain water picks up carbon dioxide from air and move through
soil, it turns into a week acid. this slowly dissolves the lime stone these chambers.

4. Capes
capes are raised parts of land which extend into a sea they are form when sea
waves constantly strike again the shows at wear of soft parts of the rocks.

Q8: Describe the role of rivers in bringing about changes on the surface of earth.
Answer: Rivers bring about changes on the surface of the earth while moving they
remove large quantities of mud and sand, they also fall valleys the bring with
them alodium which makes the plain fertile for crocks sometimes rivers also bring
with them sand and stones which spoils the agriculture land.