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SECOND PERIODICAL EXAMINATION – EARTH SCIENCE

 Deformation of the Earth’s Crust

 Plate boundaries
 Continental Drift Theory
 Seafloor Spreading
 Geologic Time Scale

EROSION

process by which rock fragments and sediments (products of weathering) are carried along by such agents as
running water and wind

Forms of Erosion

Sheet Erosion

rain falls on bare or sparsely covered soil, loosening fine particles that are carried downhill in surface run-off lowers
the fertility of the soil, because it removes the most productive layer, which has usually been enriched by fertilizer

Wind Erosion

wind can remove the valuable fine soil on the land surface seasonally strong winds hit many areas

Fluvial Erosion

occurs when running water gouges shallow channels or deep gullies into the soil

Mass-movement Erosion

when gravity combines with heavy rain or earthquakes, whole slopes can slump, slip or slide

Slips

a direct result of the change from forest to pasture occur when the soil (topsoil and subsoil) on slopes becomes
saturated unless held by plant roots to the underlying surface, it slides downhill, exposing the underlying material

Stream bank Erosion

is common throughout New Zealand, especially in rivers and watercourses with periodic flooding

is significant because most of the valuable farmland lies beside main rivers, on alluvial terraces.

Accelerated Erosion

rate of erosion can be increased by unusual events such as earthquakes and cyclones, or by human activity such as
cutting down forests

Types of Accelerated Erosion

- clearing of forest
 - from forest to pasture
- impact of animals
- mountain lands
- cultivation

Diastrophism

What is diastrophism?

1. comes from the Greek word meaning a twisting.

2. refers to deformation of the Earth's crust, and more especially to folding and faulting.

Theories of Diastrophism
1. Theory of Isostasy
As the rock is removed due to erosion from the higher region and deposited to a lower region as the
result the lower region gradually becomes heavier and slowly sinks, while the higher region slowly rises.
• Theories of Diastrophism
2. Contraction theory
this means that the earth is gradually shrinking. It emphasizes that the stronger and heavier blocks of the
crust is sinking in and then the weaker strata are squeezed upward.
• Theories of Diastrophism
3. Expansion theory
This is where the earth is gradually spreading. This can change the position of the continent.