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6-3-Deforming The Earths Crust
6-3-Deforming The Earths Crust
Key Concept:
Tectonic plate motions deform Earth’s
Crust. Deformation causes rock layers to
bend and break and causes mountains to
form.
Deformation
• Stress is the amount of force per unit area
on any given material.
• When plates move, rocks layers on Earth
receive stress.
• Rocks react differently with stress,
sometimes they bend other times they
break.
Deformation continued
•Deformation is the process in which rocks change shape
in response to stress.
Folding
• Bending rock due to
stress is called folding
• Scientists assume
that all rock layers
started horizontally
Anticlines
• An anticline is a fold
which the oldest rock
layers are in the
center of the fold.
• Many times the rocks
fold in the center and
form an arch.
Syncline
• A syncline is a fold
which the youngest
rock layers are in the
center of the fold.
• Many times the rocks
fold in the center and
form a “U” Shape.
Shapes and Folds