HOW DO NATURAL PROCESSES
AFFECT THE EARTH’S SURFACE?
5.E.3B.1
CONSTRUCTIVE FORCE (DEPOSITION, LANDSLIDES, VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS, FLOODS)
Process that builds up or creates new land
DESTRUCTIVE FORCE (WEATHERING, EROSION, LANDSLIDES,
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS, EARTHQUAKES, FLOODS)
Process that lowers or tears down earth
WEATHERING (DESTRUCTIVE)
Description
Causes
Water
Processes that break down
rocks at or near the surface of Plants—roots break apart rock
the earth
Changes in temperature—can
Can be physical or chemical
Causes the surface of the
earth to dissolve, decompose,
and break into smaller pieces
break rock
Ice forming inside cracks in the
rock—causes it to break even
more
Anything that causes rocks to
wear down or break apart
WEATHERING (DESTRUCTIVE)
EROSION (DESTRUCTIVE)
Description
The movement of sediments
and soil
Causes
Wind
Water
Ice
gravity
EROSION (DESTRUCTIVE)
DEPOSITION (CONSTRUCTIVE)
Description
The dropping, or depositing, Water
of sediments
Wind
Deposition builds up new land
on Earth’s surface, like a delta Ice
at the end of a river or the pile
up of a sand dune in the desert
Shells on the beach are
deposition by ocean waves
Causes
DEPOSITION (CONSTRUCTIVE)
LANDSLIDES (CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE)
Description
Mass movements of land
Can cause buildings to fall, or
power and gas lines to break
They even occur on the
continental slope in the ocean
Causes
Gravity
LANDSLIDES (CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE)
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS (CONSTRUCTIVE AND
DESTRUCTIVE)
Description
Causes
Mountains with openings in Earth’s
crust through which magma, gases, Pressure/density
and ash reach Earth’s surface
Magma rises through cracks
Can change Earth’s surface and
or weaknesses in the Earth’s
weather patterns
crust
The lava and ash can destroy
forests and bury fields
When this pressure is
Can occur under the oceans
released, magma explodes to
(seamounts)
the surface
If the seamounts rise above the
ocean surface, it is called a volcanic
island
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS (CONSTRUCTIVE AND
DESTRUCTIVE)
EARTHQUAKES (DESTRUCTIVE)
Description
Causes
Vibrations on Earth’s surface
Sudden movements in Earth,
Some cause little damage and
often along a fault, a break in
some cause a lot of damage
Earth’s surface
Large earthquakes can cause
landslides
Earthquakes under the ocean
can cause huge waves, called
tsunamis that destroy land and
cause great damage if they come
ashore
EARTHQUAKES (DESTRUCTIVE)
FLOODS (CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE)
Description
Causes
When large amounts of water Heavy rainfall
covers land that is usually dry When natural watercourses
When the flood occurs, rapid do not have the capacity to
erosion can take place and
bear excess water
move soil and sediments away
When the flood recedes, new
sediment is left behind and can
build up rich soil deposits
FLOODS (CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE)