Earth’s Dynamic Surface: Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
Continental Drift Theory: Earth’s Moving Continents
Proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1915, the Continental Drift Theory revolutionized our understanding of Earth’s dynamic surface. Wegener suggested that continents have moved across the Earth’s surface over geological time, introducing the groundbreaking concept of Pangaea, a supercontinent that existed millions of years ago.
Key Evidence Supporting Continental Drift
Wegener supported his theory with several compelling lines of evidence:
Geographical Fit
Key Definitions in Hydrology and Physical Geography
Glossary of Hydrological and Geographical Terms
River Basin (Drainage Basin)
A river basin, also known as a drainage basin, is the entire land area or region drained by a river and its tributaries. All precipitation within this area flows into the same river system.
Watershed (Drainage Divide)
A watershed, or drainage divide, is the high ground or ridge that separates two adjacent river basins, directing water to different river systems.
River Network
A river network illustrates the interconnected system
Read MoreEarth’s Dynamic Processes: Geology and Ecology Basics
Earth’s Dynamic Processes: Geology and Ecology
Geological Processes
Erosion, Transport, and Sedimentation
Erosion: Is the mobilization and removal of materials resulting from the weathering of rocks.
Transport: Eroded materials from the erosive processes are transported to other places.
Sedimentation: Occurs when the strength of the transporting agents decreases, and these materials are deposited in the field.
Water Action and River Systems
Surface Water Dynamics
Runoff: If water saturates the ground’s
Read MoreGeological Processes Shaping Earth’s Surface
External Geodynamic Processes
External geodynamic processes occur on land or close to it. External geological agents include: rain, rivers, wind, sea, and ice. These agents produce weathering, erosion, transportation, and sedimentation. Moreover, they redistribute land, shaping the relief, and transform sediments into sedimentary rocks.
Weathering: Transformation of Earth’s Surface
Weathering is the set of changes experienced by lithospheric materials in contact with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, or
Read MoreUnderstanding Environmental Science: Resources, Impacts, and Risks
Environmental Fundamentals & Core Concepts
Human material development involves the increasing consumption of natural resources, generating an increasing impact on the environment and escalating environmental risks.
Understanding Ecosystems
- Ecosystem: All living beings who inhabit a given area, the interactions that develop between them, and the environment in which they find themselves.
- Biomes: Large ecosystems.
- Biosphere: (Geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere) A set of all ecosystems.
Ecosystem
Read MoreKey Scientific Theories: Universe Expansion & Continental Movement
Cosmology: Understanding the Universe
Cosmology describes the universe using mathematical models. These mathematical models are a set of equations used to describe physical systems, like the universe, allowing us to predict the properties of new states when modifying some of its variables.
Measuring the Recessional Speed of Galaxies
When light reaches Earth from stars in galaxies, it contains a mixture of radiation of different colors or wavelengths. This light can be separated by a spectroscope, leading
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