Summary Geography chapter 4
4.1 From endogenous to exogenous forces
Endogenous and exogenous forces
- Endogenous forces are forces that are inside the earth. A geyser and volcano are because of
endogenous forces
- Exogenous forces are forces that are outside the earth: You can feel them like lightning, wind
and rain
Weathering and erosion
- Weathering is an exogenous process that breaks rocks apart on the earth’s surface due to
rainwater, temperature of plant growth for example.
o The smaller pieces of rock formed due weathering are called sediments.
- Erosion is the process that wears away the rock: the picked up rock is scraped against the
surrounding rock.
Rocks
- Igneous rock: Formed by solidified magma or lava it’s a volcanic rock.
- Sedimentary rock: rock formed due the high pressure of the water from the sea new layers of
sediment are constantly added and the rock grows bigger and bigger.
- Limestone: a type of sedimentary rock it consists out of bones, shells and other calcium
containing parts.
- Metamorphic rock: once was igneous rock but is changed to a new type due the high
temperature and pressure inside the earth’s crust.
4.2 Weathering in Yellowstone National Park
Types of weathering
- Physical weathering: Weathering due to physical changes such as rainfall or temperature. An
example called freeze thaw action: Near glaciers the temperature is around 0 water comes
inside the cracks of the rock and freezes eventually the rock will break down into smaller pieces.
Physical weathering also smooths the rock.
- Chemical weathering: Weathering due to chemical changes such as chemical reactions that
changes the type of rock, you can’t glue the rock together after chemical weathering. Example
of chemical weathering is solution: Sedimentary rock dissolves little by little as raindrops fall on
it.
- Biological weathering: Weathering caused by animals or plants. The plant roots are able to grow
in the cracks of broken rocks, eventually the root gets bigger and the rock breaks apart.
, 4.3 glaciers
Glaciers
- Glaciers have created landforms in the past that are visible today.
o A glacier is a large ice mass, often shaped like a river. Glaciers move very slow because
of gravity.
- A glaciers shrink during the summer, and grow again in the winter.
- The time in history when it was much colder is called glacial periods.
Glaciers: weathering and erosion
- Glaciers are important forces in shaping the landscape.
o The process in which the movement of the glaciers pulling rocks away is called plucking.
- The process in which the glaciers scrape along its bottom and sides is called abrasion.
Glacial erosional landforms
- Plucking and abrasion make a u-shaped valley at the place were the glacier was. This valley has
very steep sides and a wide base.
Depositional landforms
- The depositional landforms formed by abrasion are called moraines.
4.4 water and waves
Fluvial erosion landforms
- When a river erodes rock, we call this fluvial erosion.
o The river flows to the sea, while it carries away rock at the bottom, side and banks of the
river. The river makes its own path
- The fluvial erosion also makes a V-shaped valley it first cuts down and deepens the valley, than
it widens the valley and deepens it and then it just continues flowing.
- Another erosional feature in the landscape caused by rivers are waterfalls.
o You can find these were the river flowed, the softer rock eroded at a faster pace than
the hard rock. The hard rock was left overhanging, but eventually collapsed, moving the
steep sides of the valley further and further backwards.
4.5 Sediment deposition
The Mississippi river and delta
- A delta is a landform created by a due tot the deposition of sediments.
o The landscape is very flat, and just located above sea-level.
Deposition of sediments
- When a river reaches its end (often the sea) it slows down and the sediments it carried sink.
o When the river deposits its material more quickly than the sea can remove it, sediment
plumes are formed.
4.1 From endogenous to exogenous forces
Endogenous and exogenous forces
- Endogenous forces are forces that are inside the earth. A geyser and volcano are because of
endogenous forces
- Exogenous forces are forces that are outside the earth: You can feel them like lightning, wind
and rain
Weathering and erosion
- Weathering is an exogenous process that breaks rocks apart on the earth’s surface due to
rainwater, temperature of plant growth for example.
o The smaller pieces of rock formed due weathering are called sediments.
- Erosion is the process that wears away the rock: the picked up rock is scraped against the
surrounding rock.
Rocks
- Igneous rock: Formed by solidified magma or lava it’s a volcanic rock.
- Sedimentary rock: rock formed due the high pressure of the water from the sea new layers of
sediment are constantly added and the rock grows bigger and bigger.
- Limestone: a type of sedimentary rock it consists out of bones, shells and other calcium
containing parts.
- Metamorphic rock: once was igneous rock but is changed to a new type due the high
temperature and pressure inside the earth’s crust.
4.2 Weathering in Yellowstone National Park
Types of weathering
- Physical weathering: Weathering due to physical changes such as rainfall or temperature. An
example called freeze thaw action: Near glaciers the temperature is around 0 water comes
inside the cracks of the rock and freezes eventually the rock will break down into smaller pieces.
Physical weathering also smooths the rock.
- Chemical weathering: Weathering due to chemical changes such as chemical reactions that
changes the type of rock, you can’t glue the rock together after chemical weathering. Example
of chemical weathering is solution: Sedimentary rock dissolves little by little as raindrops fall on
it.
- Biological weathering: Weathering caused by animals or plants. The plant roots are able to grow
in the cracks of broken rocks, eventually the root gets bigger and the rock breaks apart.
, 4.3 glaciers
Glaciers
- Glaciers have created landforms in the past that are visible today.
o A glacier is a large ice mass, often shaped like a river. Glaciers move very slow because
of gravity.
- A glaciers shrink during the summer, and grow again in the winter.
- The time in history when it was much colder is called glacial periods.
Glaciers: weathering and erosion
- Glaciers are important forces in shaping the landscape.
o The process in which the movement of the glaciers pulling rocks away is called plucking.
- The process in which the glaciers scrape along its bottom and sides is called abrasion.
Glacial erosional landforms
- Plucking and abrasion make a u-shaped valley at the place were the glacier was. This valley has
very steep sides and a wide base.
Depositional landforms
- The depositional landforms formed by abrasion are called moraines.
4.4 water and waves
Fluvial erosion landforms
- When a river erodes rock, we call this fluvial erosion.
o The river flows to the sea, while it carries away rock at the bottom, side and banks of the
river. The river makes its own path
- The fluvial erosion also makes a V-shaped valley it first cuts down and deepens the valley, than
it widens the valley and deepens it and then it just continues flowing.
- Another erosional feature in the landscape caused by rivers are waterfalls.
o You can find these were the river flowed, the softer rock eroded at a faster pace than
the hard rock. The hard rock was left overhanging, but eventually collapsed, moving the
steep sides of the valley further and further backwards.
4.5 Sediment deposition
The Mississippi river and delta
- A delta is a landform created by a due tot the deposition of sediments.
o The landscape is very flat, and just located above sea-level.
Deposition of sediments
- When a river reaches its end (often the sea) it slows down and the sediments it carried sink.
o When the river deposits its material more quickly than the sea can remove it, sediment
plumes are formed.
