Tear it down Build it up

Constructive and Destructive Processes

Let s focus on Destructive Processes first Words to know

Weathering Erosion Sediment Organisms Earthquake Volcano

Destructive Processes
Destructive Processes are when things happen to the earth that destroy or break down part of it. One example of a destructive process is a river wearing away the rocks and dirt to form a canyon. In the story, an example of a destructive process was the erosion that carried the dirt and the minerals from rocks down into the cave.

Weathering
Weathering is the process that breaks rocks down into pieces called sediment. There are two types of weathering.


Mechanical


Breaks larger rock into smaller pieces called sediment

Water trickling in between cracks in rocks, freezing, and breaking the rocks apart Blown sand or rushing water Plant roots Burrowing animals

Chemical


Minerals that make up rocks are dissolved

Weak acids from water and chemicals in the air or soil Dissolve limestone and marble easily The minerals are not necessarily dissolved completely.

Erosion
Weathering breaks rock into sediment. Erosion is the process of that sediment being carried away by moving water, wind, or moving ice. Some examples of causes for erosion are
   

Water moving down a river Glaciers moving Ocean waves and currents Wind

Erosion, cont.
As they transport sediment from one place to another, erosion can cause
   

Wider and deeper rivers Valleys Canyons Transformation from Vshaped river valley to Ushaped river valley


Why do you think this is?

Grand Canyon

Lakes Sea caves

Earthquakes

Volcanoes
Mount St. Helens


Top:


August 1979

Bottom:


May 1980

OK

What about constructive processes?

Words to know
   

Deposition Earthquakes Volcanoes Faults

Constructive Processes
Constructive processes are processes that happen to the earth that build it up. One example of a constructive process is when sand is deposited on a river bank by the running water. The sand gathers, and builds the river bank up, making it higher. In the story, an example of a constructive process was the stalactites that grew from the deposition of the minerals.

Deposition
Think back for a second
 

Weathering Erosion

You have learned how rocks are broken apart by weathering into sediment. Then the sediment is carried away by erosion. The sediment doesn t just disappear, though. It is deposited in a new place. That s called deposition.

Deposition, cont.
Where can you see evidence of deposition?
 

  

At the mouth of a river On flood plains (from the flooding of rivers) Curves of a river (p. 35) Alluvial fans (p. 35) Deltas

delta

Earthquakes

Volcanoes

Mauna Loa A Hawaiian island formed by shield volcanoes.

Did I make a mistake?

Volcanoes Earthquakes

How are volcanoes constructive processes? How are they destructive processes?

Links for more information

Weathering
Weathering is the process that breaks rocks down into pieces called sediment. There are two types of weathering.


Mechanical


Breaks larger rock into smaller pieces called sediment

Water trickling in between cracks in rocks, freezing, and breaking the rocks apart Blown sand or rushing water Plant roots Burrowing animals

Chemical


Minerals that make up rocks are dissolved

Weak acids from water and chemicals in the air or soil Dissolve limestone and marble easily The minerals are not necessarily dissolved completely.

Erosion
Weathering breaks rock into sediment. Erosion is the process of that sediment being carried away by moving water, wind, or moving ice. Some examples of causes for erosion are
   

Water moving down a river Glaciers moving Ocean waves and currents Wind

Erosion, cont.
As they transport sediment from one place to another, erosion can cause
   

Wider and deeper rivers Valleys Canyons Transformation from Vshaped river valley to Ushaped river valley


Why do you think this is?

Grand Canyon

Lakes Sea caves