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Changes on Earth
ISBN 0-328-13830-4
<(sk$m)=bdidac< +^--U--U
Vocabulary
core
crust
erosion
landform
lava
magma
mantle
weathering
Weathering
by Kim Borland
and erosion work together to
ISBN: 0-328-13830-4
Copyright Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any
prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. For information regarding permission(s), write to
Permissions Department, Scott Foresman, 1900 East Lake Avenue, Glenview, Illinois 60025.
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Forces of Change
When you stand on the ground, Earth feels
solid beneath your feet. But did you know that
our planet is moving and changing all the time?
Its true! Although you cant feel it, Earths
rocks are constantly pushing, squeezing, and
pulling beneath your feet.
Forces inside Earth and on its surface
change Earths rocks. These forces cause
rocks to slowly bend, twist, and turn.
Earths rocks are constantly bending,
twisting, and turning.
Some forces change Earths surface
quickly. Those forces include earthquakes
and volcanoes. Other forces change Earths
surface very slowly. Those
forces include weathering and erosion. Some
forces take a very long time to change Earth!
Earths Layers
Our planet is made up of several layers of
rock. Scientists learn about Earth by studying
these different layers. Scientists study the layers
near Earths surface. They also study the layers
deep under the ground.
The crust is the hard, rocky layer that forms
Earths surface. Below the crust is the mantle.
The mantle is the thickest layer of Earth. It is
more than two thousand miles thick. It makes up
more than most of Earths total volume.
Geologists study
Earths crust.
Cross-section of Earth
Crust
Mantle
Liquid
outer
core
Solid inner
core
Shapes on
Earths Surface
Desert
Waves
Volcano
Mountain lake
Rock butte
Waterfall
Volcanoes and
Earthquakes
Volcanoes can cause rapid changes to Earths
landscape. They contain magma. Magma is hot,
molten rock. It sits in pockets called magma
chambers. Gases in the magma create pressure. The
pressure forces the magma through a central vent.
The central vent leads to the top of the volcano.
Central
vent
Lava
Magma
Earthquake Damage
Californias San Andreas
Fault is more than eight
hundred miles long.
Earthquakes
An earthquake is a natural force that shakes
the ground. Earthquakes happen when pieces of
Earths crust rub together along faults, or cracks.
Earthquakes produce waves of vibrations. These
waves move up and down and back and forth.
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Weathering
You may not see weathering happen. But
weathering goes on all the time. Weathering is a
process that breaks down rocks on Earths surface
into smaller and smaller pieces. Plants, animals,
insects, and other living things can cause
weathering. Water, wind, and ice can cause
weathering too. Sometimes weathering changes
only take a few years. Other times they take
centuries.
Plants are just one cause of weathering. Plants
cause weathering by forcing their roots into cracks
in rocks. As the roots grow, they split the rocks.
Snow-capped mountains
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Glaciers
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Erosion
After rock is broken apart by weathering,
the pieces often get carried away. This is called
erosion. Wind, water, glaciers, and gravity all
cause erosion.
Water is always causing erosion. Rivers carry
away bits of rock and leave them in new places.
This forms new islands. Rainwater and ocean
waves also cause erosion.
Deserts lack water. Because of this, most
desert erosion is caused by wind. Deserts have
few plants to block the wind. They also lack plant
roots to hold down soil. This means strong winds
can cause lots of erosion.
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Vocabulary
Glossary
core
crust
core
Earths innermost layer
erosion
landform the outer layer of Earth that is
crust
lava
made up of different kinds of rock
magma
mantle
erosion
the movement of weathered
weathering material
landform
4.
lava
Weathering
and erosion work together to
change Earths surface. Write to
explain how this works.
5.
magma
mantle
Unless otherwise acknowledged, all photographs are the copyright of Dorling Kindersley, a division of Pearson.
This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any
prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. For information regarding permission(s), write to
Permissions Department, Scott Foresman, 1900 East Lake Avenue, Glenview, Illinois 60025.
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 V010 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05
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