Module 5 - The Changing Earth
Module 5 - The Changing Earth
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Secondary Teacher Education Department
1st Semester SY: 2021-2022
OVERVIEW
Our restless Earth is always changing. Tectonic plates drift, the crust
quakes, and volcanoes erupt. Air pressure falls, storms form, and precipitation
results. In this module, you will learn how these powerful forces shape our air,
land, water, and weather—and constantly transform our planet. Moreover,
through this module, students will be able to explore how our response to Earth's
changes will impact our future on Earth and discover how their choices impact
our future Earth.
LEARNING PLAN
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
ACTIVITY
Images of Change
Browse the internet and look for different areas around the world showing
how the earth has changed over time. Look closely at areas that have glaciers
and rivers, as water is a big factor in shaping the earth’s surface. Take
screenshots of the different examples of the changing earth you find and post the
pictures in the jam board slides assigned by your Professor.
ANALYSIS
ABSTRACTION
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Each one of these processes plays a role in the forces that change the
face of the Earth.
Weathering
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
The type of rock being weathered will affect the rate of weathering. For
instance, rocks that contain the mineral quartz weather slower than rocks that do
not contain quartz. This is because the quartz is very resistant to weathering.
Quartz is found in granite. The mineral calcite, on the other hand, weather
rapidly. Calcite is found in limestone and marble.
Climate is another factor that affects the rate of weathering. Generally, all
rocks weather faster in warm, humid climates than in dry, desert conditions. This
is because water is primary weather agent. Cleopatra’s Needle demonstrates the
effect of climate. The Egyptians built Cleopatra’s Needle about 3500 years ago.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Mass Movements
Wherever there is a steep slope on the earth’s crust, gravity will eventually
cause rock material to fall, slide or move. The movement of large amounts of
weathered rock down slope is called mass movement. This movement can be
rapid or slow. A large pill of rocks at the base of a hill or mountain is called a
talus.
Though gravity is the primary cause of mass movement, there are other
contributing factors. Water is one of the major factors. As heavy rains fall on
sand, the sand may begin to ooze. Water can also wet the surface between two
layers of rock. One layer may begin to slip over another and move down a slope.
Mass movement also occurs after wind, rain water, or a river has worn away
the base of a mountain. When support for the higher rock formations is removed,
eventually those formations will tumble down.
3. Mudflow – in dry mountain areas, heavy rains may wash dirt and loose
rock material into valleys. As the water and dry material mix, they form
mud. This mud may move along the valley floors. A moving mass mud
is called mudflow.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
SOIL
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
C – Horizon this the bottom layer in a soil profile which contains partially
weathered material but no humus. This rock is just beginning the long, slow
process of evolves process of evolving into soil.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Good quality surface soil has a mineral matter and organic matter, these
two make up half of the total volume.
3. Structure – soil particles usually from clumps that give soil a particular
structure. It determines how easily a soil can be cultivated and how
susceptible it is to erosion and effects the ease with which water can
penetrate the soil which influence movements of nutrients to plant roots.
Types of Soil:
1. Sandy Soil – drains and dries too quickly because water and air flow
easily through sandy soil.
2. Clay rich soil – drains very slowly because clays is so fine grained and
closely packed that water, and even air, do not flow through a clay rich
soil readily.
3. Loam soil – are best for plant growth because they retain water better
and store more nutrients than soil which is composed of clay and sand.
Plants growing in clay suffer from lack of oxygen.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
2. Time – the longer a soil has been forming, the thicker it becomes.
3. Climate – has the greatest effect on soil formation.
Amount of precipitation influences soil fertility by affecting the rate at
which nutrients are removed from the soil.
a. hot-wet climate produce thick, chemically weathered soil.
b. cold-dry climate produce only a thin layer mechanically weathered
debris.
4. Organisms – the type and quantity of organisms present in soil have major
impact on its physical and chemical properties. The plants are the main
source of organic matter in soil together with animals and microorganisms.
Organic matter releases nutrients when it decays.
5. Slope – slope of the land vary and such variations result in different soil types.
These differences are related to erosion and water content of the soil:
a. steep slope – erosion is accelerated and little water soak in, so there is
little moisture for plant growth.
b. flat areas – have little erosion and poor drainage. The waterlogged soil is
thick and dark due to large amount of organic matter.
Erosion
Erosion is a process of carrying away rocks and rock fragments and soil
particles by the agents of erosion to other places which are lower in level than
where fragments were formed. The agent of erosion: (1) gravity; (2) wind; (3)
moving water; (4) waves; and, (5) glaciers.
The water flows because of gravity. Gravity gives water the energy to
erode and carry away rock materials. Gravity alone can erode the land.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
The wind is the most effective agent of erosion in the semi-arid regions as
in deserts which cover about 1/6 of the total land area. Action of the wind: (a)
deflation – is the lifting and carrying of loose soil and dust particles by the wind.
Deflation creates a stony surface layer called Desert Pavement; (b) Abrasion –
happens when windblown sand cuts polishes exposed rock surfaces.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
3. Valley deposits – are deposits laid down along the stream channel or
along the edge of the stream.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Waves are energy travelling along the boundary between ocean and
atmosphere. This is the rhythmic rise and fall of the ocean waters due to the
frictional action of the wind on the ocean surface. Waves originate as small
waves called wavelets. These wavelets make the water surface rougher, causing
the wind to push harder on the water, resulting in bigger waves.
Parts of a Wave:
1. Crest – highest point of the wave
2. Trough – lowest point of the wave
3. Height – distance from the trough to the crest
4. Wavelength – distance between two crests or two troughs
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Glaciers – huge mass of land ice moving slowly down the mountains side
due to the pull of gravity. Glaciers are confined to the very cold polar regions but
can also be found in the equatorial regions but at very high altitudes. Glaciers
form on mountain slopes whose thickness of the snow is about one hundred feet
deep. Glaciers start with the snow being accumulated; then compressed into
rough granular icy material called neve. When the neve is compressed, it turns
into ice. When the ice mass starts to move downward due to the pull of gravity,
the glacier is formed.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
1. Deterioration of farm lands – when the fertile top soil containing the
badly needed humus is washed away from the fields, the less fertile
subsoil is exposed, not responding well to fertilizers and gives only
meager harvest.
ASSESSMENT #1
This test will be given through Google forms. Make sure to be ready on
the scheduled date of the assessment.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Volcanoes
The molten rock and gases from volcanic activity can cause great
destruction. However, the material given off by volcanic activity has also been
necessary for human life. Molten rock from volcanic activity formed much of the
earth’s dry land. The air we breathe and the water we drink are believed to have
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come from the gases given off by volcanoes. Lava and volcanic ash contain
nutrients that have enriched some of the earth’s best farmland.
There are about 600 known active volcanoes in the world. Most are
located in narrow region called belts. One belt is known as the ring of fire. It
forms a near circle around the Pacific Ocean. Volcanoes are also found in belt
near the Mediterranean Sea and in Eastern Africa, Iceland and Hawaii have
volcanoes as well.
Some volcanoes, such as those in the Hawaiian Islands, are found in the
middle of plates. These volcanoes were formed by rising columns of superhot
magma from places in the mantle call hot spots. The magma can burn holes in a
plate and rise to the surface to form volcanoes. As a plate moves over a hot spot,
a chain of volcanoes is formed.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
1. Shield – a broad, gently sloping volcano built from fluid basaltic lava, e.g.
Hawaiian Islands, Iceland, Mauna Loa, Kilauea.
2. Cinder – also known as scoria cones, has a very steep cones built
primarily of pyroclastics ranging from ash to bombs from a single vent.
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1. Quite eruptions with a watery lava flow occurs when the magma is thin
and contains little gas. The thin lava flows out in a steady stream.
2. Active eruption can take place when a thin magma contains a larger
amount of gas.
3. A quite eruption with a thick lava flow occurs when the magma is thick and
contain little gas. The thick lava flow usually forms a huge dome.
4. An eruption can harden before leaving the vent and cause the vent to
become blocked. This prevents gas from bubbling to the surface and
escaping. The trapped gas builds up pressure under the vent. Any sudden
release of this pressure can set off an explosion.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
1. The fumarole gases are used for generating electric power. This is mixed
with varying amounts of Carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, and helium.
2. SO2 is used in the manufacture of sulfuric acid.
3. Ammonia is used in the making of fertilizers.
4. Methane is used as a fuel gas.
5. An inert gas, helium, is used in the smelting and metallurgy of light metals
that react readily with the oxygen in air.
6. Helium is also used as the lifting gas in balloons and dirigibles because it
is lighter than air and will not ignite when mixed with air.
7. In Italy, ammonium carbonate, sodium carbonate, and boric acid are
extracted from the steam and hot water vapor in volcanic areas.
8. Hydrogen sulfide gas oxidizes in air to form water-sulfur deposits.
9. Pumice is used for grinding and polishing stone wash.
10. Lava volcanic ash and dust form fertile soil which supports productive
farms.
Significant Volcanoes
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
INTRUSIVE ACTIVITY
Magma does not always reach earth’s surface. It may harden below the
surface, forming rock. Volcanic activity below the earth’s surface is called
INTRUSIVE ACTIVITY. Intrusive activity can produce different types of rock is
worn away by weathering and erosion.
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EARTHQUAKES
The elastic rebound hypothesis is the springing back of the rock into its
released. The explanation says that rocks are deformed; they first bend and then
break, releasing stored energy.
The earth’s surface is broken into moving plates. As the Plates move, they can
slide past each other along their boundaries. A place where rock has moved on
one or both side of a crack in the earth is called a fault. When plates move they
interact in ways:
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3. Transform fault boundaries – occur when two plates side past one
another. This happens when two pates move in opposite directions or in
the same direction at different rates.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Diastrophism refers to all movements of the rocks of the earth’s crust that
result in permanent change producing geologic structure both at and below the
surface of the earth on a large and small scale rapidly and slowly. Rocks may be
deformed by bending at different rates.
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Rocks are somewhat plastic and bend under great pressure, which when
exceeding the limit of elasticity become permanently bent or deformed. Rocks
buried at a considerable depth and weakened by high temperature or subjected
to long continuous stress are most likely to bend.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
TYPES OF FOLDS:
a. Anticline – a structure upfold or arch
b. Syncline – downfold or trough
c. Geosyncline – a large downfold and a subsiding trough with
sediments to become folded mountains.
d. Dome – a symmetrical fold with strata dipping outward in all
directions.
e. Basin – an inverted dome in which the strata dip inward toward the
center.
3. Faulting - refers to the surface along which a rock body has been broken
and has been displaced. There are two types of faulting: (1) vertical
faulting occurs when an entire block of rocks is raised evenly so that the
layers remain in their original horizontal position,(2) horizontal faulting
occurs when an entire block of rocks is lowered evenly so that the layers
remain their original vertical position.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Part of a fault:
a. Fault plane – where the action is. It is the surface that may be
vertical or sloping.
b. Fault trace – is the line it makes on the earth’s surface.
c. The hanging wall – is the upper side where the fault plane is
sloping.
d. Foot wall – is the upper side where the fault plane is sloping.
Types of fault:
About 95% of major earthquake are round the outer edge of the Pacific
Ocean. This zone is known as circum pacific belt. Active earthquake areas in
this zone include japan, the Philippines, Chile and Alaska’s Aleutian islands.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Earthquake – are waves that cause shaking due to the sudden release of
energy. They are the most destructive and most terrifying, even worse than the
eruption of volcanoes.
Earthquakes are usually associated with large fractures in the earth’s crust
and mantle called fault.
Seismologist – recognize
the categories of earthquake
based on focal depth:
(a).Shallow focus – have focal depth of less than 70km. from the surface;
(b) Intermediate focus – from 70 – 300 kms;
(c) deep focus – more than 300km. deep.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Aftershocks – movements
that follow major earthquake which often
produce smaller earthquake.
1. Body waves – so called because they travel through the solid body of
the earth and are somewhat like sound waves. They are identified as
theirs either p waves or s waves.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
2. Surface waves – travel along the surface of the ground, or just below it
along planes between rock layers, and are slower than body waves.
Unlike the sharp jolting and shaking that the body wave’s cause,
surface waves generally produce a rolling or swaying motion.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
The waves arrive at different times because they travel different speeds.
Generally, in any solid material, p waves travel 1.7 times faster than S waves.
Surface waves the slowest at about 90% of the speed of the S waves.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
2. Liquefaction – is that
damage where loosely
consolidated sediments are
saturated with water, so that
had been stable soil turns
into liquid that is not able to
support building or other
structure.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
Other danger:
1. Landslides and ground subsidence – the sinking of the ground is
triggered by the vibrations.
2. Fire
Earthquake prediction:
There are some people who can predict the occurrence of earthquake by
observing the behavior of animals. It has been noted that when earthquake are
about to take placed, animals. It can already sense various underground changes
prior to their arrival and they start behaving abnormally. Some abnormal animal
behavior indicating earthquake occurrences are the following:
a. Snakes and rats come out fearlessly into the open from hidden habitats.
b. Cattle and horses do not like to go back to their corals.
c. Shrimps fly on dry lands.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
A. Soil reactions. In severe quakes, shaking of the ground can loosen soil
and rocks and precipitate disastrous landslide. These, in return, can
cause dangerously high waves to crash into nearby bodies of water.
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
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Module in Earth Science Prof. Christine M. Adlawan
ASSESSMENT #2
This test will be given through Google forms. Make sure to be ready on
the scheduled date of the assessment.
FEEDBACK
Do you have any question relative to our topic? Write them below.
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https://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/earths-changing-
surface/the-forces-that-change-the-face-of-earth
https://www.toppr.com/guides/geography/our-changing-earth/the-
ever-changing-earth/
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