Unit 6 Blog

Asthenosphere - Part of mantle under the lithosphere. Much hotter and less dense as well. 

Lithosphere- part of crust and upper mantle

Plate Tectonics- plates that move underneath the earth's crust

Tectonic Cycle- cycle of the movement of plates

Divergent Plate Boundaries- where plates are coming apart

Convergent Plate Boundaries- where plates come together

Transform Fault Boundary-where two plates slide past each other in a horizontal motion

Physical Weathering- weathering caused by physical actions such as a rock breaking in half by consequence of a physical action

Chemical Weathering- When chemicals are the ones that weather an object. Not a physical action

Erosion- weathering by nature

Deposition- when something accumulates into a landmass 

Cation Exchange Capacity- capacity of soil to hold exchangeable cations

Base Saturation- basically the number of basic cations that occupy the CES divided by the CEC

Soil Degradation- degradation of soil caused by misuse

Ores- mineral which has value

Big Picture Reflection-

Human Impact- Humans impact the earth systems and resources in many ways. We, as humans, mine, farm, and impact the environment by simply just being here. Walking the same path to school weathers down the grass there making it a marked path. By mining we harm the infrastructure of the earth, by farming we harm the soil if done incorrectly and even deforestation harms the earths systems. The earth also impacts us. Plate tectonics have been the cause for many ungrateful accidents that have led to the deaths and injuries of many people and even countries. Katrina devastated all of New Orleans and it was because of a hurricane caused by movements of plates undersea

Environmental Impact- This is the environment... A fault zone can cause an earthquake and impact the environment in which it happened. Same with all natural disasters cause by tectonic plates and their movements. Soil impacts the environment as well. If the soil has a different texture to the one an animal or tree lives in then that animal or plant can't live there thus making that area uninhabitable

Economic Impact- Natural disasters caused by shifts of the tectonic plates is a very expensive disaster to have happen to someone. Sometimes buildings are built in order to be able to take in the impact of an earthquake and it is more expensive material as well. Ores are profitable sources and have many valuable minerals Agriculture depends on the soil and if the soil isn't good that year because of misuse then it impacts the economy as well. If the the government has to subsidize the farmers then it loses more money. 

Government Legislation- The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977) was made to ensure proper protection and measures are taken when mining. 

"Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (1986): Requires companies to disclose information about toxic chemicals they release into the air and water and dispose of on land."- this act also prevents or informs people of the conditions of soil in an area and even the water there. 

There is also a government agency for Emergency management as well.