Transcript What on EARTH is going on here? (Mrs. Rodriguez tells the

What on Earth Is Going on Here?
By Veronica Rodriguez, Teacher
Holt Crossing Intermediate School
Grove City, Ohio
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What on EARTH is going on here?
• Earth Make-up
• Continental Drift
• Mechanical &
Chemical Weathering
• Erosion & Deposition
Once upon a time 4.6 billion years ago,
Earth was born.
4.6 BILLION YEARS AGO!
As Baby Earth cooled, it settled into three
layers. The denser, hotter core fell to the
middle. Then, the mantle and crust laid down
on top, forming the globe-shaped Earth.
Call the fire department!
The core is burning at
13,000 degrees F!
When Earth got a little older, its crust was covered with
one big ocean and one SUPERcontinent! Well, that’s
what scientists think Earth looked like.
“I’m Alfred Wegener,
and I’m telling you
that Pangaea was
real!”
Pangaea broke apart and the seven continents started
drifting. Since the mantle flows slowly, the continental
plates sort of shift around on top. When you look at the
continents, don’t they look like puzzle pieces?
Yep, still
movin’.
Earth may not be a baby anymore, but it’s still growing,
changing, and aging.
Weathering is particularly hard on Earth’s looks.
Weathering breaks down the lithosphere with
3. Ice
1. Wind
2. Water
5. Animals
4. Plants
6. and
Chemical
Change, like
acid rain.
There are two kinds of
weathering:
MECHANICAL, which
breaks down rocks,
and CHEMICAL, which
changes rocks into
something new.
Here are some examples of weathering:
Plant roots have grown into the rock, causing
some of it to break away.
MECHANICAL OR CHEMICAL
WEATHERING?
The exposed iron in this rock has started to oxidize. The
iron combines with oxygen in the air to make rust.
MECHANICAL OR CHEMICAL WEATHERING?
Once weathering
has occurred,
then erosion can
take place.
Erosion is the
process of
carrying away
weathered rock.
The Grand
Canyon is an
excellent example
of what erosion
can do!
Deposition is the
process of laying
weathered rocks down
in a new location.
Erosion and deposition
go together like my
favorite school lunch,
toasted cheese and
tomato soup.
Over billions of years,
Earth has changed
drastically. Life has
evolved, continents have
shifted, and the surface
has altered. One thing is
for sure, Earth will keep
on changing!
What do you think Earth
will look like in another
4.6 billion years