Chapter 2 Notes:Physical Processes of

the Earth1. Weathering vs Erosion

2. Science of Plate Tectonics3. Natural Resources

4. Weather and Climate

Weathering Weathering- breaking down of

rock/material by physical or chemical processes

Physical Weathering: substance stays the same

Ex- Water/Wind/Ice

Chemical Weathering: changes substanceEx- Oxidation (Rust)

Erosion Erosion- Carrying away weathered or

broken materials

Types of Erosion:1. Landslides/Mudslides2. Flooding3. Storm surge from hurricanes

Weathering and Erosion- both form new landforms!!

BIG Idea Question: Weathering and Erosion

Connection Weathering BREAKS ROCK DOWN

Erosion CARRIES AWAY the broken material

BOTH WORK to form NEW LANDFORMS

Pangaea and Plate Tectonics

Pangaea- Theory that the Earth used to be ONE HUGE Landmass

Plate Tectonics- Earths crust slowly drifting apart over MILLIONS of years

Continents “Drifting Apart”

Pangaea: The Visual

Tectonic Plates: The Visual

BIG Idea Question: How were the Himalayan Mountains formed?

Formed by the collision of PLATE Tectonics

Plate Tectonics caused continental drift (continents moving apart)

Two Tectonic Plates Collided: 1. Indian Plate 2. Eurasian Plate

** The Himalayan Mountains are still getting larger because the plates are STILL colliding!!!

Indian and Eurasian Plate

Natural Resources Vocabulary

Natural Resource- anything in our environment that humans use to meet a need

Ex- Trees, Water, Coal, Petroleum

Raw Material and Fossil Fuels

Raw Material- Anything from the environment that needs to be processed into a usable substance

Ex- Trees processed in to paperEx- Petroleum processed in to gasoline

Fossil Fuels- Ancient remains of dead organisms trapped beneath the earth for MILLIONS of years

Ex- Coal, natural gas

Types of Resources Recyclable- The water cycle (water recycles through the

environment naturally when it rains)

Renewable- Resources that WILL NOT run out, they re NEW themselves

Ex- Trees, Sun, Geothermal, Wind, Hydropower

Nonrenewable- Resources that once we use them, they are gone FOR-EV-ER

Ex- Coal, Natural Gas, Oil

Resource Consumption Data

Climate vs. Weather Weather- the day to day changes in

temperature and precipitationEx- Mon 86 and Sunny / Tues 72 and Rain

Climate- Average weather over a long period of time (The Seasons)

Ex- Summer climate in PA, warm temperatures with some precipatation

Temperature Temperature- How hot or cold it is

outside

Vegetation Vegetation- Plants native to a region

BIG Idea Question: Impact Climate has on Vegetation

The warmer the climate, the more sunlight, rain and warm air you will have for growing plants / Warm climate = more vegetation

The colder the climate, the less vegetation you will see

Also will effect the types of plants that can grow in each type climate