Geological Processes

• Exogenic processes


  Processes that originate from outside the Earth's interior
• Weathering


  Changing solid rocks into sediments
• Mechanical weathering


  • Forces break rock into smaller pieces without changing chemical composition
  • Plants and animals are referred to as biological agents of weathering
• Mechanical weathering


  • Ice wedging
• Chemical weathering


  • Broken down using chemical reactions
  • Common agents include water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and acids
• Endogenic processes


  Processes that originate from within the Earth's interior
• Plate tectonics


  The movement of the Earth's tectonic plates
• Convergent faults


  • Cause volcanoes and earthquakes
• Divergent faults


  • Water and magma fills the space and creates new land
• Transform fault


  • Also known as sliding boundaries, creates cliffs and earthquakes
• Magmatism


  High-temperature fluid that is capable of intrusion wherein magma inserts into adjacent rocks
• Volcanism


  Process wherein molten rocks (magma) burst onto Earth's surface through vents
• Diastrophism


  The movement of rock masses in the Earth's crust
• Diastrophism


  • Causes vibrations that are transmitted through the bedrock, known as earthquakes
  • Causes the formation of mountains, valleys, plateaus and faults