 |
| Previous Image | Next Image |
| Description: Continents Flat features that average 0.8 km (0.5 mi) in elevation Granitic rocks Ocean basins Average 3.8 km (2.8 mi) below sea level Basalitic rocks Mountain Belts Principally the circum-Pacific belt and the Alps/Himalayas Stable Interior Shields – expansive, flat regions of deformed crystalline rock Stable platforms – deformed rocks covered by sedimentary rocks. Continental Margins Portions of seafloor adjacent to major landmasses Includes: Continental shelf – gently sloping platform extending seaward from shore Continental slope – steep drop off at edge of continental shelf Continental rise – more gradual incline; continental slope merges with thick accumulation of sediments Deep-Ocean Basins Between continental margins and oceanic ridges Abyssal plains – flat features of deep-ocean basins Deep-ocean trenches – deep depressions in ocean floor Seamounts – submerged volcanic structures Oceanic Ridge Also called mid-ocean ridge Includes Mid-Atlantic Ridge and East Pacific Rise Continuous mountain belt that winds around globe Many layers of igneous rock Earth is a dynamic body with many separate but highly interacting parts or spheres Earth system science studies Earth as a system composed of numerous parts, or subsystems System – any size group of interacting parts that form a complex whole System Closed systems are self-contained (e.g., an automobile cooling system) Open systems – both energy and matter flow into and out of the system (e.g., a river system) Earth as a system Consists of a nearly endless array of subsystems (e.g., hydrologic cycle, rock cycle) Earth as a system Sources of energy Sun – drives external processes such as weather, ocean circulation, and erosional processes Earth’s interior – drives internal processes including volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain building Humans are part of the Earth system Picture Stats: Views: 228 Filesize: 315.94kB Height: 838 Width: 1335 Source: https://biology-forums.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=39344 |