Earth Materials, Surface Features, and Processes

Geomorphology is the study of the Earth’s form or shape, but it mostly focuses on the topographical elements of the planet’s surface. Landform classification, description, and origin are all topics covered. The layout of the Earth’s surface reflects essentially all processes that occur at or to some extent, those that occur near the surface, as well as those that occur deep within the crust. The delicate characteristics of a mountain range’s form, for example, are mostly the consequence of erosion processes that gradually remove material off the range. Weathering and soil-forming processes, as well as material transportation by running water, wind, and mass movement, are all part of the erosive process spectrum.

Geomorphology 

Geomorphology is the study of landforms and their evolution. The topic has usually been studied qualitatively using landform descriptions and As a result of forces acting on the Earth’s surface, landforms and landform change are quantified.

Earth materials

Minerals, rocks, soil, and water are examples of earth materials. These are the naturally occurring components that make up the raw resources that our global society is built on. Earth materials are vital resources that provide the raw materials for life, agriculture, and industry. Earth materials include metals and valuable stones.

Features of Earth’s surface

Both constructive and destructive activities have left their mark on the Earth’s surface. Landforms grow due to constructive forces. A new landform is created when a new volcano erupts. Landforms are worn down by destructive processes. Mechanical and chemical weathering, as well as erosion, gradually transform once-high mountains into smooth flat plateaus.

The continents are huge geographical masses that stretch from high mountain peaks to the sea. Ocean basins extend from the coasts of continents, down steep slopes to the ocean floor, and into deep pits.

Origin of landforms

Landforms are physical features on the Earth’s surface. Mountains, Plateaus, and Plains are some of the most common landforms on the planet. Weathering, water, elevation, sinking, and soil erosion are all-natural processes that shape the Earth’s surface. It isn’t something that happens overnight. We don’t detect these changes until hundreds of thousands of years. These activities result in the formation of landforms. Landforms, in other words, are the result of geological processes. 

Processes of erosion

Natural factors such as wind and water wear away and move earthen materials during erosion. Liquid water, wind, and ice are the primary causes of erosion usually in the form of a glacier). Erosion occurs when the wind is dusty, or when the water or glacial ice is muddy. The brown tint suggests that rock and soil particles are suspended in a fluid (air or water) and being transferred from one location to another. Sediment is the term for the carried material.

Physical erosion

Physical erosion is the process through which rocks change their physical qualities without changing their chemical makeup. Rocks get smaller and smoother as a result of physical erosion.

Erosion by Water

On Earth, liquid water is the primary cause of erosion. Rain, rivers, floods, lakes, and the ocean transport soil and sand away, gently washing the silt away.

Erosion by Wind

The wind is a significant erosion force. Dust, sand, and ash are constantly transported from one location to another by aeolian (wind-driven) processes. The wind has the ability to blow sand into tall dunes.

Windblown sand can slam into a rock with incredible force in arid locations, gradually eroding away the soft rock. It polishes rocks and cliffs until they are smooth, giving them a “desert varnish” appearance.

Erosion by Ice

Ice, in the form of glaciers, has the ability to erode the earth and create stunning landscapes. Glaciers travel slowly downhill and across the terrain in freezing places and on some mountaintops. As they move forward, they convey everything in their path, from tiny grains of sand to enormous boulders.

Conclusion

We learned from this article. Landforms, their processes, forms, and sediments at the Earth’s surface are all studied by geomorphology. Natural hazards (landslides, floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis), ecosystem management, site anthropology, land-use planning, engineering geology, expert witness testimony, and Geomorphology have been employed in a variety of domains, including hazard reduction, assessment, and perception.