Tectonic processes refer to the large-scale movements and interactions of the Earth'slithosphere, the outermost layer of the Earth. These processes are responsible for shaping the Earth's surface and are driven by the movement of the Earth'stectonic plates.
Types of Tectonic Processes
There are several types of tectonic processes, including:
Plate Tectonics: The theory that the Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that move and interact with one another.
Subduction: The process in which one tectonic plate is forced underneath another, often leading to the formation of volcanic arcs and deep ocean trenches.
Key Concepts to Understand
When studying tectonic processes, it's important to understand the following key concepts:
Energy - A. Energy is involved in all physical and chemical processes. It is conserved, and can be transformed from one form to another and into work. At the atomic and nuclear levels energy is not continuous but exists in discrete amounts. Energy and mass are related through Einstein's equation E=mc 2 . B. The properties of atomic nuclei are responsible for energy-related phenomena such as radioactivity, fission and fusion. C. Changes in entropy and energy that accompany chemical reactions influence reaction paths. Chemical reactions result in the release or absorption of energy. D. The theory of electromagnetism explains that electricity and magnetism are closely related. Electric charges are the source of electric fields. Moving charges generate magnetic fields. E. Waves are the propagation of a disturbance. They transport energy and momentum but do not transport matter.
Relate temperature to the average molecular kinetic energy.