Ch 9: Earth's Formation & Processes
About This Chapter
Earth's Formation & Processes - Chapter Summary
Feel confident in your understanding of the rock cycle, geological folds, the impact humans have on Earth and much more by exploring this chapter's engaging lessons. Our instructors offer a comprehensive overview of Earth's formation and processes that will enable you to do the following:
- Share theories regarding the formation of Earth
- Provide a summary of geological evidence for Earth's formation
- Describe Earth's geological processes and history
- Define and list types of landforms
- Give a description of Earth's shape
- Explain the impact erosion and deposition have on landforms
- Discuss ways major catastrophic events can disrupt the course of life on Earth
- Detail ways humans contribute to species extinction through pollution and habitat destruction
Feel free to review the lessons in this chapter in sequence or select just the topics you want to study. If you develop questions while exploring the lessons, don't hesitate to submit them to our subject-matter experts via the Dashboard. Multiple-choice quizzes make it easy to find out how well you understand the lessons. To ensure you fully comprehend the entire chapter, be sure to take our practice exam.

1. Formation of the Earth: Theories
In this lesson, the theory of how the planet Earth formed will be discussed. This includes looking at how it differentiated into three layers, how it formed its atmosphere, water, and land features, and how it continues to evolve today.

2. Geological Evidence of Earth's Formation
How did the Earth form? When did it form? And more importantly, how do we know? Learn about the evidence we have for the formation of the Earth. See how many clues you picked up by taking a quiz.

3. Earth Processes & Geologic History
In this lesson we will learn about Earth's myriad geologic processes and examine how they have changed its surface and materials over the course of geologic history.

4. The Rock Cycle: Conservation of Mass & Changes
In this lesson, we'll review the rock cycle. Then, we'll get into how the law of conservation of mass in physics applies to the rock cycle. As we do this, we'll also cover the physical and chemical changes occurring in the rock cycle.

5. Landform: Definition & Types
Read about landforms and their major features. Learn the differences between formations like mountains and hills, valleys and canyons. (Hint: It has to do with their form.)

6. Geological Folds: Definition, Causes & Types
Under the right conditions and over millions of years, rock can be deformed so that it is folded into a different shape. In this video lesson, you will identify different types of folds as well as what causes them to occur in rock.

7. How The Earth is Shaped: Earthquakes, Faults & Tsunamis
If you thought that the best way to describe the Earth's surface was round, think again! As this lesson shows, the world is much more like a soccer ball than you might imagine.

8. Effect of Erosion and Deposition on Landforms
Landforms are constantly being broken down and reformed by the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition. In this lesson, we explore chemical and physical weathering and how the face of the earth gets changed.

9. How Major Catastrophic Events Disrupt the Course of Life on Earth
Do you know that, smart as we are, we can be destroyed any second? History provides us with many catastrophic events that led to mass destruction and this lesson covers a couple.

10. Human Impacts on the Environment
The human population continues to grow, but the size of Earth and the resources available for our use are limited. Humans greatly impact the world around them, and our actions can and often do have dramatic and long-lasting consequences.

11. Pollution and Habitat Destruction: The Human Factors Contributing To Endangerment & Extinction
In this lesson you will learn about two ways humans contribute to species extinction. We break up habitats by building roads and clearing land, and we pollute both land and water. You will also learn about the specific terms used to describe the processes, habitat fragmentation and anthropogenic pollution.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the TExMaT Master Science Teacher 4-8 (091): Study Guide & Test Prep course
- Understanding Properties of Matter
- Chemical Structures, Bonds, Formulas & Equations
- The Relationship Between Force & Motion
- Energy & Energy Transformations
- Characteristics & Needs of Organisms
- Reproduction, Heredity & Evolution
- Organisms within Ecosystems
- Properties of Earth's Materials
- Overview of the Hydrosphere
- Earth's Atmosphere, Weather & Climate
- Formation & Exploration of the Solar System & Universe
- The Solar System's Components & Influences
- Science's Historical, Personal & Societal Contexts
- Nature of Science & Unifying Themes
- Methods of Scientific Inquiry
- Managing Scientific Data
- Science Education Safety
- Alignment of Texas Science Instruction for Young Learners
- Teaching Strategies for Science
- The Science Learning & Teaching Environment
- Understanding & Implementing Student Assessment
- Leadership, Communication & Collaboration in Science Education
- Mentoring & Professional Development for Texas Science Teachers
- Strategies & Resources for Teaching Science to Young Learners
- TExMaT Master Science Teacher 4-8 Flashcards