Planetary Geology pdf - NASA

5. Based on the number of pictures and articles you found for each process, what can you say about the
frequency of activity for each process (how often does each occur)?
6. a. In your opinion, which process has the greatest effect on the surface (in terms of changing the appearance
of the surface) over a short time period?
b. Which has the greatest effect over a long time period (thousands of years or more)?
c. Which process has the greatest effect on society?
Materials: Part Two
Atlas or World Almanac; colored pens or pencils;
straightedge or ruler
Questions
1. Over the given year, which process occurred most frequently?
8
Procedure
A. The list on the following pages documents the
major geologic events recorded on Earth from
August 1992 to July 1993. Fill in the blank to
indicate whether the event is related to volcanism
(V), tectonism (T), gradation (G), or impact
cratering (I).
B. Count the total number of events of each type.
Using your straightedge, make a bar chart to
illustrate the results.
C. On the world map provided (Figure 1.1), mark
with a dot the location of each event listed.
Color code each dot by process (red for volcanic,
blue for gradation, green for tectonic, and
black for impact events).
2. Which process occurred least? List some reasons why you think this process does not happen more often.
3. Examine the world map you completed. Do the events appear to be randomly distributed on Earth?
Describe the distribution of events for each process as illustrated by your map.
4. The Moon has no atmosphere or water. On Earth, which process uses these agents? Can this process
occur on the Moon in the same way it does on Earth? Why or why not?
Exercise One: Geologic Events on Earth
Activities in Planetary Geology for the Physical and Earth Sciences EG-1998-03-109-HQ