ENV100Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Metamorphic Rock, Igneous Rock, Rock Cycle

• School: UTM
• Department: Environment
• Course: ENV100Y5
• Professor: Barbara Murck

Document Summary

Wednesday, september 23, 2015. Geological cycles provide the physical foundation to support life on earth. Heating, melting, cooling, breaking, reassembling of rocks and minerals. Dominated by surface processes (but driven both internally and externally) How rocks are formed and transformed into other rocks. Driven by plate tectonics (internal) and solar energy. Processes related to the movement of large fragments od lithosphere. Dominated by internal processes (but strongly influential of surface processes and characteristics. Determine soil chemistry and replenish nutrients. Geological cycles are important from life of earth, plant nutrients come from broken down minerals. Wouldn"t have it without understanding geological cycles. Drive formation of mineral resources and fossil fuels. Influence development of landscapes and mountain ranges. Contribute to changes in atmospheric chemistry. We have a atmosphere because of volcanic activity, we lost our first atmosphere and evolve this second one. Determine location, size, shape of ocean basins. Control oceanic and atmospheric circulation and the distribution of climate zones.