How does the relief of the Earth change over time? Basic forms of terrestrial relief

The relief of our planet is striking in its diversity and unshakable grandeur. Wide plains, deep river valleys and pointed spiers of the highest peaks - all this would seem to adorn and decorate our world forever. But this is not so. In fact, the Earth's relief is changing.

But to notice these changes is not enough for several thousand years. What can we say about the life of an ordinary person. The development of the earth's surface is a complex and multifaceted process that has lasted for several billion years. So, why and how does the Earth's relief change over time? And what is behind these changes?

The relief is ...

This scientific term comes from the Latin word relevo, which means "raise up". In geomorphology, it means the totality of all existing unevennesses of the earth's surface.

Among the key elements of the relief are three: a point (for example, a mountain peak), a line (for example, a watershed) and a surface (for example, a plateau). This gradation is very similar to the selection of the main figures in geometry.

The relief can be different: mountainous, flat or hilly. It is represented by a variety of forms that can differ from each other not only by their appearance, but also by their origin and age. In the geographical envelope of our planet, relief plays an extremely important role. First of all, it is the basis of any natural and territorial complex, like the foundation of an apartment house. In addition, it takes a direct part in the redistribution of moisture over the Earth's surface, and also participates in climate formation.

How does the relief of the Earth change? And what are its forms known to modern scientists? This will be discussed later.

Relief of the Earth: the basic forms and age of relief forms

The shape of the relief is a fundamental unit in geomorphological science. In simple terms, it is a specific unevenness of the earth's surface, which can be simple or complex, positive or negative, convex or concave.

The following are the main forms of the earth's relief: mountain, hollow, hollow, ridge, saddle, ravine, canyon, plateau, valley and others. By their genesis (origin), they can be tectonic, erosive, eolian, karstic, anthropogenic, etc. In scale, it is customary to single out planetary, mega-, macro-, meso-, micro- and nanoforms of the relief. The planetary (the largest) includes the continents and the oceanic bed, geosynclines and mid-oceanic ridges.

One of the main tasks of geomorphological scientists is to determine the age of certain forms of relief. And this age can be both absolute and relative. In the first case, it is determined by means of a special geochronological scale. In the second case, it is established relative to the age of some other surface (here it is appropriate to use the words "younger" or "older").

The well-known researcher of the relief V. Davis compared the process of its formation with human life. Accordingly, he distinguished four stages of development of any form of relief:

• childhood;
• youth;
• maturity;
• decrepitude.

How and why does the relief of the Earth change over time?

Nothing in our world is eternal and not static. Similarly, the Earth's relief changes with time. Just to notice these changes is almost impossible, because they last hundreds of thousands of years. True, they are manifested in earthquakes, volcanic activity and other terrestrial phenomena, which we are accustomed to call cataclysms.

The main causes of relief formation (as, indeed, any other processes on our planet) is the energy of the Sun, the Earth, and also the cosmos. The Earth's relief changes constantly. And at the heart of any such changes lie just two processes: denudation and accumulation. These processes are very closely interrelated, like the well-known principle of "yin-yan" in ancient Chinese philosophy.

Accumulation is the process of accumulation of loose geological material on land or in the bottom of water bodies. In turn, denudation is the process of destruction and transfer of destroyed fragments of rocks to other parts of the earth's surface. And if accumulation seeks to accumulate geological material, then denudation tries to destroy it.

The main factors of relief formation

The picture of the earth's surface is formed due to the constant interaction of the endogenous (internal) and exogenous (external) forces of the Earth. If we compare the process of relief formation with the construction of a building, then the endogenous forces can be called "builders", and exogenous forces - "sculptors" of the earth's relief.

The internal (endogenous) forces of the Earth include volcanism, earthquakes and movements of the earth's crust. To external (exogenous) - the work of wind, flowing water, glaciers, etc. The latter forces are engaged in a peculiar design of relief forms, sometimes giving them a bizarre outline.

In general, geomorphologists distinguish only four factors of relief formation:

• The internal energy of the Earth;
• The universal force of gravitation ;
• Solar energy;
• Energy of space.