Forces of Geologic Change
A chart by Jim Barton

 

FORCES OF GEOLOGIC CHANGE
Forces Involved	Energy Source	Time Frame	Examples of Physical Features
Tectonics	Gravity/Heat	Tectonic movements of the crust began shortly after Earth's crust formed 4.5 billion years ago, and continue today with plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and rising/falling landscapes.	Earth's crustal plates, hot spots, rising mountain ranges, sinking basins (large scale) Volcanoes, faults, fractures, landslides (small scale)
Water Erosion / Deposition	Gravity/Heat	The Hydrologic Cycle began shortly after the formation of the oceans over 4 billion years ago, is driven mainly by energy of our Sun, and by heat within the earth.	Rivers and stream channels, flood plains, shoreline erosion of lakes and oceans, landslides, glacial valleys and moraines, geyser mineral deposition
Wind Erosion / Deposition	Gravity/Heat	Wind erosion began with the formation of the atmosphere and Earth's crust 4.5 billion years ago, is driven by the energy of our Sun and the rotational Force of the Earth.	Desert landscapes
Extra-terrestrial collision	Gravity/Heat	Extra-terrestrial collisions from meteorites have continued to occur, with lesser frequency, since the formation of Earth over 4.5 billion years ago.	Impact craters, Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary (Iridium layer), Coesite (shocked quartz), tektites (silica glass fragments), theoretical source of water on Earth.
Chemical Erosion / Deposition	Geochemical Reactions/ Gravity/Heat	Geochemical reactions beganwith the formation of the Earth over 4.5 billion years ago. Chemical erosion/deposition is driven by gravity, the atomic structure (minerals of rocks, the atmosphere, and water), energy (heat, light), and conditions of the environment (pH, temperature, atmospheric pressure.	Caves in limestone, oxidation of landscapes (rust, desert varnish), acid rain from air pollution, acid rock drainage (sulfide) from abandoned mines, heap leaching of gold by cyanide. James Barton, RG, 2001