The Definition and Description of Geological Erosion

Erosion is the name for the processes that both break down rocks (weathering) and carry away the breakdown products (transportation). As a general rule, if rock is just broken down through mechanical or chemical means, then weathering has occurred. If that broken-down material gets moved at all by water, wind or ice, then erosion has occurred.   Erosion is different from  mass wasting, which refers to the downslope movement of rocks, dirt, and regolith primarily through gravity. Examples of mass wasting are  landslides, rockfalls,  slumps,  and soil creep. Erosion, mass wasting, and weathering are classified as separate actions and often discussed individually. In reality, they are overlapping processes that usually act together.   The physical processes of erosion are called corrasion or mechanical erosion, while the chemical processes are called corrosion or chemical erosion. Many examples of erosion include both corrasion and corrosion. Agents of Erosion The agents of erosion are ice, water, waves, and wind. As with any natural process that takes place on the Earths surface, gravity plays a major role as well. Water is perhaps the most important (or at least most visible) agent of erosion. Raindrops strike the surface of the Earth with enough force to break apart soil in a process known as splash erosion. Sheet erosion occurs as water collects on the surface and moves toward small streams and rivulets, removing a widespread, thin layer of soil along the way. Gully and rill erosion occurs as runoff becomes concentrated enough to remove and transport larger amounts of soil. Streams, depending on their size and speed, can erode away banks and bedrock and transport large pieces of sediment.   Glaciers erode through abrasion and plucking. Abrasion occurs as rocks and debris become embedded on the bottom and sides of a glacier. As the glacier moves, the rocks scour and scratch the surface of the Earth. Plucking takes place when meltwater enters cracks in the rock beneath a glacier. The water refreezes and breaks off large pieces of rock, which are then transported by glacial movement. U-shaped valleys  and  moraines  are visible reminders of the awesome erosive (and depositional) power of glaciers.   Waves cause erosion by cutting away at the shore. This process creates remarkable landforms like wave-cut platforms, sea arches,  sea stacks, and chimneys. Due to the constant battering of wave energy, these landforms are usually short-lived.   Wind affects the surface of the Earth through deflation and abrasion. Deflation refers to the removal and transport of fine-grained sediment from the winds turbulent flow. As the sediment is airborne, it may grind and wear away surfaces with which it comes in contact. Like with glacial erosion, this process is known as abrasion.  Wind erosion is most common in flat, arid areas with loose, sandy soils.   Human Impact on Erosion Although erosion is a natural process, human activities like agriculture, construction, deforestation, and grazing can greatly increase its impact. Agriculture is particularly notorious. Areas that are conventionally plowed experience upwards of 10 times more erosion than normal. Soil forms at about the same rate that it  naturally erodes, meaning that humans are currently stripping away the soil at a very unsustainable rate.   Providence Canyon, sometimes referred to as Georgias Little Grand Canyon, is a strong testament to the erosional effects of poor farming practices. The canyon began forming in the early 19th century as rainwater runoff from the fields caused gully erosion. Now, just 200 years later, guests can see 74 million years of beautifully layered sedimentary rock in the 150-foot canyon walls.

Media And Stereotyping On Gender Stereotypes - 1395 Words

Several advertisements in the set of stimuli for these interviews inspired reactions which resonate with this courtship theme. All three informants became emotionally involved in these ads, able to self-project to a tremendous degree and to create imaginative stories about the people portrayed in the ads. Also importantly, the role portrayals of women in these ads were never seen by any of the informants as sexist or inappropriate, contrary to the researcher s own introspection. Dominant Culture Stereotyping on Pinterest | Gender Stereotypes ... It was about time someone addressed the phrase â€Å"like a girl†. It’s full of negativity and perpetuates the stereotype that the way women do things is inferior to the way men do them. So, hold high the foam finger of feminism for this advert that was screened in the Super Bowl, for tackling the issue with true conviction, like a meaty advertising linebacker. Touch down. burgerking.jpg For the first interview, the advertisements were initially presented as a holistic set to encourage comparisons among the ads, and then each ad was discussed individually. As this process was rather cumbersome and resulted in tremendous repetition, for the second interview each ad was discussed only individually. Often, however, this individual presentation did not directly encourage informants to comment on gender in the ads. In the final interview, the researcher clustered the ads into groups of twos or threes that facilitated direct comparisonsShow MoreRelatedComparison of Turkeys in the Kitchen and You Just Walk on By Essays1640 Words   |  7 Pagesargue the theme of gender, and racial stereotypes that have been present in our world from the very beginning. Barry suggests through a sarcastic and humors tone that gender stereotypes have been present since before the start of time; he uses a highly conversational style to prove this, as well as narrates to give the reader a bette r understanding of exactly what he’s talking about. Staples, on the other hand, uses a more authoritative tone to support his theme of racial stereotyping; he also uses theRead MoreGender Stereotyping Standards For Men And Women Across America909 Words   |  4 PagesGender stereotyping sets standards for men and women across America, this being true for the past few hundred years. It is not secret that women are said to be most useful in the kitchen, and that men are to be found somewhere doing hard work, being the bread winner. Also, in the way we allow our young children to be identified; blue means it’s a boy, pink means it’s a girl. As times change, so does society and its mentality as a whole. Some stereotypes have been more difficult to break than othersRead MoreEffects Of Stereotyping In Schools1122 Words   |  5 Pages Stereotyping in High Schools Stereotyping is alive and well in today’s society. â€Å"Stereotyping is a form of prejudice that forms damaging images of an individual, by classifying him or her according to a particular characteristic that is found among the group of people that the individual is associated with†(Malika). Everyone gets stereotyped no matter their gender, color, religion, political view, or how you act. Stereotyping is labeling someone because of who they are or what they do. StereotypingRead MoreGender Labeling And Gender Stereotypes1551 Words   |  7 Pagesand females are Gender Stereotypes (Deaux Kite, 1993). Gender labeling is frequently used in global broadcasting to boost characteristics of how a certain people; those in control of the broadcast- view gender roles and how they want society to view them also. Stereotyping is prevalent in popular television shows, music videos, the workforce and various other advertisement billboards in the U.S. It is difficult to oppose the stereotypical behavior that is displayed in the media that supposedlyRead More Media Stereotypes Essay examples1432 Words   |  6 PagesMedia Stereotypes â€Å"Media stereotypes are inevitable, especially in the advertising, entertainment and news industries, which need as wide an audience as possible to quickly understand information. Stereotypes act like codes that give audiences a quick, common understanding of a person or group of people—usually relating to their class, ethnicity or race, gender, sexual orientation, social role or occupation.† Stereotypes are deeply embedded in every society in numerous ways. The dictionaryRead MoreStereotyping Is Inevitable, By James Baldwin1717 Words   |  7 PagesStereotyping is inevitable, we all do it ad we all experience it, but this does not mean it does not effect us. Stereotypes are all around us. They effect the way we think about ourselves and the way we think about the people around us. Stereotyping leads us to act certain ways and treat people certain ways. At times it can be beneficial to a certain group, but may bring many disadvantages to others. Many times stereotypes limit us and restricting our success in life. In â€Å"A Letter to My Nephew,†Read MoreGender Stereotypes1352 Words   |  6 Pagesname of Tyler. I am a walking victim of Gender Stereotyping. For as long as I can remember I have been stereotyped by my name and always have heard â€Å"Tyler is a boy name†, â€Å"I thought you were a boy when I heard your name† growing up my name was alw ays questioned and people always would ask me the question of â€Å"why did your mom name you Tyler?† After 20 years of life, I am still faced with the question of â€Å"isn’t Tyler a boy name?† I am a walking Gender Stereotype. I have often come to even ask myselfRead MoreThe Negative Effect Of Stereotypes1613 Words   |  7 PagesThe Negative Effect of Stereotypes in Comedy We all laugh at the things we see in the media that are perceived as funny; whether it be appropriate or offensive. One of the most popular subjects that comedians and comedy shows rely on is stereotypes. Stereotypes play a large role in society and the everyday lives of individuals. These stereotypes have resulted in blurred assumptions of others based on what we see and hear in the media. The use of stereotypes in comedy to make something funny has aRead MoreMedia Portrayal Of Gender Stereotypes1268 Words   |  6 Pages Gender stereotyping is usually used in media to improve character traits and create humorous circumstances. When stereotypes are present in popular television shows, audience assume those messages of gender, making it difficult to counter stereotypical behavior. This paper emphasis on gender roles in popular media and it’s important for analysts and educators to identify stereotypical interpretations. Using feminist theory, media de pictions can be understood and studiedRead MoreHow Would You Like It If You Were Continuously Told What1472 Words   |  6 Pagesaccountable for the upsurge of gender stereotyping in today’s society. Some of these issues are things like advertising based around kids and adults and the pay gap between genders. These two influences that generate gender stereotyping which in this case is absurd. In fact, its highly sickening as it’s still happening in the 21st century and nothing has been implemented to change it. Because the construction of gender stereotyping of both males and females in the media is based on outdated and unfolded

Mongols free essay sample

The Mongol empire of the 1200s remains a sort of anomaly to this day. Their unconventional war tactics and nomadic way of life defied all other empires that were in existence at the time. However, their strategies proved extremely successful, and they were able to establish the largest empire the world had ever seen in a mere 20 year span. The unification of Asia (excluding India) under the strict rule of the Mongols brought about a period of relative peace and of economic improvement. While there were some negative factors due to Mongol reign, such as the spread of the black plague, they were far overshadowed by the improvements experienced by Asia as a whole. The main reason for the initial success of the Mongols was their style of warfare. Being a nomadic tribe, they relied heavily on horses to maintain their land, and became extraordinary horsemen. Horses were not heavily used in combat in the rest of Asia, giving the Mongols an advantage over their enemies. Document 1 shows the extent of the Mongol empire at its height, which further goes to prove the effectiveness of these new strategies. Documents 2 and 3 attest to the potency of Mongol raids. Document two describes the very organized military structure of generals and captains ruling over the rest of the army. It also describes the severe consequences suffered if the warriors were to abandon the battle. This requirement to fight until the end of the battle made the Mongols formidable opponents, and the fear they caused in their opponents was only augmented by tactics such as mental warfare, and the uncanny ability to easily adapt to any defense that was put in their way. This mental warfare is described in document 3, where it is said that the Mongols would completely surround the city they were attacking in order to appear much larger in number that they actually were. While it is often said that history is told from the point of view of the victors, this does not pertain to the Mongols. Being illiterate, they could not keep records, and instead relied on the efforts of their subjects to keep the empire running smoothly. This also means that all primary accounts of Mongol raids were from the point of view of the captors, who did not take kindly to being slaughtered. Documents 4 and 5 demonstrate this very idea, describing in detail the ferocity and aggression of the Mongols, and how they killed without any sort of remorse. Document 6, on the other hand, gives a much more unbiased point of view, being that is was written in the late 1900s by an outside source. This document describes the improvement of Asia as a result of the Mongols. Economies everywhere were boosted, infrastructure improved, and the arts flourished. These facts directly contradict the views of the scholars and rulers of the time period, who were only able to experience Mongol rule in time, instead of being able to look back on their rule and see all of the overarching effects of the unification of Asia under the Mongols. Another argument that can be made against the barbarism of the Mongols is the fact that they had a very strict set of laws. Documents 7 and 10 both give examples of some of these laws against adultery, theft, and murder. These strict societal regulations are a continuity from the military strategies practiced by the Mongols, and helped to contribute to the overall success of the empire. Another key to the Mongols success was their ability to communicate with the entirety of the empire relatively quickly. Document 8 describes the network of horses and outposts across all of Asia that allowed riders to ride from one end to the other almost without stop. Communication over a vast distance is a difficult feat to accomplish, but it is necessary to maintain a functioning empire. The Romans and their empire used roads built by slaves to get from one end to the other, but the principle was the same. This ability to effectively regulate a large territory lead to the revival of the silk road trading network that had moved to the Indian Ocean basin. The Mongols provided security across Asia, making trade and the spread of culture easier than ever. Because of this, economies everywhere exploded with an influx of new, commoner-friendly goods. The reopening of the network also caused the spread of one of the most devastating epidemics in history, the black plague. The plague affected Europe heavily, wiping out 1/3 of the population. Despite this disaster, however, the revived silk roads improved much more than they destroyed. Document 9 describes another cultural aspect of Mongol life that was radically different than other societies of the time. The acceptance of (almost) all religions was a belief held by the Mongols that created a much more peaceful society than an empire forced into believing the same religion. When conquered territories are allowed to preserve their traditional ways of life, they are less likely to see the conquerors as an oppressive force and want to revolt. The Khan during the time Document 9 was written was Mongke Khan, who compared different religions to the different fingers on a hand. While all look different and behave in different ways, they all are part of one greater whole, the hand, which represents the one true God. While one such document does not exist, a letter from Chinggis Khan (Genghis Khan as he is more well known) would be give extremely beneficial insight into Mongol life. It would give an opposing viewpoint to the letters and documents of the conquered, and possibly contradict many of the accusations regarding the relentlessness of their conquests. However, no such document exists, since the Mongols were illiterate and never developed their own system of writing. Another type of document that would be useful which actually could exist is a document from the point of view of a European merchant. This type of document would give insight into how the Mongols were perceived by an empire that was not conquered, and was both benefitted and harmed by the Mongols. It would be interesting to see how a merchant felt about the Mongols after they improved his industry, but also caused the spread of the black plague. In conclusion, the Mongol empire was one of the most effective empires the world had ever seen during their time in power. They were rather progressive in their tolerance of other religions, and their general disregard of patriarchy. They also revived the silk roads, which benefitted the economy of all empires that were involved. While the spread of the black plague was a direct result of the Mongols, this is far outweighed the continuing implications of their rule in Asia.

It Is The Belief Of Steve Gould That These Strange And Bizarre Animals

#3 It is the belief of Steve Gould that these strange and bizarre animals in the Burgess Shale could well undermine our conventional view of evolution. But his first argument, that the problematic fossils have such distinctive body plans that they must represent extinct phyla is misleading. If a fly and a mouse have body plans that are laid down by the same fundamental instructions, then it is perhaps less likely that the self-evident differences in anatomy stem from really radical differences in genetic architecture. The point I wish to stress is that again and again we have evidence of biological form stumbling on the same solution to a problem. Consider animals that swim in water...there are only a few fundamental methods of propulsion. It hardly matters if beetles, pelagic snails, squid, fish, newts, ichthyosaurs, snakes, lizards, turtles, dugongs or whales, the style in which the animal moves through the water will fall into one of only a few basic categories. #4 Formation of the Burgess Shale The Burgess Shale was formed about 530 million years ago during the Cambrian period. The Burgess Shale preserves the fossilized remains of a community of marine organisms that lived on mud banks built up against the outside of an algal reef. This algal reef had originally formed as vertical escarpment that eventually reached hundreds of meters in height. Three formations comprise Mount Field, where the Burgess Shale is found. These are the Cathedral, Stephen, and the Eldon formations. As illustrated on the diagram to right the Burgess Shale is found within the Stephen Formation. Examination of the reef escarpment reveals much about how the organisms inhabiting this area became so well Preserved. Many of the fossilized organisms were living close to the reef and reef escarpement. The muds in this area were unstable and frequent turbidity currents carried the sediments downslope into deeper waters. Many of the associated fauna were caught up in these slumps and were transported with the mud to become redeposited as graded units. Through geologic time, mountain building processes along with erosion have resulted the shale that we see today in Yoho National Park. The Preservation of the Burgess Shale The exceptional preservation of fossil material found within the Burgess Shale is the most significant feature of this deposit. Before discussing the processes which resulted in this unique deposition, it is necessary to understand the nature of the environment where these organisms lived. The presence of an algal reef indicates that depths were relatively shallow, well oxygenated, and well lit. In such an environment, preservation potential would normally be less than perfect. The fauna in this environment would not only be exposed to scavenging by other organisms, but would also be susceptible to rapid decay. However, the place where the fossil organisms found in the Burgess Shale lived was much different from where, following transport, preservation occurred. Following periodic mud slumps Burgess Shale organisms were transported downslope and deposited into anoxic waters. In this anoxic environment, the amount of decay was limited and very slow. Predator and scavenger damage was also not a factor here. Under these conditions in conjunction with the compaction of overlying mud, the soft parts of the organisms were preserved as thin carbon films interspersed with fine mud layers. The excellent preservation of these softer tissues as well as hard skeletal parts is what makes the deposit so unique. Fortunate protection from tectonism during the Mesozoic era has also influenced the preservation potential of the fossils. During this time, the Mount Wapta and Mount Field area, along with the Stephen Formation and the Burgess Shale, were moved along a thrust fault and brought to their present site. The fossils remained protected here from pressures and heats of surrounding tectonic events. #2 The Amphioxus With about twenty-five species inhabiting shallow tropical and temperate oceans, the Cephalochordata are a very small branch of the animal kingdom. Known as lancelets or as amphioxus (from the Greek for both ends pointed, in reference to their shape), cephalochordates are small, eel-like, unprepossessing animals that spend much of their time buried in sand. However, because of their remarkable morphology, they have proved crucial in understanding the morphology and evolution of chordates in general ? including vertebrates. Note that cephalochordates have all the typical chrodate features. The