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Rock Cycle
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How do humans interact with the rock cycle? this was a question in an exam and i wrote about geothermal energy and got zero marks.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Answers
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The rock cycle is the process whereby rocks erode and the products of erosion eventually produce new rocks.
The erosion may be physical / mechanical or it may be chemical.
New rocks will be formed by compaction after sedimentation by wind or water.
Humans affect the erosion stage. Acid rain vastly increases the rate of chemical destruction of carbonate rocks in particular. Humans alter drainage by digging drainage channels or building dams. Both affect the transportation and sedimentation of weathering products. Mining and quarrying also increase the rate of rock destruction.
The question says "Interact" so you also have to consider how the process affects humans such as by providing fertile soils for crops.
You might also want to include an alternative route fo the regeneration of rock by subduction followed by volcanic extrusion (or intrusion). Humans have virtually no influence on this process (yet) but these processes have a great influence on humans because subduction causes destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can also be damaging. Once over, volcanic deposits can be very fertile (watch out for high fluorine levels though) attracting human habitation on volcanic slopes.
I hope this gives you some idea of what you could have written about. This is my opinion and others are free to add alternative answers.
The erosion may be physical / mechanical or it may be chemical.
New rocks will be formed by compaction after sedimentation by wind or water.
Humans affect the erosion stage. Acid rain vastly increases the rate of chemical destruction of carbonate rocks in particular. Humans alter drainage by digging drainage channels or building dams. Both affect the transportation and sedimentation of weathering products. Mining and quarrying also increase the rate of rock destruction.
The question says "Interact" so you also have to consider how the process affects humans such as by providing fertile soils for crops.
You might also want to include an alternative route fo the regeneration of rock by subduction followed by volcanic extrusion (or intrusion). Humans have virtually no influence on this process (yet) but these processes have a great influence on humans because subduction causes destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can also be damaging. Once over, volcanic deposits can be very fertile (watch out for high fluorine levels though) attracting human habitation on volcanic slopes.
I hope this gives you some idea of what you could have written about. This is my opinion and others are free to add alternative answers.
1 to 2 of 2
