Earth. Slow uplifts and subsidences of parts of the earth's surface cause changes in the outlines of land and sea. Plate movements lead to the formation of mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.

Movements of the earth's crust

Already the ancient Greeks and Romans, who lived on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, knew that the earth's surface can experience ups and downs. Long-term observations with the help of modern instruments have proved this. The earth's crust really moves in a vertical direction: somewhere it slowly sinks, somewhere it slowly rises. At the same time, each section of the earth's crust moves in a horizontal direction along with the lithospheric plates.

Mountain formation

Rocks on the surface of slowly moving ones accumulate in horizontal layers. When the plates collide, the rock strata are bent and crushed into folds of various sizes and steepness. Convex folds form mountain ranges, and concave folds form intermountain depressions. That is why many land mountains formed during the collision of lithospheric plates are called folded.

Gradually, the folded mountains are destroyed, and only the folded base remains of them. Plains form on this leveled base.

During the formation of mountains, rock strata are not only crushed into folds, but also torn, split by faults. Separated by faults into separate blocks, sections of the earth's crust are shifted up or down relative to each other. This is how faults, horsts and grabens arise. The mountains consisting of them are called folded-blocky and blocky.

The movement of giant plates of the lithosphere leads not only to the formation of mountains, but also to the occurrence of earthquakes and, which often carry a mortal danger to people.

Volcanism

Volcanism- this is an outpouring of magma on the surface of the land or the bottom of the oceans but cracks in the earth's crust or pipe-like channels - vents. On land, magma erupts, as a rule, through vents around which cone-shaped mountains rise - volcanoes.

Erupting magma loses gases and water vapor and becomes lava. Gases from magma are released very quickly, so eruptions are often accompanied by powerful explosions. They destroy rocks, turning them into fragments, including very small ones - volcanic ash. The eruptions of different volcanoes are not the same. For some, they proceed calmly; during the eruption of others, strong explosions are observed with the release of hot debris, ash and gases.

earthquakes

earthquakes These are rapid fluctuations in the earth's crust caused by rock shifts. The place in the depths of the earth's crust where these shifts occur is called the focus of the earthquake. From the focus, waves propagate through the earth's crust, creating vibrations. The place on the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake is called the epicenter. Here the tremors are the strongest, with the distance from the epicenter they weaken.
More than 100,000 small and about 100 fairly strong earthquakes occur on Earth every year. Scientists record earthquakes with the help of special instruments - seismographs. For assessment in Russia, a is used on a 12-point scale.

Consequences of earthquakes and volcanism

Areas where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions often recur form seismic belts. They coincide with the boundaries between the lithospheric plates. Volcanic eruptions, and especially strong earthquakes, are accompanied by destruction and loss of life. Between 2004 and 2011 alone, more than half a million people died as a result of earthquakes. The most destructive earthquakes in these seven years were in Southeast Asia in 2004, on the island of Haiti in 2010 and in March 2011.

Formation of the Earth's relief

Features of the Earth's relief

Relief knowledge… Ski resort Limestone quarry Dam Relief has a great influence on the formation, development and distribution of all components of nature on the surface of the planet. Knowledge of the relief will help you better understand the nature of the continents, individual countries. The life of people is also connected with the relief. Man has long settled on the plains or in the valleys of the mountains. In his activity, he is forced to take into account the properties of the relief in the construction of dwellings, villages and cities, roads, factories and other structures. Armed with technology, man began to influence the earth's crust, change the relief of the planet. The scale of human activity has increased so much that the Earth felt it: in the places of mining, natural landforms are being destroyed, rock layers are sagging. As a result of pumping out gas, water, filling reservoirs during the construction of dams, underground nuclear explosions, earthquakes occur. For example, the city of Mexico City for more than 100 years as a result of pumping water has dropped by almost 6 meters. Under the reservoir on the Zambezi River in Africa, over a huge area, the surface sank by 20 cm. In the USA, the filling of the reservoir on the Columbia River caused an earthquake of 7 points. The life of people is also connected with the relief. Man has long settled on the plains or in the valleys of the mountains. In his activity, he is forced to take into account the properties of the relief in the construction of dwellings, villages and cities, roads, factories and other structures. Armed with technology, man began to influence the earth's crust, change the relief of the planet. The scale of human activity has increased so much that the Earth felt it: in the places of mining, natural landforms are being destroyed, rock layers are sagging. As a result of pumping out gas, water, filling reservoirs during the construction of dams, underground nuclear explosions, earthquakes occur. For example, the city of Mexico City for more than 100 years as a result of pumping water has dropped by almost 6 meters. Under the reservoir on the Zambezi River in Africa, over a huge area, the surface sank by 20 cm. In the USA, the filling of the reservoir on the Columbia River caused an earthquake of 7 points.

Internal (endogenous) forces of the Earth The energy of the internal parts of the Earth is manifested in the processes of movement of the lithosphere, the intrusion of mantle matter into the earth's crust or its outpouring to the surface. The action of these processes is caused by the movement of matter throughout the mantle. The movements of the lithosphere move layers of rocks, change the structure of the earth's crust, and, hence, its topography. There are slow vertical movements that occur everywhere, and horizontal movements, of which the most significant are the movements of lithospheric plates. As a result, the largest landforms are formed - ledges of the continents and depressions of the oceans, mountain belts, and plains.

Internal (endogenous) forces of the Earth Process Manifestation in the relief Essence of the process Main areas of distribution Movement of lithospheric plates Formation of mountains, plains, trenches, mid-ocean ridges, oceanic and continental rift zones. The combination of vertical and horizontal movements of the lithosphere, the appearance of folds and faults. Boundaries of lithospheric plates. Earthquakes Formation of cracks, faults, shifts (displacements) of the earth's crust; landslides. Shocks and vibrations of the surface caused by ruptures and displacements in the lithosphere. Alpine-Himalayan fold belt, Pacific volcanic ring. Volcanism The formation of volcanoes, lava sheets and plateaus. Effusion of magma on the surface of the Earth. about. Iceland, Pacific volcanic ring; Siberia, Hindustan.

External (exogenous) forces of the Earth External processes of relief formation act on the surface of the Earth. They receive their energy from the Sun, as well as from gravity and the vital activity of organisms. External processes are weathering, the work of flowing waters, wind, groundwater, glaciers, sea surf and human activity, which is now becoming a geological force. All these forces destroy rocks, transfer the products of destruction from one, higher, sections of the earth's surface to others, where their deposition and accumulation of loose material take place. In the destruction and leveling of the relief on land, the role of weathering and the activity of flowing waters are especially great.

External (exogenous) forces ProcessExample Manifestation in the relief Essence of the process Weathering Formation of talus, stone rivers. Destruction of rocks. Wind action Formation of sand ridges, dunes, dunes. Wind-driven loose sediments. Action of water Formation of ravines, gullies, river deltas, moraines, landslides. The transfer or erosion of rocks by water.

Internal and external processes operate simultaneously. At the same time, internal forces create mainly large landforms, while external forces destroy them. The creative role of external processes is manifested in the formation of small-sized landforms. On the plains, these are hills, river valleys, ravines, and in the mountains - talus, alluvial fans of destroyed rocks, small ridges, gorges, rocks of bizarre outlines and ... The change in the Earth's relief occurs continuously and quite intensively. The outlines of the mountains, their height are changing; the hills are leveled; even the outlines of the continents are changing (albeit very slowly).

Placement of large landforms on the surface of the Earth There are certain patterns in this placement (patterns are dependencies that are constantly acting on the entire earth's surface). The protrusions of the continents correspond to the continental (continental) earth's crust, and in the areas of distribution of the oceanic crust there are depressions filled with ocean water. Extensive plains correspond to ancient areas of lithospheric plates - platforms. Mountain folded areas, deep-sea trenches on the ocean floor are located at the boundaries of lithospheric plates. Khibiny mountains East European Plain

THE OUTER FORCES OF THE EARTH

The activity of external forces as a whole leads to the destruction of the rocks that make up the earth's surface, and the demolition of the products of destruction from high places to lower ones. This process is called denudation. Demolished material accumulates in low places - valleys, hollows, depressions. This process is called accumulation. The destruction of rocks near under the influence of various factors - weathering prepares the material for movement.

The role of water that has fallen into cracks, which are almost always present in rocks, is especially great. Freezing, it expands, pushes the edges of the crack; thawing, flows out of it, taking with it the destroyed particles.
, transferring sand from place to place, not only expands the cracks, but also polishes them, grinds the surfaces of the rocks, creating bizarre figures. Where the wind subsides, in the wind "shadow", for example, behind a rock or behind a bush, sand accumulates. A new form of relief is being created, which over time will give rise to a dune - a sandy hill. Such formations are called eolian landforms, after the ancient Greek god Aeolus, the lord of the winds.

Sea waves and tides contribute to the change in relief. They destroy the shores, carry away the destroyed material and move it to different distances along the coast, forming coastal ramparts and beaches, constantly changing the coastline.

Rock fragments, sand, dust from the surrounding rocks and valley slopes move on the surface and in their thickness. When melting, all this material falls on the earth's surface. The ice mass itself is capable of exerting a strong shaping effect on the relief. Under its influence, trough-shaped valleys are formed - troughs, pointed peaks - carlings, huge bulk shafts - moraines.

In recent centuries, man has so actively influenced the natural environment that he himself has become a powerful external force. Harmful emissions from industrial enterprises lead to acid rain.

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Our planet knows how to surprise... Take, for example, the recent earthquake in Bashkiria. Personally, I, like many others, thought that this was unlikely in this region. However, processes invisible to us are constantly going on inside the planet, and internal forces are accumulating. I will remind you what it is.

What are the internal forces of the Earth

Various geological and geochemical processes that occur in the bowels of the planet are recorded by special instruments in different parts of the world. Almost every day we learn from TV news about natural disasters: volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes. All of them are caused by energy that arises in the depths of the planet. It is this deep energy that generates the internal (endogenous) forces of the Earth. They accumulate due to various chemical reactions that occur with the release of heat, as well as the radioactive decay of elements.

What processes are going on in the bowels

Endogenous forces are at work within the planet and humans cannot see them. However, the result of their action is quite accessible to our view. Mountains and depressions, volcanoes and geysers, mineral deposits appeared due to such internal processes as:

1. The movement of the earth's crust, which is manifested in the raising and lowering of its sections.
2. Magmatism, which is characterized by the accumulation of molten magma in the mantle. It can rise and solidify both inside the earth's crust and outside. When magma comes to the surface, volcanoes form.
3. Metamorphism is the change in rocks within the earth's crust. Thus, minerals are formed in rocks.
4. Earthquakes. This phenomenon occurs due to sudden shifts or breaks in the upper mantle and crust of the Earth.

Earthquakes: types and features

If the eruption of volcanoes is a more or less local phenomenon, then the shocks and vibrations during earthquakes are transmitted over a vast territory. They come in different strengths and are conditionally divided into:

• weak (1-4 points);
• strong (5-7 points);
• destructive (8-12 points).

Fortunately, the earthquake in Ufa was weak, but it showed that scientists know far from everything about the internal forces of the planet.

Every change always requires some effort. Any change will not happen without some impact. And an obvious example of this is our home planet, which was formed under the influence of various factors over billions of years. It is also important that the constant processes of Earth change are the result of not only external forces, but also internal ones, those that are hidden deep in the bowels of the geosphere.

And if in two or three decades the appearance of our planet may well change beyond recognition, then it will obviously not be superfluous to understand the processes whose influence led to this.

Change from within

Hills and depressions, unevenness and roughness, as well as many other features of the land relief - all this is constantly being updated, collapsing and shaped by powerful internal forces. Most often, their manifestation remains outside our field of vision. However, even right at this moment, the Earth is smoothly undergoing one or another change, which in the long term will become much more significant.

Since the days of the ancient Romans and Greeks, uplifts and subsidences of various sections of the lithosphere have been noticed, causing all changes in the outlines of the seas, land and oceans. Many years of scientific research using various technologies and devices fully confirm this.

The growth of mountain ranges

The slow movement of individual sections of the earth's crust gradually leads to their overlap. Colliding in horizontal movement, their thicknesses bend, crumple and transform into folds of different scales and steepness. In total, science distinguishes two types of mountain-building movements (orogeny):

• buckling of layers- forms both convex folds (mountain ranges) and concave ones (depressions in mountain ranges). It is from this that the name of the folded mountains came from, which gradually collapse over time, leaving behind only the base. Plains form on it.
• fracturing- strata of rocks can not only be crushed into folds, but also be subjected to faults. Thus, folded-blocky (or simply blocky) mountains are formed: skids, grabens, horsts and their other components arise during the vertical displacement (upward/lowering) of the earth's crust relative to each other.

But the internal force of the Earth is capable of not only crushing the plains into mountains and destroying the former outlines of the hills. Movements also give rise to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, which are often accompanied by monstrous devastation and human deaths.

Breath from below

It is even hard to imagine that the concept of “volcano” familiar to every person in ancient times had a much more formidable connotation. At first, the true reason for such a phenomenon, according to custom, was associated with the disfavor of the gods. The flows of magma erupted from the depths were considered a severe punishment from above for the faults of mortals. Catastrophic losses due to volcanic eruptions have been known since the dawn of our era. Thus, for example, the majestic Roman city of Pompeii was wiped off the face of planet Earth. The strength of the planet at that moment was manifested by the crushing power of the now widely known volcano Vesuvius. By the way, the authorship of this term is historically assigned to the ancient Romans. So they called their god of fire.

Quite often, eruptions are accompanied by earthquakes. But the greatest danger to all living things is precisely emissions from the bowels of the Earth. The release of gases from magma is extremely fast, so powerful explosions later are a common occurrence.

According to the type of action, volcanoes are divided into several types:

• Operating- those about the last eruption of which there is documentary information. The most famous among them are: Vesuvius (Italy), Popocatepetl (Mexico), Etna (Spain).
• Potentially valid- erupt extremely rarely (once every several thousand years).
• Extinct- volcanoes have such a status, the last eruptions of which have not been documented.

Impact of earthquakes

Rock shifts often provoke rapid and strong vibrations of the earth's crust. Most often this happens in the region of high mountains - these areas continue to continuously form to this day.

The place of origin of shifts in the depths of the earth's crust is called the hypocenter (center). Waves propagate from it, which create vibrations. The point on the surface of the earth, directly below which the focus is located - the epicenter. This is where the strongest tremors are observed. As you move further away from this point, they gradually fade away.

The science of seismology, which studies the phenomenon of earthquakes, distinguishes three main types of earthquakes:

1. Tectonic- the main mountain-forming factor. Occurs as a result of collisions of oceanic and continental platforms.
2. Volcanic- arise as a result of flows of red-hot lava and gases from underground bowels. Usually they are quite weak, although they can last for several weeks. Most often they are harbingers of volcanic eruptions, which is fraught with much more serious consequences.
3. landslide- arise as a result of the collapse of the upper layers of the earth, covering voids.

The strength of earthquakes is determined on the ten-point Richter scale using seismological instruments. And the greater the amplitude of the wave that occurs on the earth's surface, the more tangible the damage will be. The weakest earthquakes, measured at 1-4 points, can be ignored. They are recorded only by special sensitive seismological instruments. For people, they manifest themselves as a maximum in the form of trembling glasses or slightly moving objects. For the most part, they are completely invisible to the eye.

In turn, fluctuations of 5-7 points may well lead to various damages, albeit minor ones. Stronger earthquakes already pose a serious threat, leaving behind destroyed buildings, almost completely destroyed infrastructure and human losses.

Every year, seismologists register about 500 thousand vibrations of the earth's crust. Fortunately, only a fifth of this number is actually felt by people, and only 1000 of them cause real damage.

More about what affects our common home from the outside

Constantly changing the relief of the planet, the internal force of the Earth does not remain the only formative element. Numerous external factors are also directly involved in this process.

Destroying numerous irregularities and filling underground depressions, they make a tangible contribution to the process of continuous change in the Earth's surface. It is worth noting that in addition to flowing waters, devastating winds and the action of gravity, we also directly affect our own planet.

Changed by the wind

The destruction and transformation of rocks mainly occurs under the influence of weathering. It does not create new relief forms, but destroys solid materials to a loose state.

In open spaces, where there are no forests and other obstacles, sand and clay particles can move over considerable distances with the help of winds. Subsequently, their accumulations form eolian landforms (the term comes from the name of the ancient Greek god Aeolus, the lord of the winds).

An example is sand hills. Barchans in deserts are created exclusively by the action of the wind. In some cases, their height reaches hundreds of meters.

In the same way, sedimentary mountain deposits, consisting of silt particles, can accumulate. They have a grayish-yellow color and are called loess.

It should be remembered that, moving at high speed, various particles not only accumulate in new formations, but also gradually destroy the relief encountered on their way.

Rock weathering is of four types:

1. Chemical- consists in chemical reactions between minerals and the external environment (water, oxygen, carbon dioxide). As a result, rocks undergo destruction, their chemical component undergoes changes with the further formation of new minerals and compounds.
2. Physical- causes mechanical disintegration of rocks under the influence of a number of factors. First of all, physical weathering occurs with significant temperature fluctuations during the day. Winds, along with earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and mudflows, are likewise factors in physical weathering.
3. biological- is carried out with the participation of living organisms, whose activity leads to the creation of a qualitatively new formation - the soil. The influence of animals and plants is manifested in mechanical processes: crushing rocks with roots and hooves, digging holes, etc. Microorganisms play a particularly large role in biological weathering.
4. Radiation or solar weathering. A typical example of the destruction of rocks under such an impact - Along with this, radiation weathering also affects the previously listed three types.

All these types of weathering are often manifested in combination, combined in various variations. However, different climatic conditions also affect one's dominance. For example, in places with a dry climate and in high mountainous areas, physical weathering is often encountered. And for areas with a cold climate, where temperatures often fluctuate to 0 degrees Celsius, not only frost weathering is characteristic, but also organic, coupled with chemical.

Gravitational influence

No list of the external forces of our planet will be complete without mentioning the fundamental interaction of all material bodies - this is the gravitational force of the Earth.

Destroyed by numerous natural and artificial factors, rocks are always subject to movement from elevated areas of soil to lower ones. This is how landslides and screes are generated, mudflows and landslides also occur. The gravitational force of the Earth at first glance may seem like something invisible against the background of powerful and dangerous manifestations of other external factors. However, all their impact on the relief of our planet would simply be leveled without universal gravitation.

Let's take a closer look at the effect of gravity. Under the conditions of our planet, the weight of any material body is equal to the Earth. In classical mechanics, this interaction describes Newton's law of universal gravitation, known to everyone from school. According to him, the F of gravity is equal to the product of m and g, where m is the mass of the object, and g is the acceleration (always equal to 10). In this case, gravity affects all bodies located both directly on it and near it. If the body is affected exclusively by gravitational attraction (and all other forces are mutually balanced), it is subject to free fall. But for all their ideality, such conditions, where the forces acting on the body near the Earth's surface, in fact, are leveled, are characteristic of vacuum. In everyday reality, you have to face a completely different situation. For example, a falling object in the air is also affected by the amount of air resistance. And although the force of gravity of the Earth will still be much stronger, this flight will no longer be truly free by definition.

Interestingly, the effect of gravity exists not only in the conditions of our planet, but also at the level of our solar system as a whole. For example, what attracts the moon more strongly? Earth or Sun? Without a degree in astronomy, many will surely be surprised by the answer.

Because the force of attraction of the satellite by the Earth is inferior to the solar one by about 2.5 times! It would be reasonable to think about how the heavenly body does not tear the Moon away from our planet with such a strong impact? Indeed, in this regard, the value, which is equal to the Earth in relation to the satellite, is significantly inferior to that of the Sun. Fortunately, science can answer this question as well.

Theoretical astronautics uses several concepts for such cases:

• The scope of the body M1 is the surrounding space around the object M1, within which the object m moves;
• Body m - an object freely moving in the scope of the object M1;
• The body M2 is an object that has a perturbing effect on this movement.

It would seem that the gravitational force should be decisive. The Earth attracts the Moon much weaker than the Sun, but there is another aspect that has a final influence.

The whole point boils down to the fact that M2 tends to break the gravitational connection between objects m and M1 by endowing them with different accelerations. The value of this parameter directly depends on the distance of objects to M2. However, the difference between the accelerations given by the body M2 on m and M1 will be less than the difference between the accelerations m and M1 directly in the gravitational field of the latter. This nuance is the reason why M2 is not able to tear m from M1.

Imagine a similar situation with the Earth (M1), the Sun (M2) and the Moon (m). The difference between the accelerations that the Sun creates in relation to the Moon and the Earth is 90 times less than the average acceleration that is characteristic of the Moon in relation to the Earth's sphere of action (its diameter is 1 million km, the distance between the Moon and the Earth is 0.38 million kilometers). The decisive role is played not by the force with which the Earth attracts the Moon, but by the large difference in accelerations between them. Thanks to this, the Sun is only able to deform the orbit of the Moon, but not tear it away from our planet.

Let's go even further: the effect of gravity is to varying degrees characteristic of the rest of the objects in our solar system. What exactly does it have an impact, given that the gravity on Earth is significantly different from that of other planets?

This will affect not only the movement of rocks and the formation of new landforms, but also their weight. Be sure to note that this parameter is determined by the magnitude of the force of attraction. It is directly proportional to the mass of the planet in question and inversely proportional to the square of its own radius.

If our Earth were not flattened at the poles and elongated near the Equator, the weight of any body on the entire surface of the planet would be the same. But we do not live on a perfect ball, and the equatorial radius is about 21 km longer than the polar one. Therefore, the weight of the same object will be heavier at the poles and lightest at the equator. But even at these two points, the force of gravity on Earth differs slightly. The tiny difference in weight of the same object can only be measured with a spring balance.

And a completely different situation will develop in the conditions of other planets. For clarity, let's look at Mars. The mass of the red planet is 9.31 times less than the earth's, and the radius is 1.88 times less. The first factor, respectively, should reduce the force of gravity on Mars in comparison with our planet by 9.31 times. At the same time, the second factor increases it by 3.53 times (1.88 squared). As a result, the gravity on Mars is about a third of that on Earth (3.53: 9.31 = 0.38). Accordingly, a rock with a mass of 100 kg on Earth will weigh exactly 38 kg on Mars.

Considering what gravity is inherent in the Earth, it can be compared in one row between Uranus and Venus (whose attraction is 0.9 times less than Earth's) and Neptune and Jupiter (their attraction is 1.14 and 2.3 times greater than ours, respectively). Pluto was noted to have the least effect of gravity - 15.5 times less than terrestrial conditions. But the strongest attraction is fixed on the Sun. It exceeds ours by 28 times. In other words, a body weighing 70 kg on Earth would have become heavier there by about 2 tons.

Water will flow under the lying layer

Another important creator and at the same time destroyer of reliefs is moving water. Its flows form wide river valleys, canyons and gorges with their movement. However, even small amounts of it, with unhurried movement, are capable of forming a ravine-beam relief in place of the plains.

Breaking your way through any obstacles is not the only side of the influence of currents. This external force also acts as a transporter of rock fragments. This is how various relief formations are formed (for example, flat plains and growths along rivers).

In a special way, the influence of flowing waters affects easily soluble rocks (limestone, chalk, gypsum, rock salt) located close to land. Rivers gradually remove them from their path, rushing into the depths of the earth's interior. This phenomenon is called karst, as a result of which new landforms are formed. Caves and funnels, abysses and underground reservoirs - all this is the result of a long and powerful activity of water masses.

ice factor

Along with flowing waters, glaciers take no less part in the destruction, transportation and deposition of rocks. Thus creating new landforms, they smooth out the rocks, form stained hills, ridges and basins. The latter are often filled with water, turning into glacial lakes.

The destruction of rocks by means of glaciers is called exaration (glacial erosion). When penetrating into river valleys, ice exposes their beds and walls to strong pressure. Loose particles are torn off, some of them freeze and thereby contribute to the expansion of the walls of the bottom depth. As a result, the river valleys take on a shape with the least resistance to the advancement of ice - a trough-shaped profile. Or, according to their scientific name, glacial troughs.

The melting of glaciers contributes to the creation of sandra - flat formations consisting of particles of sand accumulated in frozen water.

We are the outer force of the Earth

Given the internal forces acting on the Earth, and external factors, it's time to mention you and me - those who have been bringing colossal changes to the life of the planet for more than a dozen years.

All landforms created by man are called anthropogenic (from the Greek anthropos - man, genesisum - origin, and the Latin factor - business). Today, the lion's share of this type of activity is carried out using modern technology. Moreover, new developments, research and impressive financial support from private / public sources ensure its rapid development. And this, in turn, constantly stimulates an increase in the rate of human anthropogenic influence.

The plains are especially subject to changes. This area has always been a priority for settlement, construction of houses and infrastructure. Moreover, the practice of building embankments and artificial leveling of the relief has become quite commonplace.

The environment is also changing for the purpose of mining. With the help of technology, people dig huge quarries, drill mines, make embankments in the places of waste rock dumps.

Often the scale of human activity is comparable to the influence of natural processes. For example, modern technological advances give us the ability to create huge channels. Moreover, in a much shorter time, when compared with the similar formation of river valleys by the flow of water.

The processes of destruction of the relief, called erosion, are significantly aggravated by human activity. First of all, the soil is negatively affected. This is facilitated by the plowing of slopes, the wholesale deforestation, immoderate grazing of cattle, and the laying of road surfaces. Erosion is exacerbated even more by the growing pace of construction (especially for the construction of residential buildings, which require such additional work as, for example, grounding, in which the resistance of the earth is measured).

The last century has been marked by the erosion of about a third of the world's cultivated land. These processes took place on the largest scale in the large agricultural areas of Russia, the USA, China and India. Fortunately, the problem of land erosion is being actively addressed at the international level. However, the main contribution to reducing the destructive impact on the soil and recreating previously destroyed areas will be made by scientific research, new technologies and competent methods of their application by humans.