Geography 50 Mark Tectonics

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Physical processes are far more important than human processes in producing tectonic impacts. Discuss.” (50) Introduction Tectonics can be defined as large-scale processes affecting the structure of the earth's crust. Impacts arising from tectonic changes can be split into both physical and human impacts. The impacts themselves can then be split into short-term and long-term and then can be divided further into either positive or negative impacts. Physical impacts may include: * Land extrusion/intrusion * Batholiths * Rift valleys * Dikes * After shocks, which can lead to even worse human impacts Human impacts could include: * Infrastructure damage * Electricity and internet lines cut * Makes it harder to reach out to other countries for aid/rescue services * Water sources cut/polluted * The drinking of this can lead to the spreading of diseases and/or deaths * Roads damaged * This can make it increasingly difficult for rescue services to do their job * Cost of rebuilding * This could work out as a positive impact as the country as a whole may be redeveloped. * Decline in GDP * This could subsequently lead to a lack of foreign investment, leading to a decrease in development Physical processes are movements and on-going events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, which all occur due to the movement of the tectonic plates (the Earth’s crust). Along the boundaries of these plates are zones of interaction, where plates can meet and create a plate margin. There are a number of different types of plate margins; and it is along these that physical processes can have an affect on the landscape and subsequently humans. Human processes on the other hand can include natural increase, increasing wealth and the migration to coasts or other vulnerable areas such
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