Deformation of the Earth's Surface

Image: Tasa Arts






There are three basic types of stress that we covered in class:

• Tensional- this happens when the crust is pulled apart.
• Compressional- the crust is compacted/ pushed together.
• Shear- a piece of the crust has opposing movement acting on it.

Deformation of a body of rock will cause a change in the rock and/or change in volume.

Two basic types of deformation:

• brittle- near surface rocks, low pressure/low temperature, typically granite and basalt, process takes a long time and fracturing of the rock will occur
• ductile- greater depth in the surface, high pressure/high temperature, sedimentary rock, process takes a long time, bending of the rock occurs.