Table of contentsThe formation of the EarthImpactsErosionVolcanic activityTectonicsHumanityThe formation of the EarthThe image of the Earth from space is strikingly beautiful; the mixture of blue, green and white illustrating water, earth and weather on a black background. The Earth is about 4.5 billion years old and looks very different from when it was born. Many geological processes have shaped the Earth's surface and continue to do so today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"?Get the original essayWhat processes shaped the Earth?ImpactsDuring planetary formation, all planets were affected by fragments of broken planetesimals. This is evident from the craters on the Moon, which remain intact due to the absence of an atmosphere and other geological forces. Many of these impacts were so large that any current life would have been at a significant obliteration rock (Than 2006). Other later impacts of significant magnitude are attributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Evidence on Earth for these impacts is very limited because other geological processes have continually reshaped the surface, erasing many of them. A few remain, such as the Sudbury Basin in Ontario, Canada. This crater is approximately 1.8 billion years old and is the second largest crater discovered on Earth, measuring approximately 93 miles in diameter (Ghose 2014). Impacts this large (or larger) not only shape the area they strike, but also have great scope for reshaping due to the debris they disperse. The Institute of Physics states that when an asteroid hits Earth, there is a significant transfer of kinetic energy. to Earth (2012). In Earth's early stages, heat was a key driver of other geological processes, particularly tectonics. Although energy transfer due to impacts may not have been the only cause of kinetic energy on Earth, it was certainly a contributing factor. ErosionErosion is the process of wearing away rocks or soil by water. As water vapor became liquid and fell onto the surface over the first few years, the impact crater traces were worn away and, in the case of smaller craters, washed away. Erosion is also responsible for shaping landscapes in the form of rivers and floods. We are currently seeing examples of erosion in the present, as it is a frequent and ongoing geological process. This is somewhat unique in our solar system, as Earth is the only terrestrial planet that currently has flowing water. Although none of the other terrestrial planets currently have liquid surface water, there is evidence that at one time such water existed at least on Mars. Water from other states, and potentially underground, is present on other terrestrial planets. This is important because liquid water is an essential part of the erosion process. Volcanic Activity Another process responsible for the frequent reshaping of the Earth's surface is volcanic activity. The type of volcano and lava has a significant impact on the changes that occur. Volcanic activity is responsible for the creation of certain plains, volcanic mountains and the erasure of impact craters. Since Earth's early atmosphere was likely a mixture of hydrogen and helium, volcanic activity contributed significantly to changes in the early atmosphere by allowing the release of oxygen; this greatly facilitated the potential for life because it facilitated water.Tectonics.