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Big land masses can move apart through the process of plate tectonics. This occurs when tectonic plates underneath the Earth's surface shift and separate, creating new boundaries such as divergent boundaries. As these plates move apart, they can cause continents to drift away from each other over millions of years.

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Which geographic area is a common source for cap air masses that move into New Jersey?

The North American Interior.


What geographic region is the most common source region for the mT air masses that move into New York State?

The Gulf of Mexico is the most common source region for maritime tropical (mT) air masses that move into New York State. These air masses originate from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, picking up moisture and warmth as they travel northward towards New York.


How do mountains get shorter or taller?

Mountains can get shorter through erosion, which wears away the rock and soil on the surface. Mountains can get taller through tectonic activity, where the Earth's plates collide or move apart, causing the land to rise and form new mountain ranges.


What are air masses known as?

Air masses in the earth's troposphere are generally known as high pressure systems or low pressure systems, with frontal boundaries between them. Other descriptions could be applied, such as a warm air mass or a cold air mass, a dry air mass or a humid one. The boundaries between air masses can often cause storms and/or high winds. In the northern hemisphere, they generally have a slow movement from west to east. However, some can be "stubborn" and sit for a while, right where they are. Sometimes, these "stubborn" systems can prevent different weather from moving into an area. For example, it's very common, in the summer, for a high pressure system to sit over a certain area for an extended period of time. This can cause unusually high temperatures and drought. Air masses are also distinguished by whether they are maritime (taking primary formation over seas) or continental (taking shape over land masses). Humidity also plays a factor. For more complete information, see the link in "Related links" below.


Why are the continents so far apart?

The continents are far apart due to the process of plate tectonics, where the Earth's lithosphere (outer rocky shell) is made up of large plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere. These plates move very slowly over time, causing the continents to drift apart from each other.

Related Questions

Does the earth's magnetic shield cause the land masses to drift apart?

No. Earth has tectonic plates that slowly move and create earthquakes by rubbing against each other.


Could a normal fault cause a land mass to break apart?

Faults do not cause continents and such to split apart. Faults are an effect of plate tectonics, just like earthquakes are an effect of faults moving. Land masses collide or break apart due to plate tectonics. Because tectonic forces place strain on s certain section of the earths crust, faults form and move from time to time to relieve the pressure.


What is Contential drift Who created it?

No one created it. It is natural and the land masses move on their own.


How does geography affect temperature?

it land shape can move air masses towards or away form it.


When large land masses move slowly over long periods of time it is referred to as continental?

glaciers


Wegener's theory of what says that land masses move slowly?

Wegener's theory of continental drift posits that land masses on Earth move slowly over time due to the shifting of tectonic plates. This movement has caused the formation of continents as we know them today.


Overtime pangaea broke apart and the land masses drifted creating a process called?

The process of the land masses drifting apart and breaking up is called plate tectonics. This movement occurs due to the Earth's outer shell, or lithosphere, being divided into large and small plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere below. As the plates move, they interact with each other at plate boundaries, leading to various geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges.


Is landslide the same thing as a fault?

No, a landslide is masses of land that has been crushed and is in a liquid-ish state and slides down the sides of mountains, ranges anywhere.. a fault is a line underground that when land masses move and hit the fault causes earthquakes.


Why did people move to upper pennisula michigan?

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses and the cold water.


What is it called when land masses move on the earth surface?

Land masses move when their underlying plates move simply because they are resting on top of the plates. This is similar to how if someone is resting on a raft the current of the water will carry them along.


Where are land masses distorted on a gnomonic projection?

Land masses are distorted towards the edges of a gnomonic projection, with the distortion increasing as you move away from the center point. The distortion is most noticeable at the outer edges of the map, particularly near the poles.


What is the name of the boundary were to plates of the earths crust move apart?

Constructive because new land is 'constructed'