What principle describes abrupt geological changes due to large-scale disasters?

The principle that describes abrupt geological changes due to large-scale disasters is catastrophism. This concept posits that the Earth's landscape is shaped primarily by sudden, short-lived events, such as massive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and meteorite impacts, which can significantly alter the geological structure in a relatively brief period. This principle contrasts with uniformitarianism, which suggests that the same natural processes that operate today have always operated in the past, leading to gradual changes over time.

Catastrophism emphasizes the role of catastrophic events in shaping the Earth’s surface, thereby explaining how certain geological features and events can be linked to sudden, extraordinary disasters. This understanding is crucial for interpreting the geological history and the occurrence of mass extinctions, which may have resulted from such catastrophic occurrences.

Superposition relates to the order of sedimentary layers and does not specifically address sudden changes. Radiometric dating is a technique used to date materials based on the decay of radioactive isotopes, which provides a timeline of Earth’s history rather than focusing on the mechanism of abrupt geological changes.