1: introduction to Geology Flashcards
the biosphere includes
all life on earth
the atmosphere is a
life giving gaseous envelope that surrounds the earth
the oceans make up
95% of the hydrosphere
69% of earth’s freshwater is
locked in glaciers
the earths crust is made of
continental crust and oceanic crust. mainly comprised of basalt
the mantle makes up
82% of earth’s volume
the three parts of the upper mantle
lithosphere, asthenosphere, transition zone
the most prominent mineral in the mantle is
peridotite
the lower mantle ends
at the top of the core
the earth’s core is composed of
iron, nickel, alloy, oxygen, silicon, sulfur
the outer core is
liquid
the inner core is
solid
the inner core is made of
solid iron due to immense pressure
crystallization is when
magma cools and solidifies inside or outside of earth
crystallization produces
igneous rocks
weathering is influences by the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere
the earth’s spheres are
atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, geosphere
lithification means to
convert into a rock
sediment is lithified into a rock when
compacted by the weight layers or cemented as percolating groundwater fills the pores with mineral matter
if an igneous rock undergoes weathering and is slowly disintegrated into sediment that is deposited, what rock will it become?
sedimentary
if a sedimentary rock is buried in the earth and subjected to great pressures or intense heat, what rock will it become?
metamorphic
an igneous rock that solidifies at the surface of the earth has what grain size?
small because the rock cooled quickly
an igneous rock that solidifies inside of the earth has what grain size?
big because the rock cooled slowly
extrusive
an igneous rock that solidified inside of the earth
intrusive
an igneous rock that solidified on the surface of the earth
the continental margin
is the portion of seafloor adjacent to major landscapes
ocean basins are comprised of
basaltic rock that comprises the oceanic crust
the continental margin includes
continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise
the flat features of ocean plains are called
abyssal plains
the continental rise
is a thick wedge of sediment that moved downslope from the continental shelf and accumulated into the deep ocean floor
submerged volcanic structures are called
seamounts
seamounts sometimes form in
long, narrow chains
the oceanic ridge system consists of layers of
igneous rock that has even fractured and uplifted
island arcs are
active mountainous regions composed largely of volcanic rocks and deformed sedimentary rocks
examples of island arcs
Japan, new guinea, the philippines
