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Earth 201 > Ch 1: Intro to Geology > Flashcards

Ch 1: Intro to Geology Flashcards

1
Q

Abyssal plain

A

A very level area of the deep-ocean floor, usually lying at the foot of the continental rise

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2
Q

Asteroid

A

One of thousands of small planetlike bodies, ranging in size from a few hundred kilometers to less than 1 kilometer accross. Most asteroids’ orbits lie between those of Mars and Jupiter.

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3
Q

Asthenosphere

A

A subdivision of the mantle situated below the lithosphere. This zone of weak material exists below a depth of about 100 kilometers (60 miles) and in some regions extends as deep as 700 kilometers (430 miles). The rock within this zone is easily deformed.

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4
Q

Atmosphere

A

The gaseous portion of a planet, the planet’s envelope of air. One of the traditional subdivisions of Earth’s physical environment.

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5
Q

Basalt

A

A fine-grained igneous rock of mafic composition.

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6
Q

Basin

A

A circular downfolded structure.

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7
Q

Biosphere

A

The totality of Life-forms on Earth

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8
Q

Catastrophism

A

The concept that Earth was shaped by catastrophic events of a short-term nature.

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9
Q

Cementation

A

One way in which sedimentary rocs are lithified. As material precipitates from water that percolates through the sediment, open spaces are filled an particles are joined into a solid mass.

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10
Q

Climate

A

A description of aggregate weather conditions; the sum of all statistical weather information that helps describe a place or region

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11
Q

Compaction

A

A type of lithification in which the weight of overlying material compresses more deeply buried sediment. It is most important in the fine-grained sedimentary rocks such as shale.

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12
Q

Continental margin

A

The portion of the seafloor that is adjacent to the continents. It may include the continental shelf, continental slope, and continental rise.

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13
Q

Continental rise

A

The gently sloping surface at the base of the continental slope.

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14
Q

Continental shelf

A

The gently sloping submerged portion of the continental margin, extending from the shoreline to the continental slope.

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15
Q

Continental slope

A

The steep gradient that leads to the deep-ocean floor and marks the seaward edge of the continental shelf.

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16
Q

Coral reef

A

A structure formed in a warm, shallow, sunlit ocean environment that consists primarily of the calciterich remains of corals as well as the limy secretions of algae and the hard parts of many other small organisms.

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17
Q

Core

A

The innermost layer of the Earth. It is thought to be largely an iron-nickel alloy, with minor amounts of oxygen, silicon, and sulfur.

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18
Q

Craton

A

The part of the continental crust that has attained stability; that is, it has not been affected by significant tectronic activity during the Phanerozoic eon. It consists of the shield and the stable platform.

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19
Q

Crust

A

The very thin, outermost layer of the Earth.

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20
Q

Crystal

A

Any natural solid with an ordered, repetitive atomic structure.

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21
Q

Debris flow

A

A flow of soil and regolith that contains a large amount of water. Most common in semiarid mountainous regions and on the slopes of some volcanoes.

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22
Q

Deep-ocean basin

A

The portion of seafloor that lies between the continental margin and the oceanic ridge system. This region comprises almost 30 percent of Earth’s surface.

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23
Q

Deep-ocean trench (or Trench)

A

A narrow, elongated depression of the seafloor.

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24
Q

Deformation

A

General term for the processes of folding, faulting, shearing, compression, or extension of rocks as the result of various natural forces.

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25
Q

Density

A

A property of matter defined as mass per unit volume.

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26
Q

Drift

A

See Glacial drift.

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27
Q

Earth system science

A

An interdisciplinary study that seeks to examine Earth as a system composed of numerous interacting parts or subsystems.

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28
Q

Element

A

A substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical or physical means.

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29
Q

Eon

A

The largest time unit on the geologic time scale, next in order of magnitude above era.

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30
Q

Epoch

A

A unit of the geologic time scale that is a subdivision of a period.

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31
Q

Era

A

A major division on the geologic time scale; eras are divided into shorter units called periods.

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32
Q

External process

A

A process such as weathering, mass wasting, or erosion that is powered by the Sun and contributes to the transformation of solid rock into sediment.

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33
Q

Fault

A

A break in a rock mass along with movement has occurred.

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34
Q

Focus (earthquake)

A

The zone within Earth where rock displacement produces an earthquake.

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35
Q

Fracture zone

A

A linear zone of irregular topography on the deep-ocean floor that follows transform faults and their inactive extensions.

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36
Q

Geology

A

The science that examine Earth, its form and composition, and the changes that it has undergone and is undergoing.

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37
Q

Geologic time

A

The span of time since the formation of Earth, about 4.6 billion years.

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38
Q

Geologic time scale

A

The division of earth history into blocks of time-eons, eras, periods, and epochs. The time scale was created using relative dating principles.

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39
Q

Geosphere

A

The solid earth; one of Earth’s four basic spheres.

40
Q

Glacier

A

A thick mass of ice originating on land from the compaction and recrystallization of snow that shows evidence of past or present flow.

41
Q

Glass (volcanic)

A

Natural glass that is produced when molten lava cools too rapidly to permit recrystallization. Volcanic glass is solid composed of unordered atoms.

42
Q

Granite

A

An abundant, coarse-grained igneous rock composed of about 10-20% quartz and 50% potassium feldspar. Granite is used as a building material.

43
Q

Groundwater

A

Water in the zone of saturation.

44
Q

Historical geology

A

A major division of geology that deals with the origin of Earth and its development through time. Usually involves the study of fossils and their sequence in rock beds.

45
Q

Hydrosphere

A

The water portion of our planet; one of the traditional subdivisions of Earth’s physical environment.

46
Q

Hypothesis

A

A tentative explanation that is then tested to determine if it is valid.

47
Q

Igneous rock

A

Rock formed from the crystallization of magma.

48
Q

Inner core

A

The solid innermost layer of Earth, about 1216 kilometers (754 miles) in radius.

49
Q

Inner planets

A

The innermost planets of our solar system, which include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Also known as the terrestrial planets because of their Earth-like internal structure and composition.

50
Q

Interface

A

A common boundary where different parts of a system interact.

51
Q

Island arc

A

See Volcanic island arc.

52
Q

Lava

A

Magma that reaches Earth’s surface.

53
Q

Lithosphere

A

The rigid outer layer of Earth, including the crust and upper mantle.

54
Q

Lower mantle

A

See Mesosphere.

55
Q

Magma

A

A body of molten rock found at depth, including any dissolved gases and crystals.

56
Q

Magnitude (earthquake)

A

An estimate of the total amount of energy released during an earthquake, based on seismic records.

57
Q

Mantle

A

One of Earth’s compositional layers. The solid rocky shell that extends from the base of the crust to a depth of 2900 kilometers (1800 miles).

58
Q

Melt

A

The liquid portion of magma excluding the solid crystals.

59
Q

Metamorphism

A

The changes in mineral composition and texture of a rock subjected to high temperatures and pressures within Earth.

60
Q

Metamorphic rock

A

Rock formed by the alteration of preexisting rock deep within Earth (but still in the solid state) by heat, pressure, and/or chemically active fluids.

61
Q

Mineral

A

A naturally occurring, inorganic crystalline material with a unique chemical structure.

62
Q

Mountain belt

A

A geographic area of roughly parallel and geologically connected mountain ranges developed as a result of plate tectonics.

63
Q

Nebular theory

A

A model for the origin of the solar system that supposes a rotating nebula of dust and gases that contracted to form the Sun and planets.

64
Q

Ocean basin

A

A deep submarine region that lies beyond the continental margins.

65
Q

Oceanic ridge

A

See Mid-ocean ridge

66
Q

Outer core

A

A layer beneath the mantle about 2270 kilometers (1410 miles) thick, which has the properties of a liquid.

67
Q

Outer planets

A

The outermost planets of our solar system, which include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They are also known as the Jovian planets.

68
Q

Peridotite

A

An igneous rock of ultramafic composition thought to be abundant in the upper mantle.

69
Q

Period

A

A basic unit of the geologic time scale that is a subdivision of an era. Periods may be divided into smaller units called epochs.

70
Q

Physical geology

A

A major division of geology that examines the materials of Earth and seeks to understand the processes and forces acting beneath and upon Earth’s surface.

71
Q

Planetesimal

A

A solid celestial body that accumulated during the first stages of planetary formation. Planetesimals aggregated into increasingly larger bodies, ultimately forming the planets.

72
Q

Radioactivity

A

See Radioactive decay

73
Q

Rock

A

A consolidated mixture of minerals.

74
Q

Rock cycle

A

A model that illustrates the origin of the three basic rock types and the interrelatedness of Earth materials and processes.

75
Q

SaUnity

A

The proportion of dissolved salts to pure water, usually expressed in parts per thousand (0/00).

76
Q

Scientific method

A

The process by which researchers raise questions, gather data, and formulate and test scientific hypotheses.

77
Q

Seamount

A

An isolated volcanic peak that rises at least 1000 meters (3300 feet) above deep-ocean floor.

78
Q

Sedimentary rock

A

Rock formed from the weathered products of preexisting rocks that have been transported, deposited and lithified.

79
Q

Shield

A

A large, relatively flat expanse of ancient igneous and metamorphic rocks within the craton.

80
Q

Shoreline

A

The line that marks the contact between land and sea. It migrates up ad down as the tide rises and falls.

81
Q

Soil

A

A combination of mineral and organic matter, water, and air; the portion of the regolith that supports plant growth.

82
Q

Solar nebula

A

The cloud of interstellar gas and/or dust from which the bodies of our solar system formed.

83
Q

Spring

A

A flow of groundwater that emerges naturally at the ground surface.

84
Q

Stable platform

A

That part of a carton that is mantled by relatively undeformed sedimentary rocks and underlain by a basement complex of igneous and metamorphic rocks.

85
Q

System

A

A group of interacting or interdependent parts that form a complex whole.

86
Q

Texture

A

The size, shape and distribution of the particles that collectively constitute a rock.

87
Q

Theory

A

A well-tested and widely accepted view that explains certain observable facts.

88
Q

Transition zone

A

The lowest portion of the upper mantle.

89
Q

Troposphere

A

The lowermost layer of the atmosphere. It is generally characterized by a decrease in temperature with height.

90
Q

Tsunami

A

The Japanese word for a seismic sea wave.

91
Q

Uniformitarianism

A

The concept that processes that have shaped Earth in the geologic past are essentially the same as those operating today.

92
Q

Upper mantle

A

The top portion of the mantle extending from the Moho to a depth of about 660 km and comprising the lithospheric mantle, asthenosphere, and the transition zone.

93
Q

Volcanic

A

Pertaining to the activities, structures, or rock types of a volcano.

94
Q

Volcanic island

A

A seamount that has grown large enough to rise above sea level.

95
Q

Volcanic Island arc

A

A chain of volcanic islands generally located in a few hundred kilometers from a trench where there is active subduction of one oceanic plate beneath another.

96
Q

Weather

A

The state of atmosphere at any given time.

Earth 201 (9 decks)

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