CH. 1 Notes (intro to geology)

Question 1

Scientific study of the solid earth and diff. systems

Answer 1

Geology

Question 2

Study of Earth materials that make up the earth internal and external that shape it

Answer 2

Physical geology

Question 3

history of planet earth, origin featuring life through time

Answer 3

historical geology

Question 4

key to the past is the present

Answer 4

uniformitarism

Question 5

Scientific method

Answer 5

1. question
2. gather info. to help/ answer question
3. hypothesis
4. test
5. reject, accept, or modify hypothesis
6. use more test if needed

Question 6

Nebular theory

Answer 6

Solar nebula consisted of hydrogen and helium in addition to microscopic dust grains

Question 7

How long ago was big bang?

Answer 7

13.7 billion yrs ago

Question 8

How old is the earth?

Answer 8

4.6 Billion yrs old

Question 9

How does Earth form?

Answer 9

layers, Metals sank to center & molten rock to primitive crust

Question 10

What is the order of the Solar Nebula theory?

1. Solar disk forms
2. outer planets (jup., sat., ura., nep., pluto?)- colder, water and gas freeze
3. 13.7 bil yrs ago big bang
4. small mini planets form from collision of asteroids
5. inner planets (mer., ven., earth, mars)- warmer, water and gas melt, rocks crystallize

Answer 10

3, 1, 4, 5, 2

Question 11

How did the primitive atmosphere evolve?

Answer 11

volcanic gas

Question 12

What happened to the earliest primitive crust?

Answer 12

lost to erosion and geologic processes

Question 13

During the “Hadean” period what were the conditions on earth?

Answer 13

Described as hellish conditions, earth also had lava oceans

Question 14

Placing rocks and events in their proper sequence or order w/o knowing their age in years

Answer 14

Relative dating

Question 15

Using radioactive isotopes to determine age

Answer 15

Absolute dating

Question 16

Things that happen very rapidly is _________

Answer 16

Catastrophism

Question 17

How is time periods split up?

Answer 17

Broken into periods based largely on fossils

Question 18

What are external processes?

Answer 18

Erosion, glaciers, landslides

Question 19

What are internal processes?

Answer 19

Magmatism, earthquakes, faults

Question 20

How is ex/internal processes linked?

Answer 20

ex can influence in and vice versa

Question 21

How are external processes powered?

Answer 21

By the sun

in atmosphere, hydrosphere, & earth’s surface

Question 22

How are internal processes powered?

Answer 22

from remaining heat in the formation of earth

Question 23

What are the layers by physical properties?

Answer 23

crust, upper mantle (solid), lower mantle (solid), outer core (liquid), inner core (solid)

Question 24

What are the layers by chemical composition?

Answer 24

crust (silicates), mantle (silicates) core (iron & nickel)

Question 25

Mechanical structure of the Earth

Answer 25

Inner core, outer core, lower mantle, Asthenosphere (solid but mobile), lithosphere (solid and rigid)

Question 26

What % of the hydrosphere is fresh water?

Answer 26

2.56%
.77%- groundwater
1.76%- glaciers

Question 27

Flooded portion of continent

Answer 27

Continental shelf

Question 28

Steep drop off

Answer 28

Continental slope

Question 29

Where deep ocean meets continental slope

Answer 29

Continental rise

Question 30

Deep, ocean flats

Answer 30

Abyssal Plain

Question 31

Fractures portion of the crust where new crust is created, ig. rocks

Answer 31

deep- ocean ridge

Question 32

Volcanoes in the middle of ocean plates

Answer 32

Seamounts

Question 33

Where tectonic plates meet

Answer 33

Trench

Question 34

What is the rock cycle?

Answer 34

a) magma cools and crystallization
b) ig. rocks form, weathering, transport, deposition
c) sediment compacts and cementing
d) sed rock forms
e) heat and intense pressure with sed. rocks
f) forms metamorphic rock
g) met. rocks melt forming magma

Question 35

Whats the difference between intrusive and extrusive?

Answer 35

intrusive- interlocking crystals, cooled slowly within the earth
Extrusive- fine- grained, cooled quickly at or near the surface