Chapter 1 - General Geology Flashcards by John Lester Cunanan

The science of the earth

Geology

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The application of the geological sciences to engineering study for the purpose of assuring that the geological factors regarding the location, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of engineering works are recognized and accounted for.

Engineering Geology

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All engineering works are built in or on the ground;
The ground will always, in some manner, react to the construction of the engineering work; and
The reaction of the ground (its “engineering behavior”) to the particular engineering work must be accommodated by that work.

Philosophy of Engineering Geology

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different physical features of the earth

Phyiscal Geology

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study of rocks

Petrology

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study of minerals

Mineralogy

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formation and classification of geological structures

Structural Geology

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study of earth’s history through sedimentary rocks

Historical Geology

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study of remnants of ancient life (fossils)

Paleontology

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Economic mineral’s formation, properties etc.

Economic Geology

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Allied Branches of Geology

Engineering Geology
Mining Geology
Geophysics
Geohydrology
Geochemistry

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Distance of Earth to the Sun

150 Million kilometres

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The largest of several rocky planets in our Solar System.

Earth

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Pole-to-pole distance of the earth

12, 714 km

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Distance along equator

12, 756 km

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The birth of the Sun grew by the collapse of a slowly rotating interstellar cloud of gas (mostly hydrogen) and dust. This cloud is referred to as the ______.

Solar Nebula

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Layers of the Earth

Crust
Mantle
Core

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The process that changes solid rock into sediments. The rock is disintegrated into smaller pieces.

Weathering

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The process that moves the sediments away from their original position. These are caused by water, wind, glaciers, and gravity.

Erosion

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While plate tectonics forces work to build huge mountains and other landscapes, the forces of weathering and mass wasting gradually wear those rocks and landscapes away.

Denudation

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Also called physical weathering, breaks the rock into smaller pieces. The rock has changed physically without changing its composition. The smaller pieces have the same minerals, in just the same proportions as the original rock

Mechanical Weathering

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Also called freeze-thaw weathering, is the main form of mechanical weathering in any climate that regularly cycles above and below the freezing point

Ice Wedging

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Another form of mechanical weathering. In this, one rock bumps against another rock.

Abrasion

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Different from mechanical weathering because the rock changes, not just in the size of pieces, but in composition. This works through chemical reactions that cause changes in the minerals.

Chemical Weathering

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The most important agent of chemical weathering. Two other important agents of chemical weathering are carbon dioxide and oxygen.

Water

The name of the chemical reaction between a chemical compound and water. When this reaction takes place, water dissolves ions from the mineral and carries them away. These elements have undergone leaching.

Hydrolysis

These are weak acids that form when Carbon dioxide (CO2) combines with water as raindrops fall through the atmosphere.

Carbonic Acid

A chemical reaction that takes place when oxygen reacts with another element.

Oxidation

The two main components of acid rain, accelerate chemical weathering.

Sulfuric and nitric acids

Influences Weathering

Climate and Rock / Mineral type

Occurs when loose, water-saturated sediment begins to compact causing the ground surface to collapse.

Subsidence

Occurs when the water within the sediment is slowly squeezed out because of overlying weight

Slow Subsidence

Occurs when naturally acidic water begins to dissolve limestone rock to form a network of water-filled underground caverns.

Fast Subsidence

If droughts or pumping of groundwater reduces the water table below the level of the caves, these caverns collapse creating ______.

Surface Sinkhole

Stages of Stream Development

Zone 1 - Headwaters Zone 2 - Transfer Zone Zone 3 - Depositional Zone

Headwaters stream swiftly flow down steep mountain slopes and cut deep, v-shaped valleys. Waterfall and rapid occur in this zone.

Zone 1

Lower-elevation streams merge to flow down a gentle slope. Valleys broaden as coalescing rivers start to meander.

Zone 2

At the lowest elevations, a riven meanders across a broad, nearly flat valley and floodplain. At a river’s mouth, it may divide into separate channels as it flows across a delta extending out to the sea. The coastal plain and delta are made of river sediments.

Zone 3

This happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another.

Earthquake

The surface where the surface of the earth slip

Fault line

The energy radiates _____ from the fault in all directions in the form of seismic waves like ripples on a pond

Outward

The study of earthquakes and the waves they create

Seismology

A scientist who studies and measures earthquakes to learn more about them and to use them for geological discover

Seismologist

Recordings of the ground shaking at the specific location of the seismograph

Seismograms

Recording instruments used to record the motion of the ground during an earthquake

Seismographs

The internal part of the seismograph, which may be a pendulum or a mass mounted on a spring; however, it is often used synonymously with seismograph

Seismometer

The place of origin of the earthquake in the interior of the earth

Focus/Origin/Center/Hypocenter

The place on the earth’s surface, which lies directly above the center of the earthquake

Epicenter

The point on the earth’s surface diametrically opposite to the epicenter

Anticenter

The imaginary line that joins the center and the epicenter. This represents the minimum distance which the earthquake has to travel to reach the surface of the earth

Seismic Vertical

An imaginary line joining the points of the same intensity of the earthquake

Isoseismal

An imaginary line which joins the points at which the earthquake waves have arrived at the earth’s surface at the same time

Coseismal

The form of the transmitted energy released from the focus at the time of the earthquake

Seismic Waves

Proportional to the energy released by an earthquake at the focus. It is calculated from earthquakes recorded by a seismograph.

Magnitude

The strength of an earthquake is perceived and felt by people in a certain locality.

Intensity

Earthquakes with a focus depth of less than 50 km

Shallow Earthquakes

Classification of Earthquakes

1. Based on depth of focus 2. Based on the cause of occurrence

Earthquakes with a focus depth of more than 50 km but less than 250 km

Intermediate Earthquakes

Earthquakes with a focus depth of more than 250 km

Deep Earthquakes

Exclusively due to internal causes, i.e., due to disturbances or adjustments of geological formations taking place in the earth’s interior

Tectonic Earthquakes

Earthquakes that are generally due to external or surficial causes

Non-tectonic Earthquakes

The outer crust of the Earth is divided into rigid plates that are called ___________.

Tectonic Plates

The edges of tectonic plates

Plate Boundaries

Types of fault

Normal Fault Reverse Fault Strike Slip Fault

The primary body wave; the first seismic wave detected by seismographs; able to move through both liquid and solid rock.

P-Waves

Secondary body waves oscillate on the ground perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. They travel about 1.7 times slower than P waves. Because liquids will not sustain shear stresses, This wave will not travel through liquids like water, molten rock, or the Earth’s outer core. This wave produces vertical and horizontal motion on the ground surface.

S-Wave

Surface waves that move in an elliptical motion, producing both a vertical and horizontal component of motion in the the direction of wave propagation.

Rayleigh Wave

Surface waves that move parallel to the Earth’s surface and perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.

Love Wave

Provides information on significant earthquakes and tsunami events that may significantly impact our country

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) National Earthquake Monitoring and Information Initiative

Gives us the earthquake provisions to design seismic-resistant structures to safeguard against major structural damage that may lead to loss of life and property

National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP) 2015 in Section 208: Earthquake Loads

The procedures and the limitations for the design of structures shall be determined considering these factors.

Seismic zoning, site characteristics, occupancy, configuration, structural system, and height under the code.