Chapter 2 Flashcards
branch of geology focused on understanding the materials and processes that shape the Earth’s structure and surface.
Physical Geology
It encompasses the study of rocks, minerals, and landforms, and investigates the physical processes driving geological change.
Physical Geology
Earth’s Structure: Layers of the Earth
Crust
Mantle
Core
Thicker (about 30-70 km) and less dense. Composed mainly of granitic rocks.
Continental Crust
Continental Crust: Thicker (about __-__ km) and less dense than oceanic crust. Composed mainly of __________ rocks.
30-70 km
granitic
Thinner (about 5-10 km) and denser. Composed primarily of basaltic rocks.
Oceanic Crust
Oceanic Crust: Thinner (about _-__km) and denser than continental crust. Composed primarily of ________ rocks.
5-10
basaltic
Extends to about 410 km below the surface. Includes the lithosphere (rigid outer layer) and the asthenosphere (partially molten and ductile layer).
upper mantle
Upper Mantle: Extends to about ____ km below the surface. Includes the _______ (rigid outer layer) and the _________ (partially molten and ductile layer).
410
lithosphere
asthenosphere
Extends from 410 km to about 2,900 km. Composed of more solid, high-pressure minerals like perovskite and ferropericlase.
Lower Mantle
Lower Mantle: Extends from _____km to about __________km. Composed of more solid,_________ minerals like perovskite and ferropericlase.
410
2,900
high-pressure
Liquid layer extending from about 2,900 km to 5,150 km.
Outer Core
Composed mainly of iron and nickel, and is responsible for Earth’s magnetic field.
Outer Core
Solid layer at the center of the Earth, extending from 5,150 km to about 6,371 km.
Inner Core
Composed primarily of iron and nickel and remains solid due to immense pressure.
Inner Core
are fundamental components of Earth’s materials, playing a crucial role in the composition, structure, and processes of the planet. They are naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and a crystalline structure.
Minerals
are naturally occurring, meaning they form through natural geological processes without human intervention.
Minerals
They are inorganic, composed of elements and compounds not associated with biological life.
Minerals
They are solid at room temperature and have a crystalline structure, which means they have an internal atomic arrangement that forms a crystal lattice, giving them specific shapes and physical properties. Each mineral has a defined chemical formula that can vary slightly due to impurities or substitutions.
Minerals
Many minerals come from ___________, the molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface. When magma ________, mineral crystals are formed. How and where magma cools determine the _______of the mineral crystals.
magma
cool
size
molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface
magma
When magma cools slowly beneath the Earth’s crust, __________crystals form.
large
When magma cools rapidly beneath the Earth’s surface, ________ crystals form.
small
earth’s crust and slowly = _________
earth’s surface and rapidly =________
large
small