deas

Question 1

Term/Front

Answer 1

Definition/Back

Question 2

(Radioactive Decay) Absolute Dating

Answer 2

As an unstable atomic nucleus (core
of an atom) attempts to become
stable, it sheds an alpha particle
(protons and neutrons) and emits
radiation
• This causes original atomic nucleus to
become a new atomic element
– This process is called radioactive
decay and it will continue until the
forces in the nucleus are balanced
and stable

Question 3

Similarities and differences between Midlatitude and Tropical cyclones

Answer 3

Both have low-pressure centers.
Both cause heavy rain and strong winds.

Midlatitude Cyclones: Form in temperate zones, need cold and warm fronts.
Tropical Cyclones: Form over warm tropical waters, powered by ocean heat.

Question 4

Uniformitarianism

Answer 4

The Earth has gradually changed over time
– That said, the processes that have shaped the Earth have not changed
– “The present is the key to the past”

Question 5

The Geologic Time Scale

Answer 5

Rocks can be used to piece together
Earth’s history
• The challenge is putting the pieces in
the correct order.

Question 6

Relative Dating

Answer 6

Compare rocks or events to other rocks or events to determine
which is older/younger
– Can’t determine the exact age using this methodology

Question 7

Absolute Dating

Answer 7

Determines the age of rocks or events in terms of actual years* (e.g.,
2.4 million years old)

Question 8

(Stratigraphy) Relative Dating

Answer 8

Branch of geology concerned with the order and relative position of
strata (layers of rock) and their relationship to the geological time scale

Question 9

Superposition Relative Dating

Answer 9

This is the most basic principle of relative dating
– In undeformed stratigraphic sequences, the oldest strata will lie at the
bottom of the sequence, while newer material is above

Question 10

(Unconformity) Relative Dating

Answer 10

A break/gap in time within the rock record
– Many unconformities are due to sea-level changes, sea-level has
fluctuated hundreds of feet over time

Question 11

(Lateral Continuity) Relative Dating

Answer 11

Layers of sediment (and the rock layers they form) extend laterally in
all directions when first deposited
– So, similar rock layers that are separated by valleys or other erosional
features can be assumed to have been originally continuous

Question 12

Fossil Succession) Relative Dating

Answer 12

This is what was used to create The
Geologic Time Scale
– Different types of fossils appear in a
predictable sequence through
geological time (i.e., each fossil
species has a unique age range)
– Index Fossil
• Commonly found fossils with a very
narrow age range

Question 13

(Correlation) Relative Dating

Answer 13

Matching up rock layers from
different locations to determine if
they are the same age, even if they
are geographically separated
• Do this by comparing features like rock
type, fossil content, and sedimentary
structures
– Can create a complete record in
some cases despite unconformity
at particular locations

Question 14

Radioactive Decay (Continued)

Answer 14

– Half-life
• The time it takes for half the mass of a
radioactive isotope to decay into the
daughter product
– Can range from fractions of a second
to billions of years

Question 15

Dating the Rock Record

Answer 15

Have to use BOTH relative and
absolute dating methods when
looking at an actual rock record

Question 16

Folding

Answer 16

The process by which rocks bend instead of break when stress is
applied, creating wave-like structures
• Rocks are typically deposited in flat horizontal sheets, but folding will cause
these to warp into new directions

Question 17

Rock Cycle

Answer 17

Magma cools to make igneous rocks -> metarmorphism and weathering -> sediments -> erosion -> sedimentary rock -> metamorphic rock -> melting -> magma

Question 18

Metamorphic Rocks (Non-Foliated)

Answer 18

not foliated it does not a have any banding stripes or layers

Question 19

Earth’s Oldest Mineral

Answer 19

4.4 Billion Years)

Question 20

Precipitation

Answer 20

is falling water/ice

Question 21

All precipitation originates from

Answer 21

parcels of moist air rising (cooling adiabatically)

Question 22

steps for precipitation

Answer 22

Parcels cool until saturation is reached, thus allowing for condensation – Clouds form from condensed moisture – Over time accumulated moisture can fall (precipitation)…

Question 23

For precipitation we need two things: – 1. – 2.

Answer 23

Moisture in the air

A mechanism to cool the air – This is necessary to cause condensation, such as rising air, which cools and allows water vapor to condense into droplets, eventually leading to precipitation.

Question 24

Air Mass Thunderstorms form when the following three conditions are met:

Answer 24

Sufficient Moisture – There must be enough moisture in the atmosphere to form clouds and precipitation.

Atmospheric Instability – The air must be unstable, meaning that warm air at the surface can rise easily through cooler air above, allowing convection to occur.

A Lifting Mechanism – There needs to be a trigger, such as surface heating, that forces the warm air to rise and form the thunderstorm.

Question 25

Frontal Uplift Cold Front

Answer 25

If a cold air mass (dense) approaches a warmer air mass (less dense), the cold air will “bulldoze” the warmer air vertically

Question 26

Frontal Uplift – Warm Front

Answer 26

If a warm air mass (less dense) approaches a colder air mass (more dense), the warm air mass will ride up over the cooler air

Question 27

Orographic Lifting

Answer 27

Air rises over mountains, cools, and causes rain on the windward side; the leeward side stays dry.

Question 28

Convectional Uplift

Answer 28

Warm air rises, cools, and condenses, often causing thunderstorms and heavy rain.

Question 29

Severe Thunderstorms Defined as severe when (at least 1) of the following occur:

Answer 29

Hail Tornado Winds reach 58 mph or higher

Question 30

Severe thunderstorms form when three conditions are met:

Answer 30

Sufficient Moisture Atmospheric Instability – Warm air can rise rapidly through cooler air above Lifting Mechanism – A trigger, like a front or intense surface heating, forces the air to rise.

Question 31

Lightning

Answer 31

is electric discharge from thunderstorm based on charge differences in atmosphere during a thunderstorm (not fully understood)

Question 32

Thunder

Answer 32

produced by rapid expansion and compression of air by lightning bolt

Question 33

Hail

Answer 33

Precipitation phenomena – Ice crystals pass through subfreezing and above-freezing layers collecting water

Question 34

Tornado

Answer 34

– Small vortex of air – Associated with very low pressure – Descends down from the wall cloud at the base of the thunderstorm – Winds can range from 110 mph – 200 mph+

Question 35

Dissipating stage (E)

Answer 35

– Once the storm has elevated all warm air

Question 36

Midlatitude Cyclones

Answer 36

Surface large scale low pressure systems – Central pressure near 990 to 1000 mb • Jet streams usually responsible for formation and movement* • Exists between 35-70° latitude • Converging counterclockwise circulation (Northern Hemisphere) – Rising motion • Circulation creates fronts

Question 37

Jet Streams

Answer 37

Fast flowing upper air (neartropopause) currents – Polar jet stream • Found between large boundaries of warm and cold air in the midlatitudes

Question 38

Life Cycle of a Midlatitude Cyclone:

Answer 38

Early stage (A and B) – Open wave stage (C) – Occlusion stage (D) – Dissipating stage (E)

Question 39

Early stage (A and B)

Answer 39

Stationary front is prominent • Separating cold air mass and warm air mass – Beginning of the formation of the surface low due to divergence aloft – Winds begin to circulate around the center of low pressure

Question 40

Open wave stage (C)

Answer 40

During this stage the system has well-defined fronts • Cold Front • Warm Front

Question 41

Occlusion stage (D)

Answer 41

Eventually, the surging cold front will catch up with the warm front – Warm air begins lifting from the surface as the cold “dense” air forces it upwards – Occluded front created – Cyclone starts to weaken or “dissipate”

Question 42

Tropical Cyclone

Answer 42

Low surface pressure system • Thrive off warm waters (Tropics) – “Warm core system” • Typically form between 5-25° latitude Converging counterclockwise circulation (Northern Hemisphere)

Question 43

Eye –

Answer 43

located in the center of a hurricane – Generally calm/clear condition

Question 44

Eyewall

Answer 44

towering ring of cumulonimbus clouds that surrounds the eye Rapid rising motion from just outside of the eye fuels these storms – Strongest winds, heaviest rainfall

Question 45

• Rainband

Answer 45

convective bands of heavy precipitation that spirals inward toward the center of the storm

Question 46

what is banding

Answer 46

banding is a type of foliation with alternating thick layers with different mineral compositions

Question 47

Crystal form

Answer 47

unique shape of crystals

Question 48

Define Rocks

Answer 48

Made up of a combination of minerals • Three main types: – Igneous – Sedimentary – Metamorphic

Question 49

Metamorphic Rocks (Foliated)

Answer 49

Foliated (striped, distinct sheets of minerals) • Banding

Question 50

High-grade metamorphic rocks

Answer 50

rocks have been chemically altered which Results in large changes in chemical composition

Question 51

Mohs hardness Scale

Answer 51

Talc - softest Diamond - Hardest

Question 52

Low-grade metamorphic rocks

Answer 52

rocks have been physically altered so then the minerals rearranged into a more compact form

Question 53

How many directions of cleavage if there are 2 parallel sides?

Answer 53

1 direction of cleavage

Question 54

Metamorphic Rocks

Answer 54

Rocks Form when other rock types are subject to metamorphism agents (heat, pressure, and/or exposure to fluids) – Changes rocks *without melting them*

Question 55

Define Fracture

Answer 55

Has no cleavage

Question 56

What's more important mineral color or streak color?

Answer 56

Streak color

Question 57

Sedimentary Rocks (Chemical)

Answer 57

– Can form in many different ways… – The most common process is called precipitation • Form solid crystals from a solution of water and dissolved minerals (not cementing pieces together)

Question 58

Specific Gravity

Answer 58

mineral’s density

Question 59

Sedimentary Rocks (Clastic)

Answer 59

– Form through lithification (75 percent of sedimentary rocks) • Rock deposits become buried • Older layers at the bottom experience “compaction”, water squeezed out • Minerals dissolved in the water are left in the “pore spaces” between the sediment • “Cementation” occurs as the minerals fuse the sediment pieces together

Question 60

What is Sedimentary Rocks( 2 types of weathering and def)

Answer 60

•Rocks Formed from pieces of pre-existing rocks or pieces of onceliving organisms – These are the types of rocks that make up fossils! – Mechanical weathering (breaking down rocks through physical stress) – Chemical weathering (breaking down rocks from some type of chemical reaction)

Question 61

Hardness

Answer 61

hardness of mineral (talc vs. Diamond)

Question 62

Extrusive Igneous Rocks

Answer 62

• Form when lava cools rapidly above the Earth's surface • Small crystals (sometimes none) – Aphanitic texture • Example: Obsidian

Question 63

Fracture/Cleavage

Answer 63

How a mineral breaks (planes of weakness)

Question 64

Streak

Answer 64

color of mineral in powdered form

Question 65

Intrusive Igneous Rocks

Answer 65

• Form when magma cools slowly below the Earth's surface • Large, well-formed crystals – Phaneritic texture • Example: Granite

Question 66

Luster

Answer 66

how light is reflected from a mineral (i.e., general aesthetic)

Question 67

Mafic Igneous Rocks

Answer 67

• Rich in magnesium and iron • Often darker in color • High density rocks

Question 68

Felsic Igneous Rocks

Answer 68

• Rich in silica and lighter elements like sodium and potassium • Often lighter in color • Low density

Question 69

Color

Answer 69

color of mineral (least useful property)

Question 70

Crystal form

Answer 70

unique shape of crystals

Question 71

What are Igneous Rocks

Answer 71

Rocks formed directly from molten material (magma or lava) or volcanic debris – Form through crystallization • When molten material/debris cools and solidifies

Question 72

By def. all minerals must be

Answer 72

be found in nature be made up of totally inorganic substances have the same chemical composition wherever found contain atom arranged in random pattern and forming solid units called crystals

Question 73

Deep Mantle Plumes (what is a hotspot)

Answer 73

“Hot Spot” – A place where a deep mantle plume (relative hot spot in mantle) has burned through the crust • Results in geologic activity (e.g., volcanoes and earthquakes*) despite not being near a plate boundary

Question 74

Minerals

Answer 74

-A naturally occurring inorganic solid with a definite chemical structure -Building blocks of rocks

Question 75

Plate Tectonics (Transform boundaries)

Answer 75

– Two plates slip past each other laterally – Neither creates nor destroys crust – Commonly produce shallow earthquakes

Question 76

Elements

Answer 76

Building blocks of minerals • Most of the Earth’s crust is made up of just eight elements (Aluminum, Iron, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Oxygen, Silicon)

Question 77

Plate Tectonics (Convergent Boundaries ->Continental-Continental)

Answer 77

• No subduction since both plates are highly buoyant • Builds huge mountain ran • Volcanoes are rare • Shallow earthquakes are relatively commonages (e.g., Himalaya Mountains)

Question 78

Global Warming Disagreements

Answer 78

– Whether the warming since 1950 has been dominated by human causes – How much the planet will warm in the 21st century – Whether we can afford to dramatically reduce carbon dioxide emissions AND whether a reduction will “improve” the climate – How big of a danger the issue is

Question 79

Plate Tectonics (Convergent Boundaries ->Oceanic-Oceanic)

Answer 79

• Subduction results in undersea trench formation (e.g., Mariana Trench) • “Volcanic island arc” can be created near the boundary • Deep and shallow earthquakes tend to form along boundary

Question 80

Plate Tectonics (Convergent Boundaries ->Oceanic-Oceanic)

Answer 80

• Subduction results in undersea trench formation (e.g., Mariana Trench) • “Volcanic island arc” can be created near the boundary • Deep and shallow earthquakes tend to form along boundary

Question 81

Global Warming Agreements

Answer 81

– Surface temperatures have increased since 1880 – Humans are adding carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases) to the atmosphere – Greenhouse gases have a warming effect on the plane

Question 82

3) Axial Procession

Answer 82

– Wobbling on axis – 25,000 years

Question 83

Plate Tectonics (Convergent Boundaries ->Oceanic-continental)

Answer 83

• Oceanic plate sinks since more dense; subduction • Forms oceanic trench where subduction occurs • Volcano formation near boundary (“Continental volcanic arc”) – This can create mountain ranges (e.g., Cascades and Andes) • Earthquakes occur along margin • Forms metamorphic rocks – blueschist

Question 84

2) Orbital Eccentricity

Answer 84

– Higher eccentricity = more elliptical – Lower eccentricity = more circular – 100,000 years

Question 85

Plate Tectonics (Convergent Boundaries)

Answer 85

– Collisions between plates – “Destructive” – Three primary collisions: • 1) Oceanic-continental • 2) Oceanic-oceanic • 3) Continental-continental

Question 86

1) Axial Tilt

Answer 86

– Ranges from 22° – 24.5° – 40,000 years

Question 87

Plate Tectonics (Divergent Boundaries)

Answer 87

– Plates move away from each other – “Constructive” – Shallow earthquakes and volcanic activity – Example: Mid-Oceanic ridge

Question 88

Plate Boundaries

Answer 88

-plate boundaries is border between 2 plates – Three types: • Divergent • Convergent • Transform

Question 89

3 Milankovitch Cycles

Answer 89

1) Axial Tilt 2) Orbital Eccentricity 3) Axial Procession

Question 90

Plate Tectonics

Answer 90

-plate tectonic is Theory behind how and why continents move • “how” - lithospheric plates float on the asthenosphere • “why” - CONVECTION!

Question 91

Holocene

Answer 91

– 10,000 years ago to present – Interglacial period

Question 92

What is continental drift (give an example and who made it)

Answer 92

– Continents move (“drift”) on Earth’s surface – Alfred Wegener Pangaea (225 million years ago)

Question 93

Pleistocene

Answer 93

– 1.7 million years ago to 10,000 years ago – Glacial and Interglacial periods

Question 94

The Ocean Basins (System of ridges)

Answer 94

System of ridges surrounded by reliefs – Often found at the center of an ocean basin (“Mid-Oceanic Ridge”) – Active submarine volcanism and major movements of Earth’s crust are found here • Associated with a divergent plate boundary (more on this later)

Question 95

Proxy Data

Answer 95

• Historical accounts • Ice cores • Sediment cores • Pollen spores • Fossils • Tree rings

Question 96

The Ocean Basins (Abyssal Zone)

Answer 96

– Abyssal plains is large expansions of low relief ocean floor • Form the floors of the deepest areas of each ocean – Depths greater than 5,000 m (16,500 ft) • Contains numerous hills, valleys, and seamounts

Question 97

Direct observations

Answer 97

• Climate information from instrumentation • Have this dating back to 1850s

Question 98

2 main sources of climate data

Answer 98

Direct Observation and Proxy Data

Question 99

The Ocean Basins (Continental Rise Margin)

Answer 99

– Transitional zone of gently sloping seafloor – Begins at the foot of the continental slope and continues • Extends to depths of approximately 4,000 m - 5,000 m (13,000 ft - 16,500 ft) – Made of material carried down from shelf and slope – Leads into the Abyssal zone

Question 100

What is the Earths age?

Answer 100

4.6 billion years (Little evidence of early climate (billions of years ago) – More information about last 2 million years)

Question 101

The Ocean Basins (Continental Slope Margin)

Answer 101

– Begins where the continental shelf ends and plunges (“slopes”) steeply downward • Extends to depths of approximately 3,200 m (10,500 feet)

Question 102

Climate Classification of Salisbury, MD(A,B,C,D,E,H)

Answer 102

mid-Atlantic region of the United States, which generally falls under the humid subtropical climate classification in the Köppen system. Salisbury’s climate can be classified as Cfa: C: Temperate (Mild Mid-Latitude). f: Significant precipitation in all seasons (no dry season). a: Hot summers.

Question 103

The Ocean Basins (Continental Shelf Margin)

Answer 103

– Gently sloping, relatively shallow, submerged plain at the edge of the continent • No deeper than 180 m (600 ft) – Can be relatively large

Question 104

Oceanic Crust

Answer 104

• Thickness is approximately 5 km (3 miles) • Mafic “igneous” rocks – More dense – Tend to be darker

Question 105

H: Highland Climates

Answer 105

Climates affected by altitude, with temperatures generally colder as elevation increases. Precipitation and temperature vary greatly with altitude. Example: The Andes, Rocky Mountains.

Question 106

Continental Crust

Answer 106

• Thickness is approximately 40 km (25 miles) – Behaves almost like a root system to continent above • Felsic “igneous” rocks – Less dense

Question 107

E: Polar Climates

Answer 107

Extremely cold with temperatures often below freezing year-round. Includes tundra (ET) and ice cap (EF) climates. Example: Antarctica (EF), northern Alaska (ET).

Question 108

D: Continental Climates (Severe Mid-Latitude)

Answer 108

Large seasonal temperature differences, with cold winters. Usually found in the interior of continents. Example: Moscow, Russia.

Question 109

Rheology Model (Mantle/Crust)

Answer 109

• Mohorovicic “Moho” Discontinuity – Discovered in 1909 – Andrija Mohorovicic • Croatian scientist – Distinctive contact plane between the Crust and Mantle • Iron-rich minerals (Mantle) vs. Silicarich minerals (Crust)

Question 110

C: Temperate Climates (Mild Mid-Latitude)

Answer 110

Moderate temperatures, with distinct seasonal variations. Winters are mild; summers may be warm. Subdivisions include humid subtropical (Cfa) and Mediterranean (Csa). Example: Southeastern United States (Cfa), Mediterranean coast (Csa).

Question 111

Rheology Model (Crust)

Answer 111

– Lies directly above the Mantle – Rocks with silica -rich minerals are dominant here • Exact composition of the crust is highly variable from place to place (more on this later) – Thickness varies • 5 km to 40 (or more) km (3 miles to 25 miles) - Crust and solid part of upper mantle make up the “Lithosphere”

Question 112

Rheology Model ( Upper Mantle)

Answer 112

– Same materials as lower mantle, but density is less – Extends from the base of the crust to a depth of just 660 km (410 miles) – Interacts with the Crust – Two parts of Upper Mantle: • 1) Lower part (Asthenosphere): – Consists of molten rock • 2) Upper part: – As you approach the surface, It becomes more rigid

Question 113

B: Dry Climates

Answer 113

Characterized by very low precipitation. Includes deserts (BWh) and semi-arid regions (BS). Example: Sahara Desert (BWh), which stands for a hot desert climate.

Question 114

Rheology Model -> (Lower Mantle)

Answer 114

– Composed of rocks with iron -rich minerals – More solid than most parts of the Upper Mantle – Material can slowly move • Movement similar to a glacier – 2,240 km (1,392 miles) thick

Question 115

A: Tropical Climates

Answer 115

Warm temperatures year-round. Significant rainfall, especially during the wet season. Examples: Amazon Rainforest, Southeast Asia.

Question 116

Rheology Model -> (Outer Core)

Answer 116

– Consists of the same materials as the inner core – Pressures are less, so a liquid (molten) state prevails – Approximately 5,000 Celsius (9,032 F) – 2,270 km (1,410 miles) thick

Question 117

Köppen Climate Types

Answer 117

The main categories are designated by capital letters (A, B, C, D, E, and H): A: Tropical Climates B: Dry Climates C: Temperate Climates (Mild Mid-Latitude) D: Continental Climates (Severe Mid-Latitude) E: Polar Climates H: Highland Climates

Question 118

Climatology

Answer 118

The scientific study of climate, which encompasses the long-term patterns and averages of weather conditions over extensive periods, generally over 30 years or more.

Question 119

Rheology Model -> (Inner Core)

Answer 119

-Iron and nickel exist here in a dense solid state due to high pressures -Approximately 6,000 Celsius (10,832 F) -Radius of only 1,216 km (755 miles)

Question 120

Earth’s internal layers -> Rheology

Answer 120

based on how different materials flow (e.g., behavior of material)

Question 121

Meteorology

Answer 121

The scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on short-term weather patterns and conditions, typically on a scale of hours to weeks.

Question 122

Earth’s internal layers -> Chemical

Answer 122

– based on rock type

Question 123

What is Geology?

Answer 123

The science that deals with the Earth's physical structure and substance, its history, and the processes that act on it

Question 124

Created on OmniSets

Answer 124

https://www.omnisets.com/sets/sharelink/9d026283-69d8-40cd-a4d9-162bdea173db/