Earth Science Fundementals Flashcards
1
Q
Spatial analysis
A
The study of movements of energy and matter in environment systems
2
Q
Spatial analysis occurs
A
In one place to another and in one form to another
3
Q
Physical geography
A
The spatial analysis of all physical elements and processes that make up the environment
4
Q
Elements of physical geog
A
Energy, air, water, weather, climate, landforms, souls, animals, plants, micro organisms
5
Q
Physical geog involves
A
The study of earths four great spheres
6
Q
4 great spheres
A
Lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere
7
Q
Lithosphere
A
Earth
8
Q
Hydrosphere
A
Water on earth
9
Q
Atmosphere
A
Air
10
Q
Biosphere
A
Living matter
11
Q
Earth is an _______
A
Open system for energy, and a closed system for matter
12
Q
Carbon cycle
A
Leads to the heating of the world
13
Q
Geography is
A
interdisciplinary
14
Q
Experimental method
A
Done in lab
15
Q
Independent variable
A
Light, heat, moisture etc
16
Q
Dependent variable
A
Tree growth
17
Q
How to approach scientific method
A
In ways we can observe and measure phenomena in the natural world
18
Q
General systems theory
A
The system view looks at the world in terms of relationship and interaction
Looks at the basic principles opposes to building blocks
19
Q
System
A
Any set of ordered, interrelated things and their attributes, linked by flows of energy and matter
20
Q
Two types of systems
A
Open and closed
21
Q
Open system
A
Input and outputs
22
Q
Closed systems
A
No inputs or output
23
Q
Morphological system
A
Only concerned with the characteristics and arrangements of objects in a system
24
Q
Cascading system
A
Concerned with flows of energy and matter through a system
25
Process response system
Concerned with the cause and effect relationships between the morphology of a system and the cascades of energy and matter through a system
26
Positive feedback
When the effect of change in a system is to cause the system to continue changing in the same direction: perhaps at an increased rate
27
Negative feedback
When the effect of change in a system is to counter act the impact of the initial change
To slow down, stop, or even reverse the initial change
28
Positive and negative feedback play an important role
In system change and stability
29
Are environmental systems are
Dynamic, they are constantly changing, at different time scales
30
3 kinds of equilibrium
Steady state equilibrium
Dynamic equilibrium
Metastable equilibrium
31
Steady state equilibrium
The system fluctuates around a stable and unchanging but long term average condition
32
Steady state equilibrium in the environment
When the input and output of the system are equal over the extended period of time
33
Dynamic equilibrium
System fluctuates around a stable but changing long term average condition; this change is typically disguised by short term fluctuation
34
Metastable equilibrium
The system condition jumps up or down suddenly to a new long term average condition when a threshold or tipping point is exceeded
35
Geologic cycle
Made up of 3 cycle: Rock, Techtonic, hydrologic
36
Exogenic energy
Energy external to earth system (the sun). Drives geomorphic processes
37
Endogenic energy
Derives from earths hot inerior (7,000 degrees)
38
Denudational landscapes
Work down, eroded
39
Structural landform
Fold mountains, fault scrapes, Rift Valley
40
4 reasons to understand geologic cycle and debris cascade
1) helps us fit individual pieces of earths science puzzle together
2) they help us realize landscapes do change
3) they show that geomorphic landscapes are polycyclic
4) debris cascades remind us that landscapes are individual and typically polymeric
41
Polycyclic
Have undergone more than one cycle of creation (uplift and destruction)
42
4 reasons to understand the geologic cycle means we must know
Present day processes
Post process
43
Most important part of geologic time scale
Cenozoic era
Quaternary period
Holocene epoch
Pleistocene epoch
44
Cenozoic era
65 million years ago
45
Quaternary period
1.8 million years ago
46
Holocene epoch
0.01 million years ago to present
47
Pleistocene epoch
1.8 million years ago to .01 million years ago (ice age)
48
Rock are only so old because.....
Geomorphic processes have already destroyed older landscapes
49
Uniformitarism
The idea that the process currently acting now have been acting throughout time
50
Episodic
Not constantly operating (happens in short then not again)
51
(Neo) catastrophism
Dramatic landscape change can be achieved over a short time by processes such a earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, etc
52
Geologic structure
Ways rocks are put together
53
Properties of weathered / eroded sediment in the debris cascade
Dissolved in stream
54
Mineral
Inorganic or non living natural solid compound
Has crystalline structure
55
Rock
Assemblage of minerals or sediments bound together by pressure
56
Sediment
Unconsolidated material from weathered or eroded rock
57
3 types of rock
Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic
58
Types of igneous
Intrusive
Extrusive
59
Intrusive
Or plutonic
Granite
Diorite
60
Extrusive
Or volcanic
Andesite
Obsidian
61
Plutons
Magma under ground to form intrusive rocks
62
Igneous rocks by chemistry
Felsic and malfic
63
Felsic
Feldspar and silica
64
Malfic
Magnesium and ferric
65
Sedimentary
Lithification of 4 types of sediment by compaction, cementation and hardening
66
4 types of sedimentary
Detrital material
Ancillary material
Clay materials
Dissolved substances
67
Where can sedimentary rocks form?
Anywhere a geomorphic process takes place
68
Geosyncline
Largest location where sediment can lay and get passed down
69
Metamorphic rocks
Alteration of igneous or sedimentary rocks by introduction of heat, pressure, and /or hit liquids and gasses
70
3 types of metamorphism
Thermal (heat)
Dynamic (pressure)
Metasomatic (chemical change from hot to fog)
71
Metamorphism occurs near
Igneous activity and near boundaries of techtonic plates
72
Continental drift
Back in the 1500’s, geographers wondered how the coastlines fit together
73
Alfred Wegner
Coined the term “continental drift”
The theory that earths continents move around
74
Panthalassa
All seas together
75
Pangea
All continents together
76
Laurasia
Northern half of Pangea
77
Gondwana
Southern half of Pangea
78
Earth is hold old
4.6 million years
79
Rodinia
Super continent before Pangea
80
Techtonic
Greek word, to build or construct
81
Continents don’t move, they
Act as passengers to plate techtonics
82
There are ___ larger and ____ smaller techtonic plates
7 and 12
83
Lithosphere
Outer crust of earth
84
Asthenosphere
Under lithosphere
85
Sima
Silica and magnesium
86
Sial
Silica and aluminum
87
3 types of plates
Divergent plate boundary
Convergent plate boundary
Transform plate boundary
88
Divergent plate boundaries
Techtonic plates being created
89
Convergent plate boundary
Techtonic plates being destroyed!
90
3 types of plate boundaries
Oceanic continental
Oceanic oceanic
Continental continental
91
Oceanic continental
Subduction destroys the oceanic crust
Gets pushed underneath
92
Cascadia subduction zone
Mega thrust earthquake
93
Oceanic oceanic
Deep sea trenches formed where one oceanic plate subducts benith another
94
Continental continental
Two plates of continental crust collide
No volcanic activity
95
Suture zone
Two its of crust join together
Only continental continental
96
Transform plate boundaries
Techtonic plates sliding laterally past one another
97
Creation of earths crust
3 ways!!
Cooling of magma at divergent plate boundary
Accretion of exotic terranes
Volcanism
98
Accuration of exotic terranes
Eg BC geologic belts as a result of collisions at a convergant plate boundary
99
Craton
Canadian Shield
100
Volcanism
Can occur in 3 places
Convergent plate boundaries
Plate boundaries
Hotspots
101
Hotspots
Volcanism in middle of plates
102
Seamount
Hotspot volcano that is under water
103
Earths crust can be ______ by _______ forces to produce _____ features
Deformed, techtonic, relief
| Including mountains
104
Orogenesis
Oros: mountain building
Genesis: birth of
Birth of mountains
105
2 types of deformations
Folding and warping
Faulting
106
Folding and warping and faulting types of stress
Tensile, compressive, and sheer
107
Tensile
Pulled apart, leads to thinning crust, normal fault
108
Compressive
Pushed together, folding, reverse fault
109
Shear
Shearing twist laterally, folding, reverse fault
110
Pg 131 fig 8
Anticline, syncline, hinge, overturned, anticline, thrust fault, synical ridge, anticline valley, dome and basin
111
Faulting
Rocks breaks
112
Normal fault
//
113
Reverse fault
\\
114
Thrust fault
—>
115
Strike slip fault
Shear stress
116
Horst and graben
Series of faults, not just one
117
Bolson
Valley between two ranges
118
Playa lake
Lake that was evaporated
119
Elastic rebound theory
First postulated by Harry Fielding after the San Fran earthquake
120
What causes an earthquake
Strike slip fault creates friction creating stress, the fault slips, energy is released, and earthquake occurs
121
Earthquakes occcur _____
Underground
122
Focus
Origin of earthquake underground
123
Epicentre
Located above focus on surface
124
Seismic waves types
P waves
S waves
125
P waves
Primary waves
Travel very quick, not really damaging
126
S waves
Secondary waves
Travel slower, vertical shaking, very damaging
127
P wave is felt as a _____ then the S wave occurs
Jump / shock
128
How to know how far earthquake is
Measure how soon the S wave followed the p wave
129
Cascadia subjection zone
Bc biggest threat for EQ
