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es mod11-13 Flashcards

1
Q

study of Earth’s rock layers

A

Stratigraphy

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2
Q

slow earth change processes

A

erosion, weathering, rock formation

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3
Q

rapid earth change processes

A

landslides, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes

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4
Q

natural processes that influence rock layering

A

weathering, erosion, heat, pressure, compacting, cementing, cooling, melting

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5
Q

the best way to understand the historical events on the surface of the Earth

A

Cross-sectional examination

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6
Q

a three dimensional feature, not simply lines on the rocks

A

layer

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7
Q

also called as stratification which describes the sedimentary rock layering and sometimes the layering found on metamorphic rocks

A

Bedding

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8
Q

type of rock formed by the accumulation of sediments with subsequent cementation of minerals or organic particles on ocean floor or other bodies of water

A

sedimentary rocks

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9
Q

also refers to rock layers

A

strata

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10
Q

basic principles applied by geologists to determine the age and characteristics of rock layers

A

Stratigraphic laws

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11
Q

general term for layering sedimentary rocks

A

stratification

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12
Q

layering in sedimentary rocks greater than 1cm thick

A

Beds

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13
Q

layering in sedimentary rocks less than 1cm thick

A

lamination

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14
Q

a Danish scientist stated that solid particles settle according to their relative weight and size

A

Nicholas Steno

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15
Q

two ways to correlate rock strata

A

comparing the physical characteristics of strata with each other (physical correlation)

comparing the type of fossils found in various strata (fossil correlation)

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16
Q

places events and rocks in their chronological sequence or order without knowing their actual age

A

relative dating

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17
Q

measuring the absolute age or exact age of some rocks in years with the discovery of radioactivity in the late 1800s

A

absolute dating

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18
Q

principles that tell the relative age of the rock

A

principle of original horizontality, law of superposition, principle of lateral continuity, principle of cross-cutting relationship, principle of unconformity, principle of faunal succession, principle of inclusion

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19
Q

processes in absolute dating:

A

radiocarbon dating, potassium-argon dating, uranium-lead dating

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20
Q

buried erosional or non-depositional surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages, indicating that the sediment deposition is not continuous

A

unconformity

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21
Q

this principle states that the sediments when deposited will form horizontal or nearly horizontal strata under the action of gravity

A

principle of original horizontality

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22
Q

this law states that in any uninterrupted structure of rock deposited in layers, the youngest layer is on top and the oldest on the bottom. Rock fragments must be older than the rock containing the fragments

A

principle of superposition

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23
Q

this law states that the layer of sediment initially extend laterally sideways in the same order. Similar rocks but separated by valley or other erosional features, they are originally continuous.

A

Principle of lateral continuity

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24
Q

a layer or stratum must always be older than any feature that cuts or disrupts it

A

principle of cross-cutting

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25
this law states that when sediments are deposited horizontally, the rocks are subject to folding, which results to erosion of the top rock layers, then undergoes subsidence allowing resumption of deposition. This unconformity represents a period of erosion
principle of unconformity
26
types of unconformity:
angular unconformity disconformity paraconformity non-conformity
27
this unconformity is when beds are not parallel to each other
angular unconformity
28
this unconformity is when sedimentary rock strata above and below the surface of erosion are parallel to each other
disconformity
29
unconformity when strata or beds are parallel to each other. there is no discernable erosional surface, however there is a gap in the ages between the rock units
paraconformity
30
type of unconformity where the layer below the erosional surface is either a metamorphic or igneous rock, meanwhile the layer above the erosional surface is sedimentary rock
non-conformity
31
this principle states that sedimentary rock strata contain fossilized flora and fauns, and these fossils succeed each other vertically in a specific, reliable order that can be identified over a wide horizontal distance
principle of faunal succession
32
this principle according to James Hutton, there are times that fragments of a rock unit is enclosed in another rock unit. If rock or rock fragments included within another rock layer, the rock fragments is older than the rock layer they were embedded
Principle of Inclusion
33
the isotope formed by the decayed parent
daughter isotope
34
methods in absolute dating:
radiocarbon dating, potassium-argon dating, uranium-lead dating
35
used to find the age of once living materials between 100 and 50,000 years old
radiocarbon dating
36
the abundancy of potassium in many minerals makes it so that it can date rocks from 100,000 years with its half-life
Potassium-Argon dating
37
What element does potassium decays into with how much half-life
Argon-40 with 1.26billion years old
38
are versions of the elements with extra neutrons
isotopes
39
uses two uranium isotopes for radiometric dating
uranium-lead dating
40
this uranium isotope decays to lead-206 with half-life of 4.47 billion years
Uranium-238
41
this isotope decays to lead-207 with half-life of 704 million years
Uranium-235
42
Age of the Earth
4.6 billion years old
43
oldest rock on Earth
3.8 billion years old
44
How was the age of the earth measured
from radioactive isotopic dating of meteorites
45
used by scientist to describe the timing and relationship between past events in Earth's history
geologic time scale
46
branch of stratigraphy that studies the age of rock layers or features in relation to geologic time
Chronostratigraphy
47
is the largest time span in the GTS
eon
48
two major eons
Precambrian and Phanerozoic
49
Precambrian is subdivided into
Hadean, Achaean, Proterozoic
50
Eon is subdivided into
eras
51
The three major eras of phanerozoic
paleozoic, mesozoic, cenozoic
52
era is subdivided into
periods
53
Paleozoic era is subdivided into 6 periods
Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian
54
Mesozoic Era has 3 periods:
Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous
55
this era where ice age occurred
Cenozoic era
56
periods are subdivided into
epochs
57
the two epochs of the carboniferous period
mississippian, pennsylvanian
58
epoch is subdivided into:
ages
59
three ages of the mississippian epoch
tournaisian, visean, serpukhovian
60
our current time belongs to:
halocene epoch of the quaternary period of Cenozoic era
61
mass extinction event of the dinosaurs
66.4 million years ago
62
one of the first to recognize the correspondence between rocks and time.
Nicholas Steno
63
a german geologist, early attempt to subdivide rock record into units of time (oldest to youngest)
Abraham Gottlob Werner
64
observed each layer contains a distinct assemblage of fossils, the fossils succeed each other vertically in a definite order
William 'Strata' Smith
65
a british lawyer and geologist that utilized fossils to identify rock layers, subdivided geologic time on the basis of fossils
Lyell
66
meaning "anything dug out of Earth" remnants or impression of plants and animals preserved in the strata of the Earth
fossils
67
the reason for definite and orderly succession of fossil in the rock record
Organic evolution
68
a sub-discipline of stratigraphy that deals with fossils in the correlation and establishment of the relative ages of rocks
Biostratigraphy
69
classification of fossils based on their formation:
mold, cast, trace, true-form
70
fossil impressions left behind after the dead plant or animal decomposes, the shape and surface marking of the organism is reflected
Mold fossils
71
originates from mold fossil, occurs when mold fossil is filled with minerals which harden and makes a replica of the original fossil
cast fossils
71
originates from mold fossil, occurs when mold fossil is filled with minerals which harden and makes a replica of the original fossil
cast fossils
72
indirect evidence of past life, tracks left behind by animals or plants
track fossils (ichnofossils)
73
fossils of entire bodies of plants or animals, they form when plants or animals are trapped in ice, tar or tree sap over many years
true-form fossils
74
marker fossils used to define periods of geologic time, correlation and age of rock sequences
index fossils (guide fossils)
75
characteristics to be an index fossil
1. an organism must have lived only during a short part of the Earth's history 2. the organism must be unique or distinctive 3. fossil must be found over a wide area of the earth 4. fossil of the organism must be found in rock layers or should be abundant
76
process y which organic material becomes fossil and is turned into a stony substance through replacement of the original pore spaces with minerals
petrification

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