Exam 3 Flashcards
How do we date geologically (relative versus absolute)?
Relative and absolute dating techniques
assumes the same physical processes that are occurring today have operated throughout geologic time
uniformitarianism
What is superposition?
younger rocks are superimposed on top of older rocks
What are cross-cutting relationships?
Geologic features such as faults that cut across rock must be younger than the rock cut through
What is the structure of Earth?
Core,Mantle, Moho, Crust
inorganic, natural compound with a specific chemical formula and possessing a crystalline structure
Mineral
What are the types of minerals?
Silicates
Oxides
Sulfides & Sulfates
Carbonates
What is the most prevalent in our crust?
Oxygen
an idealized cycle of processes undergone by rocks in the earth’s crust, involving igneous intrusion, uplift, erosion, transportation, deposition as sedimentary rock, metamorphism, remelting, and further igneous intrusion.
rock cycle
What’s the difference between igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks? What are some examples?
F
The way they are formed.
Igneous is formed by from the cooling of liquid hot magma.
EX. Granite
Metamorphic is formed by a physical and chemical changes brought on by increased pressure and heat
EX. Marble
Sedimentary is formed by loose clasts (grains or fragments) are cemented together
EX. Sandstone
is the theory that Earth’s outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle, the rocky inner layer above the core.
Plate tectonics
What are the different plate boundaries and how do they move in relation to each other?
Divergent, Convergent, and transform plate boundaries.
Divergent- two plates moving away
Convergent- two plates move towards
Transform- two plates sliding past each other
What is stress?
force over a given area
What is strain and what happens when Earth is strained (i.e., folds and faults)?
how rocks respond to stress
Folding (bending)
Faulting (breaking)
What are the three types of faults?
Normal
Reverse
Strike-Slip (Left and Right Lateral)
Sudden movements along plate boundaries, releasing enormous amounts of energy.
Earthquake
What type of activity occurs at a volcano?
Effusive eruptions and Explosive eruptions
How does viscosity and gas build up change the type of volcano?
It changes the type of volcanic landforms
Viscosity effects if the volcano will actually have flowing lava or not
What is the difference between a composite and shield volcano?
Shield Volcanoes are generally not very high and the magma they produce is quite runny.
A Composite Volcano is the cone shaped volcano. When they erupt, they produce lots of ash and quite little magma.
any process that wears down or rearranges landforms
denudation
What are examples of Physical and Chemical weathering
Example of Physical: Frost wedging, root wedging, Salt wedging, Thermal Expansion, animal attack and wind
example of chemical: Dissolution, Hydrolysis, Oxidation, hydration.
What is karst topography and what are some of the features?
Limestone areas chemically weathered by moisture
Caves, Caverns and sinkholes
How does karst topography form?
Limestone dominated by calcium carbonate (>80%)
Existing jointing (water can move through)
Aerated portions underground
Groundwater and vegetation
What is mass movement? What are the classes? How are they different (speed and water content)
Any unit movement of a body of material under gravity
Fall (rockfall)
Slide (landslide, slump)
Flow (earthflow/mudflow)
Creep (soil creep)
What are the fluvial processes (function)?
Drainage
Erosion
Transportation
Deposition
an area of land where runoff collects and moves through the same area
Drainage Basin
What are the different types of materials carried by streamflow?
sediments and rocks
What are the different types of streams and what are some of the characteristic features?
Braided – several interconnecting channels
Meandering – a single winding channel