Exam 3 Flashcards

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1
Q

How do we date geologically (relative versus absolute)?

A

Relative and absolute dating techniques

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2
Q

assumes the same physical processes that are occurring today have operated throughout geologic time

A

uniformitarianism

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3
Q

What is superposition?

A

younger rocks are superimposed on top of older rocks

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4
Q

What are cross-cutting relationships?

A

Geologic features such as faults that cut across rock must be younger than the rock cut through

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5
Q

What is the structure of Earth?

A

Core,Mantle, Moho, Crust

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6
Q

inorganic, natural compound with a specific chemical formula and possessing a crystalline structure

A

Mineral

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7
Q

What are the types of minerals?

A

Silicates
Oxides
Sulfides & Sulfates
Carbonates

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8
Q

What is the most prevalent in our crust?

A

Oxygen

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9
Q

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.

A

rock cycle

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10
Q

What’s the difference between igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks? What are some examples?

F

A

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

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11
Q

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.

A

Plate tectonics

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12
Q

What are the different plate boundaries and how do they move in relation to each other?

A

Divergent, Convergent, and transform plate boundaries.
Divergent- two plates moving away
Convergent- two plates move towards
Transform- two plates sliding past each other

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13
Q

What is stress?

A

force over a given area

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14
Q

What is strain and what happens when Earth is strained (i.e., folds and faults)?

A

how rocks respond to stress
Folding (bending)
Faulting (breaking)

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15
Q

What are the three types of faults?

A

Normal
Reverse
Strike-Slip (Left and Right Lateral)

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16
Q

Sudden movements along plate boundaries, releasing enormous amounts of energy.

A

Earthquake

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17
Q

What type of activity occurs at a volcano?

A

Effusive eruptions and Explosive eruptions

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18
Q

How does viscosity and gas build up change the type of volcano?

A

It changes the type of volcanic landforms

Viscosity effects if the volcano will actually have flowing lava or not

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19
Q

What is the difference between a composite and shield volcano?

A

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.

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20
Q

any process that wears down or rearranges landforms

A

denudation

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21
Q

What are examples of Physical and Chemical weathering

A

Example of Physical: Frost wedging, root wedging, Salt wedging, Thermal Expansion, animal attack and wind

example of chemical: Dissolution, Hydrolysis, Oxidation, hydration.

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22
Q

What is karst topography and what are some of the features?

A

Limestone areas chemically weathered by moisture

Caves, Caverns and sinkholes

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23
Q

How does karst topography form?

A

Limestone dominated by calcium carbonate (>80%)
Existing jointing (water can move through)
Aerated portions underground
Groundwater and vegetation

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24
Q

What is mass movement? What are the classes? How are they different (speed and water content)

A

Any unit movement of a body of material under gravity

Fall (rockfall)
Slide (landslide, slump)
Flow (earthflow/mudflow)
Creep (soil creep)

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25
Q

What are the fluvial processes (function)?

A

Drainage
Erosion
Transportation
Deposition

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26
Q

an area of land where runoff collects and moves through the same area

A

Drainage Basin

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27
Q

What are the different types of materials carried by streamflow?

A

sediments and rocks

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28
Q

What are the different types of streams and what are some of the characteristic features?

A

Braided – several interconnecting channels

Meandering – a single winding channel

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29
Q

What are floods and how do we rate them?

A

when high water levels overflows the natural banks and levees of a river

Floods are rated statistically by their probability of reoccurrence

30
Q

How does wind affect our Earth?

A

Deflationand Abrasion

31
Q

What are the three climate controls?

A
Subtropical highs (15-35oN&S) 
Rain shadows of mountains 
Continentality
32
Q

What are the desert fluvial landforms?

A
Flash flood
Wash
Playa 
Exotic streams 
Alluvial Fan 
Bajada
33
Q

What is desertification? What are the problems associated with this?

A

Expansion of deserts

Problems include dust storms, loss of water resources, spread of diseases

34
Q

What are the deserts of North America?

A

Chihuahuan
Sonoran
Great Basin
Mojave

35
Q

an accumulation of snow and ice, that last all year long, that is thick enough to flow downhill under its own weight (gravity).

A

• A glacier

36
Q

What are the 2 types of glaciers and what are examples?

A

mountain: piedmont glacier
Continental: Iceland

37
Q

How do glaciers move?

A

Basal sliding

Plastic deformation

38
Q

What’s the difference between the zone of accumulation and zone of ablation?

A

accumulation: area of net snow addition.

zone of ablation: area of net ice loss.

39
Q

What is occurring in these zones during a time of glacial advancement, or glacial retreat?

A

If accumulation = ablation, the glacial toe stays in the same place.
If accumulation > ablation, the glacial toe advances.
If accumulation If accumulation

40
Q

How do glaciers modify the landscape (erosional and depositional landforms)?

A

Erosion
Transport
Deposition

41
Q

What causes the ice ages?

A
  • Plate tectonics
  • Distribution of continents toward high latitudes
  • Oceanic currents
42
Q

What is the Core?

A

Inner – Solid iron Outer – molten iron; magnetic field generated

43
Q

What is the mantle?

A

Lower – rigid (solid); silicates rich in iron and magnesium Upper – more silicates

44
Q

What is Moho?

A

Moho:Separates crust from upper mantle

45
Q

What is the crust?

A

Oceanic (more dense) Continental (less dense)

46
Q

Rigid rock comprising the crust (oceanic and continental) as well as the underlying rock

A

Lithosphere

47
Q

Plastic or mushy upper part of the mantle
Convective movements in
this layer drive movements of the crustal plate

A

Asthenosphere

48
Q

Amount of energy released in an earthquake

A

Magnitude

49
Q

spot along fault where quake originates

A

Focus

50
Q

point on surface directly above the focus

A

Epicenter

51
Q

is based on amplitude of seismic waves, which is related to energy released.

A

Richter’s scale

52
Q

How do glaciers form?

A

Snowfall accumulates and survives the following summer.

Snow is transformed into ice.

53
Q

is establish a sequence of events without knowing exactly how long ago they occurred.

A

Relative

54
Q

establish when an event took place in the past.

A

Absolute

55
Q

Why is the hot inner core solid?

A

Increased temperature with higher pressure

56
Q

Continental Crust is _____dense.

Oceanic Crust is _______ dense.

A

Less

more

57
Q

vertical elevation difference in the landscape

A

Relief

58
Q

the undulating form of the Earth’s surface, including its relief (topographic maps)

A

Topography

59
Q

What are the three types of stress?

A

Tension (stretching)
Compression (shortening)
Shear (twisting and tearing)

60
Q

is the breaking of rock without any chemical alterations

A

Physical weathering

61
Q

is the decomposition of minerals that make up rocks by chemical processes

A

Chemical weathering

62
Q

What are the process of denudation?

A
Weathering 
Mass Movement 
Erosion 
Transportation 
Deposition
63
Q

what are the typical drainage patterns?

A

Dendritic:Branching or tree-like
Trellis: Trunk stream flows through resistant rocks, tributaries flow between ridges

64
Q

deposition of sediments

*slower velocity (decreasing capacity and competency)

A

Aggradation

65
Q

the removal of sediments and rock *faster velocity (increasing capacity and competency)

A

Degradation

66
Q

lifting and removal of individual loose particles

A

Deflation

67
Q

grinding of rock surfaces with a “sandblasting” action

A

Abrasion

68
Q

What contributes to destertification?

A

Poor agricultural practices (e.g., overgrazing,
and other soil structure and fertility abuse) Improper soil-moisture management
Erosion and salinization
Deforestation
Ongoing climate change
Population increase
Lack of regulations and policy

69
Q

a long-lived block of durable continental crust commonly found in the stable interior of a continent (“nucleus” on which continent “grows”)

A

Craton

70
Q

Work of wind

A

Eolian