GEO Exam #2 Flashcards

1
Q

Stratigraphy

A

The study of layered rocks

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2
Q

Unconformity

A

A gap in the layers of rocks caused by erosion or no new layers

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3
Q

Conformable

A

Strata that have been deposited one right after the other

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4
Q

What are the 3 types of Unconformities?

A

Disconformity, Non-conformity and angular unconformity

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5
Q

What is a Disconformity?

A

Between Parallel beds of younger rock and older rock that represents a period of erosion or non-deposition

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6
Q

What is a Non-conformity?

A

Occurs between sedimentary rocks deposited on top of intrusive Igneous or Metamorphic rocks

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7
Q

Angular Unconformity

A

The layers below are inclined at an angle different from the layers above it

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8
Q

Principle of Lateral Continuity (Who? What is it?)

A

Nicolas Steno

Layers of sediment extend laterally in all directions until they terminate

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9
Q

Principle of Fossil Succession (Who? What is it? My words?)

A

William Smith

Fossils occur in strata in a regular and determinable order

(We will see the same patterns at multiple sites)

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10
Q

Sedimentary Facies

A

A deposit of sedimentry rock that has different characteristics than the other rocks around it

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11
Q

How can sediment facies indicate changes at sea level?

A

Shows rise and fall of sea level affect the type of facies and when it is deposited

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12
Q

Describe Marine Transgression
-What is it?
-What migrates where?
-What’s at the bottom of the column?

A

-Rise in sea level
-Water migrates toward the land
-Land was there first and will be at the bottom of the column

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13
Q

Describe Marine Regression
-What is it?
-What migrates where?
-What’s at the bottom of the column?

A

-Drop in sea level
-Land moves toward the sea, making more land exposed
-Limestone was at the bottom of the ocean and was there first, so limestone will be at the bottom of the column

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14
Q

Walther’s Law of Facies

A

A vertical sequence of facies will be the product of a series of depositional environments that lay laterally adjacent to each other.

(If you take the column and flip it on its side, that will show the side-by-side relationship as it was formed)

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15
Q

What is Correlation?

A

the process of establishing which layers of rock are of the same position and age in different locations

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16
Q

What is Lithostratigraphy Correlation?

A

establishing the age of strata by its rock type

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17
Q

What is Biostratigraphic Zone Correlation?

A

establishing the age of strata by its fossil content

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18
Q

What must a layer of strata in lithostratigraphic correlation have to be considered a formation?

A
  1. An obvious top and bottom
  2. Be mappable across wide areas in multiple locations
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19
Q

What are the two points in time that a Biozone marks in biostratigraphic zone correlation?

A

1) time of origin
2) time of extinction

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20
Q

What is a Guide fossil?

A

An easily identified fossil used for determining relative age of strata in different areas

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21
Q

What 3 things must a Guide Fossil be/have?

A
  1. Be well preserved
  2. have a wide geographic distribution
  3. have a short stratigraphic lifespan
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22
Q

What is a Body Fossil?

A

Remains of ancient organisms
ex: bones, teeth, shells, “The hard parts”

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23
Q

What is a Trace Fossil?

A

Record of a behavior or activity left behind by organisms
ex: tracks, trails and burrows

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24
Q

Sediment sizes smallest to largest

A

clay, silt, sand, gravel

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25
What rock does clay become?
Shale
26
What rock does silt become?
Siltstone
27
What rock does sand become?
Sandstone
28
What 2 types of rock does granite become and what makes them different from each other?
Conglomerate- smooth Breccia- angular
29
well-sorted sedimentary rock? Example?
Grains are the same size & transported a long way Ex: Sandstone in deserts
30
What are the Characteristics of a poorly sorted sediment rock? Example?
Grains are mixed sizes & transported a short distance Ex: conglomerate at a river bank
31
There are two rock shape types. What are they? _________ distance over a ________ time
Angular or Rounded; Angular- short distance over a short time Rounded- far distance over a long time
32
What is the difference in the energy and distance travelled of moving small/fine grains vs. large/coarse grains?
-small/fine grains- take less energy, go farther from the source -large/coarse grains- take more energy and stay closer to their source
33
What is Bedding?
the arrangement of sedimentary rocks in beds or layers
34
Sizes of bedding vs. lamination.
Bedding is over 1cm thick. Lamination is under 1 cm thick.
35
What is a Bedding Plane?
The boundary between beds that separates the layers/strata. (the line in between)
36
What does a bedding plane indicate?
Something has happened! A change in the environment or composition
37
What does a rock with Graded bedding look like? What does this rock represent?
-layers of sediment gradually change from coarse sediment at the bottom to fine sediment at the top. -Represents a change in energy. *(larger pieces are the heaviest, oldest and are harder to move)
38
What is Cross-bedding? Moved by? Exception to?
-Layers of sandstone at different angles that intersect with each other -Moved by wind or water -Exception to the Principle of Original Horizontality
39
What is a Turbidity Current?
underwater flow of grains down slope
40
What is an asymmetrical current?
A current moving in one direction
41
What are ripple marks?
Marks on stone that are caused by small waves in one direction
42
What are oscillation ripple marks?
Marks in a stone caused by symmetrical back and forth of gentle waves
43
Theory of Evolution
"Change over time"; All organisms have descended with modifications from ancestors that lived during the past
44
Explain Lamarck's Theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics. The example he uses? What was the problem with this theory?
-Characteristics acquired during an individual's lifetime can be inherited by descendants. -Giraffes stretch their necks so much that the neck gets longer, and then they pass that one to offspring. -Genetic characteristics cannot be altered by an organism during its lifetime.
45
Define Adaptation.
Organisms adjusting to their environment to improve chance of survival.
46
What is Artificial Selection? Examples?
Selectively breeding plants and animals with desirable traits Ex: Vegetables that are bigger and domestic dog breeds
47
The basic idea behind Natural Selection? Example?
A natural process was selecting a few individuals for survival (Ex: The moth)
48
4 Main Concepts of Natural Selection?
1. They possess inheritable variations 2. some variations are more favorable than others 3. not all young survive 4. organisms with favorable variations are more likely to survive and pass them on
49
Who is Mendel?
1860s, an Austrian monk who was interested in and experimented with plants
50
Definition of Gene?
the basic unit of heredity passed from parent to child
51
Definition of Allele?
Alternate version of a specific gene; new versions of old genes Ex: yellow eye color gene vs. red eye color gene
52
What was Mendel's Experiment?
focused on pea plants crossbred a wide array of variates and recorded how traits were passed down to the next generation; Introduced dominant and recessive genes
53
How did Mendel's experiment support the concept of Natural Selection?
Not only attributed to environmental factors, but now also describes the changes in how genes are inherited from one generation to the next
54
Lithostratigraphic correlation uses what to correlate stratigraphic sections?
ROCK TYPES (LITHOLOGY) THAT OCCUR AS MAPPABLE FORMATIONS
55
Which of the following would likely occur during a period of marine transgression?
SEA LEVEL WOULD RISE & SHORELINE WOULD MIGRATE INLAND sand would be on the bottom
56
The Principle of __________ is the idea that ancient life forms succeeded one another through time in a regular, determinable order and that the contained assemblage of fossils can determine geologic ages of strata
PRINCIPLE OF FOSSIL SUCCESSION
57
What name is given to the tracks, trails, and burrows of ancient organisms?
TRACE FOSSIL
58
According to the Theory of ___________, all organisms have descended with modification from ancestors that lived during the past
Evolution
59
Silt swept back and forth by water in a tidal flat will cause which of the following?
OSCILLATION RIPPLE MARKS
60
Pieces of gravel transported by water currents for long periods of time will become more angular in shape given enough time. True or False?
False
61
Briefly describe the difference between a body fossil and a trace fossil.
TRACE- EVIDENCE OF ACTIVITY BY AN ORGANISM; BODY- ACTUAL REMAINS OF ORGANISM