Geology Exam 1 Review Flashcards
To prepare for Exam 1
A deep, vertical fault along which two plates slide past one another in opposite directions
Transform
Type of lava flow with surfaces of rough, jagged blocks with dangerously sharp edges and spiny projections
Aa
Particles in the outer shell of an atom that interact with other atoms to form chemical bonds
Valence Electrons
The stratovolcano that destroyed the city of Pompeii
Mt. Vesuvius
Hardest known substance in nature
Diamond
Pull-apart rift zones are generally associated with a ________ plate boundary
Divergent
Area where cooler, older, oceanic lithosphere sinks into the mantle
Subduction zone at convergent boundaries
Resistance to flow
Viscosity
Parent material for igneous rocks
Magma
Hot gases infused with incandescent ash and large lava fragments
Pyroclastic Flows
Open cavity in a volcanic rock that was filled by a gas bubble when the lava was still mainly liquid
Vesicle
Example of a basaltic shield volcano
Kilauea, Mauna Loa
Found in Hawaii
A tentative explanation that is then tested to determine if it’s valid
Hypothesis
The intrusive version of basalt, mainly composed of sodium and/or calcium feldspars and pyroxene
Gabbro
Well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain scientific observations
Theory
Texture with large crystals embedded in a matrix of smaller crystals
Porphyritic
NaCl
Salt
Funnel shaped depression less than 1 km in length
Crater
The scientist who proposed the Theory of Plate Tectonics in 1915
Alfred Wegener
Type of fracture for obsidian
Conchoidal
Process by which rocks break down in place to produce soils and sediments
Weathering
Volcano whose eruptive activity is most likely to be highly explosive
Mt Fuji (Stratovolcano)
A super continent that once existed consisting of all of Earth’s landmasses
Pangaea
Visible quartz and potassium feldspar grains are the main constituents in this rock
Granite
An incomprehensibly large explosion that sent all matter of the universe flying outward at incredible speeds
Big Bang
Mineral with a hardness of 7
Quartz
Overall appearance of an igneous rock based on the size, shape, and arrangement of mineral grains
Texture
Needs to be naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, with a definite crystalline structure, and with a definite chemical composition
Mineral
Describes the light reflecting characteristics of a mineral
Luster
The color of a mineral in powder form
Streak
Rocks formed by crystallization and consolidation of molten magma
Igneous Rock
The strong tendency of certain minerals to break along smooth, parallel planes
Cleavage
The active volcanic area surrounding the Pacific Ocean
Ring Of Fire
What is the unit that denotes the purity of gold used in jewelry?
Karat
Process in which facts are gathered through observation to formulate scientific hypotheses and theories
Scientific Method
What elements form a tetrahedron?
Si and O
A basic reference that divides the Earth into eons, eras, periods, and epochs
Geologic Timescale
