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geology > Key Definitions > Flashcards

Key Definitions Flashcards

minerals, igneous rocks

1
Q

mineral

A

naturally occurring substance having a definite composition and crystalline structure

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2
Q

rock

A

aggregate or mixture of one or more minerals

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3
Q

sublimination

A

the transition of a substance directly from solid to gas whithout passing the intermidiate liquid phase

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4
Q

lusture

A

surface appearance, as it interacts with light

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5
Q

crystal

A

a solid wit plane faces formed when atoms are arranged in a structurally ordered pattern

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6
Q

glass

A

an amorphous solid with no crystalline structure

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7
Q

grain boundary

A

the line of contact between mineral crystals in a rock

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8
Q

cations

A

atoms that have lost electrons leaving them with a net positive charge

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9
Q

anions

A

atoms that have gained electrons leaving them negative

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10
Q

covalent bond

A

formed by the sharing of a pair of electrons

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11
Q

tetrahedron

A

a solid contained by 4 triangular plane faces

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12
Q

solid solution

A

describes two end member crystals with defined compositions, within which one or more atoms may be substituted for the original atom in a solid state, without changing the structure and allowing varied compositions between the end members

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13
Q

bridging oxygen

A

an oxygen atom shared by two SiO4 tetrahedra in a crystal structure

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14
Q

polymers

A

consist of repeating chains of smaller molecules (monomers)

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15
Q

magma accumulation

A

magma collecting in a magma chamberin

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16
Q

intrusions

A

igneous rock formed below he earths surface, magma forced into pre-existing rocks

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17
Q

extrusions

A

the emission of magma onto the earths surface where is forms a lava flow

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18
Q

foliation

A

a texture in metamorphic rocks formed by the pre-alignment of flat/tabular minerals

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19
Q

deposition

A

the laying down of sediment that occurring when transporting agent loses energy

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20
Q

weathering

A

the breakdown of rocks in situ

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21
Q

erosion

A

the removal of weathered material, usually by physical actions of transported fragments

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22
Q

transport

A

weathered material is moved from one place to another by: wind, water, ice or gravity

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23
Q

uplift

A

the return of buried rocks to the earths surface by tectonic forces

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24
Q

igneous rocks

A

rocks cooled from magma

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25
Q

phenocrysts

A

large crystals in an igneous rock, much larger than the groundmass

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26
Q

essential mineral

A

minerals used to classify igneous rocks- other minerals may be present by aren’t used for classification

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27
Q

felsic minerals

A

light coloured, silica rich

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28
Q

magma

A

molten rock, beneath the earth surface

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29
Q

mafic minerals

A

dark coloured, silica poor and rich in magnesium and iron

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30
Q

flow banding

A

formed by friction as the magma or lava slows down near an interface, aligning the minerals as it moves

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31
Q

conchoidal

A

fracture which results i a curved surface

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32
Q

vesicular

A

a rock which contains vesicles- gas bubbles which came out of solution as a result of pressure release

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33
Q

porphyritic

A

phenocrysts completely surrounded by a ground mass

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34
Q

equigranular

A

crystals in a rock are approximately the same size

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35
Q

amygdaloidal

A

large vesicles have been filled with a secondary material

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36
Q

lava

A

molten rock that cools at the surface

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37
Q

ophiolites

A

sections of the earths oceanic crust that have been tectonically moved onto continental crust

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38
Q

hypabyssal

A

igneous rocks forming at relatively shallow depths below the surface

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39
Q

plutonic

A

igneous rocks forming deep below the surface

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40
Q

euhedral

A

crystals are well formed wit good crystal faces

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41
Q

equant

A

crystals have all axes the same length,

sub-equant- almost all axes the same length

42
Q

prismatic

A

4 or more sides but are elongated in one direction

43
Q

anhedral

A

poorly shown crystal faces

44
Q

subhedral

A

some well-formed faces

45
Q

volcanoes

A

vents at the surface of the earth which magma and other volcanic materials are ejected

46
Q

low viscosity

A

magma or lava flow freely, fluid, runny

47
Q

shield volcanoes

A

gentle slopes less than 10 degrees, roughly circular shape with a central vent

48
Q

fissure erruptions

A

magma reaching the surface along long linear cracks

49
Q

submarine eruptions

A

magma coming from a vent or fissure on the sea floor

50
Q

composite volcanoes

A

tall. conical shaped and composed of alternating layers of lava and ash

51
Q

caldera

A

large volcanic crater that has undergone collapse, following an eruption

52
Q

adiabatic process

A

a thermodynamic process in which no heat enters or leaves the system during expansion or compression

53
Q

adiabatic cooling

A

occurs when crust or mantle material rises, undergoes expansion and the temperature falls; no loss of gain of thermal energy

54
Q

adiabatic heating

A

occurs when crust or mantle material descends and temperature rises as it contracts; no loss or gain of thermal energy

55
Q

divergent plate margins

A

two plates moving apart and magma is rising between them

56
Q

partial melting

A

some of the minerals writhing the rock melt to form a magma

57
Q

hot spots

A

fixed mantle plume bringing magma to the surface

58
Q

convergent plate margin

A

two plates colliding and magma is formed above called a subduction zone or deep in the crust

59
Q

batholith

A

very large igneous intrusion, with an undefined depth, in the crust

60
Q

decompression melting

A

accounts for most volcanism, including mid-ocean ridges and hotspots

61
Q

concordant

A

intrusion of parallel to existing bed

62
Q

discordant

A

intrusion cut across the existing bed

63
Q

country rock

A

any rock into which an igneous rock intrudes

64
Q

dyke

A

discordant intrusion

65
Q

sill

A

concordant intrusion

66
Q

minor intrusions

A

cool at hypabyssal depth below the surface and include dykes and sills

67
Q

diapir

A

body of relatively low density material that pierces and rises up through overlying material of a higher density

68
Q

contact

A

where the igneous rock meets the country rock

69
Q

baked margins

A

the country rock where it was heated by the intrusion and altered

70
Q

chilled margins

A

where igneous rock has cooled rapidly so it has fine crystals

71
Q

major intrusions

A

plutonic and cool depth below the surface and include batholiths

72
Q

plutons

A

large igneous intrusive bodies,

73
Q

adiabatic process

A

a thermodynamic process in which no heat enters or leaves the system during expansion or compression

74
Q

adiabatic cooling

A

crust or mantle material rises, undergoes expansion and the temperature falls; with no loss of gain of thermal energy

75
Q

adiabatic heating

A

crust or mantle descends, temperature rises as it contracts; no loss or gain of thermal anergy

76
Q

divergent plate margin

A

two plates are moving apart from each other and magma is rising up between them

77
Q

partial melting

A

some minerals in a magma melting to form a magma

78
Q

hot spots

A

formed by a fixed mantle plume bringing magma to the surface

79
Q

convergent plate margins

A

two plates colliding and magma is formed above subduction zone or deep in the crust

80
Q

batholith

A

large igneous intrusion, with an undefined depth, in the crust

81
Q

decompression melting

A

accounts for most volcanism, including mid-oceanic ridges and hot spots

82
Q

concordant

A

intrusions are parallel to the existing beds

83
Q

discordant

A

rock cuts across the existing beds

84
Q

country rocks

A

any rock that an igneous rock intrudes

85
Q

dyke

A

discordant, sheet-like intrusion

86
Q

minor intrusion

A

cool at hypabyssal depths below the surface, includes sills and dykes

87
Q

sill

A

a concordant, sheet-like intrusion

88
Q

diapir

A

body of relatively low density material that pierces and rises up through overlying material of a higher density rock

89
Q

contact

A

where the igneous rock meets the country rock

90
Q

baked margins

A

in the country rock where it was heated by the igneous intrusion

91
Q

chilled margins

A

igneous rock has cooled rapidly forming fine crystals, within the intrusion

92
Q

major intrusions

A

plutonic and cool deep below the surface, includes batholiths

93
Q

plutons

A

large igneous intrusive body, less than 100cm2

94
Q

metamorphic aureole

A

large area around batholith where the rock has been metamorphosed

95
Q

stoping

A

process that accomodates magma, moving up into country rock, by mechanical fracturing of the surrounding country rock

96
Q

xenoliths

A

clasts or blocks of pre-existing rock contained within an igneous rock

97
Q

assimilation

A

the melting process that incorporates blocks of country rock, freed by stoping, into the magma

98
Q

tiltmeters

A

designed to measure very small changed in vertical level

99
Q

GPS

A

the radio navigation system that allows thedetermination of an exact position

Global Positioning System

100
Q

fumaroles

A

geology (15 decks)

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