Lecture 1: Introduction Flashcards
the study of earth, extra-terrestrial lives in the universe, processes on and beneath the Earth’s surface and earth’s resources.
Geology
Geology is the study of * , * in the universe, * on and beneath the Earth’s surface and earth’s *.
earth, extra-terrestrial lives, processes, resources
3 things important to geology
- Relevance of time – History of Earth “deep time”
- Issue of Scale – macro vs micro (rock); small vs large (map); local vs regional (fault system)
- Complexity – simulation of fault (different complex processes)
- Composition and processes beneath and on the surface of the Earth
Physical Geology
- Origin and development through time
Historical Geology
Example of Physical geology
- Volcanology
- Seismology
- Environmental Geology
- Engineering Geology
- Mining Geology; Petroleum Geology
- Mineralogy; Petrology (rock)
- Geomorphology
- Geophysics and Geochemistry
- Planetary Geology
Example of Historical geology
- Paleontology (Fossils)
- Stratigraphy (sequence of strata)
- Geochronology (detailed geologic time scale)
- Earth’s features are shaped by sudden and often worldwide great catastrophes
Catastrophism
Catastrophism is coined by *, and proposed by *
William Whewell, Baron Georges Cuvier
- Physical, chemical and biological laws that operate today also operated in the geologic past
Uniformitarianism
Father of Modern Geology
“Present is key to the past”
James Hutton
Earth’s large scale features
Which are stable places?
- Mountain Belts -
* Young mountain belts - circumpacific; Himalaya Mts (ring of Pacific Ocean)
* Old mountain belts – Appalachian Mts - Shields - Canadian Shield
- Stable Platform
Shields covered by sedimentary rock; large areas mainly composed of crystalline rock
Stable platform
Ocean Basin {seafloor} features
- Continental shelf
- Continental slope
- Abyssal plain
- Mid oceanic ridge
- Trench
- Seamount
- Guyot
- Submarine canyon
Explain the origin of the moon
pass
Explain the origin of the atmosphere
pass
Where did the water in Earth’s ocean come from?
*Rain, Bombardment by comets; balls of ice that collide with earth; 20 balls per minute
Why is the water saline?
- Outgassing produced acidic condition
* Oceans become depository for products of weathering (dissolved compounds) and CO2
Fun Fact about Solar System *Venus – *Mars Gas Giants Jupiter, Saturn: Uranus Neptune
*Venus – hottest (867 F)
*Mars might have supported life
Gas Giants
Jupiter, Saturn: H, He
Uranus (rotation on its side)
Neptune (coldest)
{Rock, Ice, no solid surface}
{collection of debris; edge of the solar system}
Oort cloud
Solar system configuration
Sun - Terrestrial planets – Asteroid belt – Jovian Planets – Kuiper Belt (Ceres) – Oort Cloud
Largest and deepest ocean:
Pacific Ocean
Highest Mountain:
Mt Everest
Surface locations farthest from the center of the Earth:
Mount Chimborazo, Mount Huascaian
Longest River:
Nile River
Largest Lake:
Caspian Sea
Largest Island:
Greenland
Location of Solar System in the Milky way galaxy:
Orion Spur
