Semester 1 Final Exam Study Guide Flashcards
How many mechanical layers of the earth are there?
6
The earth’s magnetic field protects the earth from what?
Solar radiation
The “supercontinent” proposed by the continental drift theory was called what?
Pangea
This event often happens when a dense oceanic plate converges with a less dense continental plate.
Subduction
Which layer is earth’s only liquid layer?
Outer core
When two tectonic plates are moving away from each other, the boundary is called what?
Divergent
Which layer of the earth generates the magnetic field?
Outer core
What natural phenomenon happens when the earth’s magnetic field is overloaded by solar radiation?
Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights)
What is the point IN the earth where an earthquake occurs called?
Focus
What is often times the result of a continental convergent boundary?
Mountain ranges
What are fractures in the earth called?
Faults
What type of fault runs almost vertically through the surface and causes the blocks of the surface to move horizontally to each other?
Strike-slip
What is the place ON THE SURFACE directly above where an earthquake occurs called?
Epicenter
This type of boundary occurs where two tectonic plates move horizontally to each other.
Transform
Why did Mars cool off and lose its magnetic field?
It’s too small of a planet
Which layer of the earth is broken into the tectonic plates?
Lithosphere
Earthquakes release energy in the form of…
Waves
How are metamorphic rocks formed?
Heat and pressure under the earth’s surface
How are igneous rocks formed?
Cooling of magma or lava
How are sedimentary rocks formed?
Weathering and erosion combined with pressure
The surface of sedimentary rocks often contains the remains of dead organisms called…
Fossils
When the surfaces of metamorphic rocks are FOLIATED, they have…
Ribbon-like layers
What is the difference between magma and lava?
Magma is molten rock BELOW the earth’s surface, lava is molten rock ABOVE of the earth’s surface
How is sedimentary rock turned into metamorphic rock?
Sedimentary rock is cemented and compacted by pressure, pushed down into the earth, and when heat is added to the pressure below the surface, it becomes a metamorphic rock
What mineral is a 10 on the Mors scale?
Diamond
Ionic bonds occur when one element does THIS with its electrons with another element
Gives up an electron
Covalent bonds occur where two elements do THIS with their electrons
Share electrons
What is precipitation?
When dissolved minerals come out of water
How are silicates formed?
When magma cools and crystallizes
Silicates are commonly used in what type of everyday product?
Technology
This group is considered inorganic even though they contain carbon
Carbonates
Marble and limestone belong to this mineral group
Carbonates
This group makes up a majority of the earth’s crust
Oxides
Magnetite belongs to this mineral group
Oxides
All minerals in this group contain SO4 in their chemical formula
Sulfates
Minerals in this group are often the product of hydrothermal vents
Sulfides
Salts, including table salt are members of this mineral group
Halides
Diamonds, and many precious metals are members of this mineral group
Native elements
What is weathering?
Wearing away of a surface due to long-term exposure to air, precipitation, elements, etc
This process determines the age of rocks by comparing the laters in which they were found
Relative dating
This geologic dating method is based on the decay of isotopes
Radiometric dating
What do we call any missing or eroded section of a rock layer?
Unconformity
This law states that younger rock layers are deposited on older rock layers
Superposition
This occurs when fossils found in similar rocks, found on different continents, are the same age
Correlation
This law states that rock layers that break through another are young than the rock they break
Cross-cutting relationships
This law states that all rock layers are naturally deposited flat
Original Horizontality
When a fossil species is only found to have lived a “short” period of time and are found in only one rock layer, they are called ________ fossils.
Index fossils
The amount of time it takes for a sample of radioactive material to become stable is called the element’s….
Half-life
Fossils are most commonly found in which rock type?
Sedimentary
What are two factors that promote the fossilization process?
Rapid burial and lack of oxygen
What are the three basic rock types?
Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary
What is the Parent/Daughter ratio of a sample after four half lives?
1:15
