Shaping the surface Flashcards
what is geomorphology
the study of landforms and the processes that shape them
give the 5 main factors that shape landforms
- processes
- climate
- lithology
- relief
- time
what does equifinality mean
similar forms can be made by different processes
how does climate shape landforms
it influences whether various processes occur, it indirectly influences other agents like vegetation
how does lithology shape landforms
rock type impacts the style and rate of denudation eg. joints in rock are places of weakness
how does relief shape landforms
theres more erosion up high and more deposition down low
how does time shape landforms?
landforms are linked to the rate and duration of processes
what is inheritance in terms of landforms
memories in the land show past processes
what is sediment
regolith that has undergone erosional transport and deposition
what is erosion
a set of processes that move weathered particles to a location of deposition
give four modes of transport of sediments
sliding, rolling, saltating and suspension
is more velocity required for erosion or transport
erosion
what are biogenic sediments
the skeletal remains of either plant or animal marine species
what are morphodynamics
how bedforms can change fluid form and fluid form can change bedforms
what is diagenesis
physical and chemical changes in sediments first caused by water-rock interactions, microbial activity, and compaction after their deposition
what principles is stratigraphy based on
original horizontality, superposition and lateral continuity
what is stratigraphic correlation?
ageing rocks by comparing strata found in different areas
what are unconformities
breaks in the stratigraphic record due to non deposition or erosion
in what aspect are metamorphic rocks changed
mineralogy or texture
what is the metamorphic facies concept
for a given range of temp and pressure and given rock composition, assemblage of minerals formed is always the same
types of metamorphism
contact- hot magma injected into the rock
regional- occurs over a large area, lots of mechanical deformation
burial- usually of sedimentary rocks after diagenesis-> pressure
how are variations created in igneous rock
partial or fractional melting, rate of cooling affects crystal size
