test 2 study guide Flashcards
Know the difference between weathering and erosion.
weathering is destructive processes change the rock physically and chemically. Erosion initial removal of weathered material.
Understand the difference between mechanical and chemical weathering and explain how mechanical weathering speeds chemical weathering.
mechanical is anything that breaks rock up into smaller pieces. Chemical is decomposition of a mineral into new chemical compounds. Mechanical can expose new area’s to atmosphere speeding up chemical weathering.
Understand the concept of equilibrium in chemical weathering.
if something is in equilibrium with surroundings it is considered stable. If not in equilibrium, not stable, will have reaction and change until equilibrium is reached.
Know how carbonic acid is formed and its role in solution and hydrolysis.
CO2 combines with water in atmosphere (raindrop), the Hydrogen looks to kick out the cation.
Name the 4 products of chemical weathering of the crust.
Iron Oxide, Ions, Clay, and Quartz.
Understand climatic effects on chemical weathering.
chemical weathering is slow in dry places and faster in humid wet places
What is the ecological significance of laterite soils?
some of the most nutrient poor soil with some of the most rich ecosystems in the world
. Understand compressive and shear stress and how they align minerals
Shear stress parallel, compressive stress perpendicular
Explain the differences between contact and regional metamorphism, including role of pressure, origin, and resulting texture.
contact: heat from magma body makes the rock, little pressure and results in non foliated texture
regional metamorphism: convergent plate boundaries sheering or squeezing lots of pressure and foliation
List in order the progressive metamorphic series, including parent rock.
Shale, Slate, Phyllite, Schist, Gneiss
Differentiate between detrital and chemical sediments and rocks.
detrital sediments are solid particles like sand gravel and silt. Chemical sediments are dissolved ions
Know detrital grain sizes and their resulting clastic rocks.
Size L to S: Gravel, Sand, Silt, Clay
Corresponding rocks: Breccia and conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, and shale.
Understand how grain size (larger/smaller) and rounding change (increase/decrease) with transport.
The farther sediments have been transported the smaller and more round they become
In what type of tectonic environment are most metamorphic rocks formed? Which plate boundary?
Convergent boundaries
Know the metamorphic equivalents of certain parent rocks and vice versa.
Shale is parent to Hornfels
Basalt is parent to Hornfels
Sandstone is parent to Quartzite
Limestone is parent to Marble
Know the definition of crossbedding, mud cracks, and ripple marks.
cross bedding- thin layers of rock inclined at an angle to the more nearly horizontal bedding planes of larger rock
mud crack- crack formed in very fine grained sediment as it dries
ripple marks- small ridges formed on sediment surfaces exposed to wind or water are perpendicular to the motion.
Be able to list common environments of deposition for sandstone, shale, limestone, and conglomerate.
Sandstone- high energy, River, Alluvial Fan, and Beach
Shale- Low energy, lake, lagoon, deep sea, and low energy rivers
Limestone- Reef
Conglomerate- high energy, River, Alluvial Fan,
Be able to explain the effect on slope stability: Slope angle
stable on gentle slopes or horizontal surface, unstable on steep or vertical slope
Be able to explain the effect on slope stability: debris thickness
stable on slight thickness, unstable at great thickness.
Be able to explain the effect on slope stability: plane orientation
stable for planes at right angles to hillside slopes. Unstable for planes parallel to hillside slopes
Be able to explain the effect on slope stability: Vegetation
stable in heavy vegetation, unstable in light vegetation
