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Geology > EES 1 Exam 3 > Flashcards

EES 1 Exam 3 Flashcards

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1
Q

The names of all the Eons and the Eras (not the periods)

A

Phanerozoic Eon: The Modern Eon
Paleozoic Era: Largest mass extinction in Earth’s History.
Mesozoic Era: Dinasaur
Cenozoic Era: Ice Age
Precambrian Time: Earth is being formed
Harden: Formation of Solar System
Archean: Atmosphere was forming
Protozoic Era: First abundant living fossil

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2
Q

What is considered to be the age of invertebrates? Dinosaurs? Mammals?

A

Invertebrates: Paleozoic Era 534 - 248 mya
Dinosaurs: Mesozoic Era 248-64 mya
Mammals: Cenozoic Era 65 mya-present

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3
Q

Are geologists more concerned with sequence of events or precise dates given in years?

A

Sequence of Events

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4
Q

What methods/principals do geologists use to determine the relative ages in a rock sequence?

A
  1. Principle of superposition
  2. Principle of Original Horizontally
  3. Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships
  4. Principle of Inclusions
  5. Principle of Fossil Succession
  6. Lateral Continuity
  7. Unconformities
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5
Q

What is the difference between relative and numerical age dating?

A

Relative: Numerical order
Numerical: Age or Range in years

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6
Q

Who discovered radioactive decay?

A

Henri Becquerel

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7
Q

How was the geologic time scale constructed?

A
  1. Relative dating
  2. Fossil Correlation
  3. Time Unit Naming
  4. Radiometric Dating
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8
Q

How did John Joly and Lord Kelvin attempt to figure out the age of the Earth?

A

Lord Kelvin: Molten Rocks
John Joly: Salt to accumulate in Ocean

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9
Q

How did Bishop Ussher calculate the age of Earth? What age did he come up with?

A

Adding up the ages in the Bible 4004 years

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10
Q

What is a half-life?

A

The amount of time it takes for half of something to decay

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11
Q

How old is Earth?

A

4.54 Billion Years old

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12
Q

What are the oldest grains found on Earth?

A

Zircons: 4.2 – 4.4 billion years old

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13
Q

What is uniformitarianism?

A

Uniformitarianism is the geological principle that the processes shaping the Earth today

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14
Q

What are some geometric tools geologists use to determine geologic ages?

A

Superposition, Cross Cutting Relations, Age of Inclusions

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15
Q

Law of superposition

A

Law of superposition, a major principle of stratigraphy stating that within a sequence of layers of sedimentary rock, the oldest layer is at the base and that the layers are progressively younger with ascending order in the sequence.

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16
Q

Cross Cutting Relations

A

Cross-cutting relationships is a principle of geology that states that the geologic feature which cuts another is the younger of the two features

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17
Q

Age of Inclusions

A

If a rock or mineral contains fragments (inclusions) of another rock, the inclusions must be older than the rock they’re inside.

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18
Q

What types of life can be fossilized?

A

All life

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19
Q

What are unaltered fossils

A

Unaltered fossils are fossils that preserve the original material of the organism with little or no change since the time it died

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20
Q

What are the types of altered fossils?

A

Altered fossils are fossils where the original material of the organism has been changed chemically or physically over time

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21
Q

What are pseudo fossils?

A

Pseudo fossils are not real fossils—they just look like fossils but are actually formed by natural, non-biological processes

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22
Q

What are trace fossils?

A

Trace fossils are evidence of an organism’s activity, rather than the actual remains of its body. (Poop, Footprints, more)

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23
Q

What types of fossil organisms are found in California?

Study These Flashcards
A

ancient oceans to volcanic fields and prehistoric forests

24
Q

Salutation

Study These Flashcards
A

Got it! Saltation in geology refers to the process by which sediment particles, typically sand or gravel, are transported in a series of short jumps or bounces along the surface, often due to wind or water.

25
Confined Aquifer
A confined aquifer is a type of underground water reservoir that is trapped between two impermeable layers of rock or sediment, such as clay or solid rock.
26
Unconfined Aquifer
An unconfined aquifer is an underground water reservoir where the water is not trapped by an impermeable layer above it. In other words, the aquifer is open to the surface and can receive water directly from the ground above, allowing for easy recharge and interaction with surface water.
27
How much of the surface of Earth is covered by water?
71%
28
How is velocity distributed in a river? I.e. where is it fastest?
In the middle of a straight section it's the fastest
29
How does a braided stream differ from a meandering stream?
A braided stream and a meandering stream are both types of river channels, but they differ significantly in their appearance, flow patterns, and the type of environments where they are found
30
What types of rocks make good aquifers?
Rocks that store and transfer water well, for example, Sandstone, Limestone, Gravel, Basalt, and more
31
What are some of the factors that control stream velocity?
Slope, channel shape, channel roughness, Water discharge, Sediment load
32
What is the difference between porosity and permeability?
Porosity = How much water a rock can hold. Permeability = How easily water can flow through the rock.
33
How do you calculate the discharge of a stream?
Q = A x V Q = Discharge (measured in cubic feet per second, cfs, or cubic meters per second, cms) A = Cross-sectional area of the stream (measured in square feet, ft², or square meters, m²) V = Velocity of the stream (measured in feet per second, ft/s, or meters per second, m/s)
34
What is an oxbow lake?
An oxbow lake is a crescent-shaped lake that forms when a meandering river or stream changes course and cuts off a meander, creating a separated body of water.
35
What is the difference between the inside and outside of a meander bend?
The outside of a meander bend has faster water flow, leading to erosion and the formation of cutbanks, making it deeper. The inside of the bend has slower flow, which causes sediment deposition to form point bars, making the water shallower. These differences result from the varying flow velocities caused by the curvature of the stream.
36
What river has the largest discharge on Earth?
The Amazon River
37
What river has the largest discharge in the U.S.?
The Mississippi River
38
How is fresh water distributed on Earth?
Ice caps and ground water
39
What is the zone of saturation?
The zone of saturation is the area below the Earth's surface where all the pores and spaces in the soil, sediment, or rock are filled with water
40
What is the zone of aeration?
Where the pore spaces in the soil or rock are filled with a mixture of air and water, rather than being fully saturated with water.
41
How is water stored in granite?
Water is stored in granite in the form of groundwater within its pores and fractures
42
What causes sink holes?
They typically occur in areas where the underlying rock is soluble
43
What is a spring?
A spring is a natural source of groundwater that flows to the Earth's surface.
43
What is an oasis?
An oasis is a fertile area in a desert or semi-desert environment where water is available, either from a natural spring, underground reservoir, or surface water
44
Know how to figure out the direction of water flow on a groundwater map
Contour lines
45
What is subsidence? What causes it to occur?
Subsidence is the sinking or lowering of the Earth's surface due to the settling or collapse of the ground. It can occur gradually over time or suddenly, depending on the cause. Subsidence affects the landscape and can damage infrastructure, buildings, and other structures.
46
What can cause a cone of depression?
Excessive ground pumping
47
What is the main use of water in California?
Agriculture
48
What powers the water cycle?
Solar Energy
49
Why is the study of hydrology (especially groundwater) so important?
It helps us manage out little water better especially here in California
50
What is artesian flow? How is this accomplished?
Artesian flow refers to the natural movement of water to the surface from a confined aquifer without the need for mechanical pumping. This phenomenon occurs when groundwater in a confined aquifer is under pressure
51
What types of things can trigger a landslide?
rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic activity
52
What is the main force acting on landslides?
Gravity
53
What prevents debris from moving?
Whatever resists the gravity, for example friction and shear strength
54
What is the largest landslide ever recorded?
The landslide that set off Mt. Saint Helens

Geology (4 decks)

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