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Key Definitions Flashcards

minerals, igneous rocks (100 cards)

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1
Q

mineral

A

naturally occurring substance having a definite composition and crystalline structure

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2
Q

rock

A

aggregate or mixture of one or more minerals

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3
Q

sublimination

A

the transition of a substance directly from solid to gas whithout passing the intermidiate liquid phase

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4
Q

lusture

A

surface appearance, as it interacts with light

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5
Q

crystal

A

a solid wit plane faces formed when atoms are arranged in a structurally ordered pattern

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6
Q

glass

A

an amorphous solid with no crystalline structure

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7
Q

grain boundary

A

the line of contact between mineral crystals in a rock

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8
Q

cations

A

atoms that have lost electrons leaving them with a net positive charge

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9
Q

anions

A

atoms that have gained electrons leaving them negative

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10
Q

covalent bond

A

formed by the sharing of a pair of electrons

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11
Q

tetrahedron

A

a solid contained by 4 triangular plane faces

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12
Q

solid solution

A

describes two end member crystals with defined compositions, within which one or more atoms may be substituted for the original atom in a solid state, without changing the structure and allowing varied compositions between the end members

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13
Q

bridging oxygen

A

an oxygen atom shared by two SiO4 tetrahedra in a crystal structure

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14
Q

polymers

A

consist of repeating chains of smaller molecules (monomers)

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15
Q

magma accumulation

A

magma collecting in a magma chamberin

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16
Q

intrusions

A

igneous rock formed below he earths surface, magma forced into pre-existing rocks

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17
Q

extrusions

A

the emission of magma onto the earths surface where is forms a lava flow

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18
Q

foliation

A

a texture in metamorphic rocks formed by the pre-alignment of flat/tabular minerals

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19
Q

deposition

A

the laying down of sediment that occurring when transporting agent loses energy

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20
Q

weathering

A

the breakdown of rocks in situ

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21
Q

erosion

A

the removal of weathered material, usually by physical actions of transported fragments

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22
Q

transport

A

weathered material is moved from one place to another by: wind, water, ice or gravity

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23
Q

uplift

A

the return of buried rocks to the earths surface by tectonic forces

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24
Q

igneous rocks

A

rocks cooled from magma

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25
phenocrysts
large crystals in an igneous rock, much larger than the groundmass
26
essential mineral
minerals used to classify igneous rocks- other minerals may be present by aren't used for classification
27
felsic minerals
light coloured, silica rich
28
magma
molten rock, beneath the earth surface
29
mafic minerals
dark coloured, silica poor and rich in magnesium and iron
30
flow banding
formed by friction as the magma or lava slows down near an interface, aligning the minerals as it moves
31
conchoidal
fracture which results i a curved surface
32
vesicular
a rock which contains vesicles- gas bubbles which came out of solution as a result of pressure release
33
porphyritic
phenocrysts completely surrounded by a ground mass
34
equigranular
crystals in a rock are approximately the same size
35
amygdaloidal
large vesicles have been filled with a secondary material
36
lava
molten rock that cools at the surface
37
ophiolites
sections of the earths oceanic crust that have been tectonically moved onto continental crust
38
hypabyssal
igneous rocks forming at relatively shallow depths below the surface
39
plutonic
igneous rocks forming deep below the surface
40
euhedral
crystals are well formed wit good crystal faces
41
equant
crystals have all axes the same length, | sub-equant- almost all axes the same length
42
prismatic
4 or more sides but are elongated in one direction
43
anhedral
poorly shown crystal faces
44
subhedral
some well-formed faces
45
volcanoes
vents at the surface of the earth which magma and other volcanic materials are ejected
46
low viscosity
magma or lava flow freely, fluid, runny
47
shield volcanoes
gentle slopes less than 10 degrees, roughly circular shape with a central vent
48
fissure erruptions
magma reaching the surface along long linear cracks
49
submarine eruptions
magma coming from a vent or fissure on the sea floor
50
composite volcanoes
tall. conical shaped and composed of alternating layers of lava and ash
51
caldera
large volcanic crater that has undergone collapse, following an eruption
52
adiabatic process
a thermodynamic process in which no heat enters or leaves the system during expansion or compression
53
adiabatic cooling
occurs when crust or mantle material rises, undergoes expansion and the temperature falls; no loss of gain of thermal energy
54
adiabatic heating
occurs when crust or mantle material descends and temperature rises as it contracts; no loss or gain of thermal energy
55
divergent plate margins
two plates moving apart and magma is rising between them
56
partial melting
some of the minerals writhing the rock melt to form a magma
57
hot spots
fixed mantle plume bringing magma to the surface
58
convergent plate margin
two plates colliding and magma is formed above called a subduction zone or deep in the crust
59
batholith
very large igneous intrusion, with an undefined depth, in the crust
60
decompression melting
accounts for most volcanism, including mid-ocean ridges and hotspots
61
concordant
intrusion of parallel to existing bed
62
discordant
intrusion cut across the existing bed
63
country rock
any rock into which an igneous rock intrudes
64
dyke
discordant intrusion
65
sill
concordant intrusion
66
minor intrusions
cool at hypabyssal depth below the surface and include dykes and sills
67
diapir
body of relatively low density material that pierces and rises up through overlying material of a higher density
68
contact
where the igneous rock meets the country rock
69
baked margins
the country rock where it was heated by the intrusion and altered
70
chilled margins
where igneous rock has cooled rapidly so it has fine crystals
71
major intrusions
plutonic and cool depth below the surface and include batholiths
72
plutons
large igneous intrusive bodies,
73
adiabatic process
a thermodynamic process in which no heat enters or leaves the system during expansion or compression
74
adiabatic cooling
crust or mantle material rises, undergoes expansion and the temperature falls; with no loss of gain of thermal energy
75
adiabatic heating
crust or mantle descends, temperature rises as it contracts; no loss or gain of thermal anergy
76
divergent plate margin
two plates are moving apart from each other and magma is rising up between them
77
partial melting
some minerals in a magma melting to form a magma
78
hot spots
formed by a fixed mantle plume bringing magma to the surface
79
convergent plate margins
two plates colliding and magma is formed above subduction zone or deep in the crust
80
batholith
large igneous intrusion, with an undefined depth, in the crust
81
decompression melting
accounts for most volcanism, including mid-oceanic ridges and hot spots
82
concordant
intrusions are parallel to the existing beds
83
discordant
rock cuts across the existing beds
84
country rocks
any rock that an igneous rock intrudes
85
dyke
discordant, sheet-like intrusion
86
minor intrusion
cool at hypabyssal depths below the surface, includes sills and dykes
87
sill
a concordant, sheet-like intrusion
88
diapir
body of relatively low density material that pierces and rises up through overlying material of a higher density rock
89
contact
where the igneous rock meets the country rock
90
baked margins
in the country rock where it was heated by the igneous intrusion
91
chilled margins
igneous rock has cooled rapidly forming fine crystals, within the intrusion
92
major intrusions
plutonic and cool deep below the surface, includes batholiths
93
plutons
large igneous intrusive body, less than 100cm2
94
metamorphic aureole
large area around batholith where the rock has been metamorphosed
95
stoping
process that accomodates magma, moving up into country rock, by mechanical fracturing of the surrounding country rock
96
xenoliths
clasts or blocks of pre-existing rock contained within an igneous rock
97
assimilation
the melting process that incorporates blocks of country rock, freed by stoping, into the magma
98
tiltmeters
designed to measure very small changed in vertical level
99
GPS
the radio navigation system that allows thedetermination of an exact position | Global Positioning System
100
fumaroles

geology (15 decks)

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