Test 1 Flashcards
(134 cards)
1
Q
age of the Earth
A
4.6 billion years
2
Q
what are the three units for Geologic time from largest to smallest?
A
era > period > epoch
3
Q
four subsystems of the Earth system
A
lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere
4
Q
lithosphere
A
the rigid, outer part of the Earth; crust + rigid mantle
5
Q
atmosphere
A
the gases/air surrounding the Earth
6
Q
hydrosphere
A
all water (surface, ground, clouds, etc.)
7
Q
biosphere
A
all living organisms
8
Q
objectives of Environmental Geology as an applied science
A
- better understand environmental problems
- geologic knowledge for problem solving
- minimize environmental degradation
- optimize the use of resources to maximize environmental benefits for society
9
Q
different means of measuring sustainability
A
economically viable, environmentally safe, socially just
10
Q
what kind of system is the earth and why?
A
dynamic; neither open nor closed, internal (core) and external (sun) heat sources, four subsystems (lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere)
11
Q
uniformitarianism
A
the present is the key to the past and the future
12
Q
Gaia hypothesis
A
Earth is a metamorphic superorganism
13
Q
knowledge
A
what is known, a basis for decision-making
14
Q
imagination
A
no limits, leads to out-of-the-box thinking of the unknown
15
Q
theory
A
hypothesis that holds true over time
16
Q
hypothesis
A
intelligent guess
17
Q
why is human population an environmental problem?
A
Earth’s carrying capacity is limited, use up resources faster than they can renew, uneven growth and uneven global distribution
18
Q
where is the Moho discontinuity?
A
between the crust and rigid mantle
19
Q
what makes up the lithosphere?
A
crust + rigid mantle
20
Q
what makes up the mantle?
A
rigid mantle, asthenosphere, mesosphere
21
Q
internal layers of the Earth
A
crust, rigid mantle, asthenosphere, mesosphere, outer core, inner core
22
Q
P waves
A
primary, push-pull, or compressive wave
23
Q
P waves travel like ? waves
A
sound
24
Q
P waves have the (slowest/fastest) rate of propagation, so they are the (last/first) to arrive to the seismograph
A
fastest, first
25
in P waves, the direction of rock particle vibration is (parallel/perpendicular) to that of wave propagation
parallel
26
P waves travel through ? media
all
27
S waves
secondary or shear waves
28
in S waves, the direction of particle vibration is (parallel/perpendicular) to that of propagation
perpendicular
29
S waves propagate (slower/faster) than P waves
slower
30
S waves travel through ? media
only solid (absorbed in liquid)
31
the ? is a low velocity zone and major source of Earth volcanism
asthenosphere
32
S waves cannot move through what internal section of the Earth?
the outer core b/c it's liquid
33
in liquid, P waves
refract and slow down
34
three types of plate boundaries
convergent, divergent, transform
35
3 types of convergent plate boundaries
continental-continental (C-C)
continental-oceanic (C-O)
oceanic-oceanic (O-O)
36
divergent plate boundary
moving away
37
convergent plate boundary
moving toward
38
transform plate boundary
sliding past each other
39
example of C-C convergent boundary
Himalayan Mountains
40
example of C-O convergent boundary
Japan
41
example of O-O convergent boundary
Aleutian Islands
42
example of divergent boundary
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
43
example of transform boundary
San Andreas Fault
44
significance of tectonic cycle (Wilson Cycle)
plate boundaries can change
45
the asthenosphere is a
weak, flowing solid
46
evidences of continental drift
same fossils across both sides of the Atlantic, rock distribution and Paleozoic glaciations (glacial deposits near equator)
47
evidences of seafloor spreading
age of seafloor rocks is progressively younger toward the mid-oceanic ridge, seafloor sediments are progressively thinner toward the ridge, polarity goes back and forth between normal and reverse (Paleo magnetism)
48
seen at divergent plate boundaries
mid-oceanic ridges, continental rift valleys, new seafloors, extensional stress & shallow earthquakes
49
seen at C-C convergent plate boundaries
major young mountain belts and shallow earthquakes
50
seen at C-O convergent plate boundaries
major volcanic mountain belts, subduction zone and oceanic trench, earthquakes
51
seen at O-O convergent plate boundaries
subduction zone, deep oceanic trench, volcanic island arc, wide earthquake zones
52
at a convergent plate boundary, the (lighter/denser) and (younger/older) plate subducts
denser & older
53
seen at transform plate boundaries
spreading zone with a series of rifts
54
hot spot
static volcanic source under moving lithosphere
55
what ensures our mountain peaks remain at about the same height
isostasy
56
four types of chemical bonding from strongest to weakest
ionic > covalent > metallic > van der waals
57
ionic bonding
attraction between + and - charged ions, soluble minerals, chemically active and mobile
58
example of ionic bonding
halite (salt), NaCl
59
covalent bonding
atoms share electrons, durable minerals
60
example of covalent bonding
diamond, quartz (SiO2)
61
metallic bonding
electrons are shared by all atoms and can flow, metallic minerals, results in malleability and ability to conduct electric current
62
van der waals bonding
weak attraction between chains or sheets of ions
63
example of van der waals bonding
graphite
64
five criteria for a material to be a mineral
1. made of an element or chemical compound
2. definitive chemical composition
3. orderly, regular repeating internal atomic arrangement, crystalline structure
4. made of inorganic solids (never living)
5. formed by geologic processes (cannot be made in a lab)
65
physical properties to identify a mineral
color and streak, luster (how reflects light), crystal form, cleavage (how breaks), hardness (Moh scale 1-10), special properties such as taste, smell, feel, tenacity, reaction to acid, magnetism
66
silicates
contain Si-O tetrahedron fundamental building unit, including the two most abundant elements in the Earth crust
67
what is the most abundant mineral group?
silicates
68
example of silicate
asbestos, quartz
69
carbonates
contain the carbonate ion
70
oxides
contain oxygen atoms bonded to an atom of another element
71
sulfides
contain sulfur atoms bonded to one or more metallic elements
72
native elements
made of single element
73
example of native elements
gold, silver, copper, mercury
74
example of carbonates
calcite
75
three fundamental rock laws
1. crosscutting
2. original horizontality
3. superposition
76
the law of crosscutting relationships
rock is younger than the ones that it cuts
77
the law of original horizontality
sedimentary rock layers nearly horizontal under normal conditions
78
the law of superposition
rocks become progressively younger towards the top in an undisturbed and undeformed rock sequence
79
igneous rocks
cooled, crystallized/solidified from magma
80
below the surface =
magma
81
above the surface =
lava
82
magma comes from the ?
asthenosphere
83
intrusive igneous rocks
crystallized/solidified beneath Earth's surface
84
extrusive igneous rocks
crystallized/solidified at or near Earth's surface
85
dike
vertical intrustion
86
sill
horizontal intrustion
87
in intrusive igneous rocks, individual mineral grains (can/cannot) be seen with naked eyes
can
88
inclusions
pieces of surrounding rock incorporated into crystallizing magma
89
batholiths
largest masses of igneous rock
90
extrusive igneous rocks form from
lava or pyroclastic debris
91
extrusive igneous rocks are ?-grained because ?
fine, rapidly cooled
92
the rates of cooling are (slower/faster) beneath the surface
slower
93
the slower the magma cools, the ? the mineral particles in igneous rocks
coarser
94
phaneritic (intrustive igneous)
large, coarse crystals
95
porphyritic phaneritic (intrusive igneous)
phaneritic that contain previously formed phenocrysts
96
aphanitic (extrustive igneous)
crystals are small or no crystal
97
felsic/granitic igneous rocks
silica rich, typically related to continental crust
98
example of felsic igneous rock
granite
99
intermediate/andesitic igneous rock
commonly associated with convergent boundaries along the rim of the Pacific
100
example of intermediate igneous rock
andesite
101
mafic/basaltic igneous rock
silica poor, usually related to the oceanic crust
102
example of mafic igneous rock
basalt
103
sedimentary rocks
formed at the surface environment conditions, about 75% of all rocks exposed at the surface
104
clastic sedimentary rocks
compacted and cemented from detrital sediments through transportation, deposition, compaction, and cementation
105
fossil-fuel bearing rocks are
clastic sedimentary rocks
106
the most abundant clastic sedimentary rock
shale
107
common clastic sedimentary rocks from largest to smallest particles
gravel > sand > silt > clay
108
nonclastic sedimentary rocks
precipitated from chemical solutions and/or accumulated chemical, biological matter
109
the most abundant nonclastic sedimentary rock
limestone
110
limestone is a ? because it is able to be dissolved in dilute acid
carbonate
111
common textures of nonclastic sedimentary rocks
crystalline, microcrystalline, skeletal (calcium-rich), oolitic, massive
112
stratification
law of original horizontality, law of superposition
113
cross-bedding
movement direction of ancient currents
114
fossil content
environment setting (continental, marine, or transitional)
115
the direction of wind is coming from the left if the slope is
steadily rising from left to right with a sudden drop-off on the right
116
metamorphic rocks
changed rocks from preexisting rocks under solid state
117
agents of change for metamorphic rocks
temperature, pressure, and chemically active fluid
118
three types of metamorphism
1. high-pressure, low-temp @ subduction zones
2. high-pressure, high-temp @ C-C boundary
3. low-pressure, high-temp -- contact metamorphism
119
where does regional metamorphism: low sed.-high grade metamorphic rock occur?
C-C boundaries
120
foliated metamorphic rocks
preferred alignment of platy mineral particles
121
examples of foliated metamorphic rocks
shale, schist, gneiss
122
nonfoliated metamorphic rocks
randomly arranged and interlocked mineral particles
123
examples of nonfoliated metamorphic rocks
marble (from limestone), quartzite (from sandstone)
124
what metamorphic rocks are good for construction?
slate, gneiss
125
foliation planes are
potential planes of weakness
126
want foliation planes to be angled (away from/toward) road
away from--prevent landslide
127
want foliation planes to be (parallel/perpendicular) to dam face
parallel--don't want to let water flow around the dam
128
joint
break with no movement
129
fault
break with movement
130
fold
ductile deformation (mountainous terrain, related to active plate boundaries)
131
uncomformity
represents geologic time gap (erosion instead of deposition)
132
nonconformity
b/w sedimentary and igneous
133
angular unconformity
between nonparallel strata
134
disconformity
between parallel strata
