Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Geol 101 Lecture > Test One Key Terms > Flashcards

Test One Key Terms Flashcards

(85 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Age of Earth

A

4.6 billion years old

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Asthenosphere

A

the soft, weak layer below the lithosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Craton

A

the stable interior of the continents

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Density

A

mass per unit volume

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Differentiation

A

process by which Earth came to have its present interior structure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Earth’s spheres

A

Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Geosphere, Biosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Geologic Hazard

A

natural processes that adversely affect people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

hypothesis

A

a tentative or untested explanation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Lithosphere

A

the rigid outer layer of Earth that consists of the crust and the upper mantle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Layers of Earth

A

Crust
Mantle
Core

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Natural Disaster

A

flood, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, etc. causes damage and or loss of life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Plate tectonics

A

Continental plates include things like Mountains

Ocean floors include things like ocean ridges

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Shield

A

expansive, flat regions of deformed crystalline rocks in the cratons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Theory

A

a well-tested and widely accepted view that the scientific community agrees best explains certain observable facts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Uniformitarianism

A

the physical, chemical, and biologic laws that operate today have operated throughout the geologic past

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Continental drift

A

a supercontinent once existed and began to break apart about 200 million years ago

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Convection currents

A

in the mantle where warm buoyant rocks rise and cool, dense rocks sink, is the underlying driving force of plate tectonics
major force for transporting heat away from the interior of Earth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Convergent boundaries

A

destructive margins

plates move together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Divergent boundaries

A

constructive margins

plates move apart

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Magnetic reversal

A

the north pole becomes the south pole and the south becomes the north pole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Mantle plume

A

cylindrically shaped upwelling of hot rock

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Mid-ocean ridge

A

along well developed divergent plate boundaries and the seafloor is elevated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Paleomagnetism

A

magnetite is the frozen in position and indicates the and indicates the position of the north pole at the time of rock solidification

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Pangea

A

supercontinent that consistedof all Earth’s landmasses

began breaking apart about 200 million ago

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Plate tectonics
The lithosphere is broken into two dozen smaller sections called lithospheric plates that are in constant motion
26
Rift valley
along the crest of the ridge is a canynon-like feature
27
rifting
elongated depression will develop within the region of the divergence
28
Seafloor spreading
the mechanism that operates along the ridge to create new ocean floor
29
Slab pull
The subduction of cold oceanic lithosphere
30
Subduction zone
the leading edge of one plate is bent downward as it slides beneath the other
31
Transform boundaries
conservative margins | plates grind past each other without the production or destruction of lithosphere
32
Trench
produced at subduction zones
33
Volcanic arc
when volcanoes emerge as islands | when oceanic-continental convergence, partial melting initiates volcanic activity
34
Ion
positively and negatively charged atoms
35
Isotope
same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
36
Lithology
study of rocks
37
Mineral
``` Natural occurring Inorganic solid substance crystalline structure definite chemical composition ```
38
Mineralogy
study of minerals
39
Mohs hardness scale
tests resistance to abrasion or scratching
40
Oxide
contains at least one oxygen atom and one other element in chemical formula
41
Periodic Table
Elements organized so that those with similar properties line up
42
Silicate
minerals that are the most common type of minerals make up 90% of the earths crust silicon and oxygen make up the building blocks
43
Trace elements
elements that occur in such small concentrations they do not change the essence of a material
44
Basaltic
Mafic
45
Batholith
large intrusive body | expansive
46
Bowen's Reaction Series
Minerals crystallize in a systematic fashion based on their melting points The composition of the liquid portion of the magma continually changes
47
Cooling rate
slow rate = fewer but larger crystals | fast rate = many but small crystals
48
Dike
tabular, discordant pluton | conduits to transport magma
49
Extrusive
Volcanic | solidification of lava or volcanic debris on surface
50
Felsic
light colors made of quartz and feldspar high silica content makes up huge part of continental crust
51
Geothermal gradient
temperatures in the upper crust increase about 25 C per kilometer
52
Granitic
Felsic
53
Igneous
forms as molten rock cools and solidifies
54
Intrusive
plutonic | magma that crystallizes at depth (underground)
55
Laccolith
forcibly injected between sedimentary strata | Causes the overlying strata to arch upward
56
Lava
magma at the surface
57
Mafic
Dark colored iron and magnesium higher density make up ocean floor and volcanic islands
58
Sill
concordant pluton | tend to accumulate magma and increase in thickness
59
Texture
overall appearance of a rock based on the size, shape, and arrangement of mineral grains
60
Vesicular
rocks contain voids left by gas bubbles in the lava | common feature of extrusive igneous rock
61
Volatile
dissolved gases in the melt that vaporize at surface pressure
62
Calderea
volcanic crater that has a diameter of bigger than a kilometer and is produced by a collapse following a massive eruption
63
Crater
a funnel-shaped depression at the summit of most volcanic cones (small)
64
Lava Flow
mostly basaltic | Aa and Pahoehoe
65
Pyroclastic
pulverized rock and lava fragments
66
Quiescent
involves fluid basaltic lavas | Quiet eruptions that last a long time
67
Ring of Fire
Stratovolcanoes that are located adjacent to the Pacific ocean
68
Scoria
Reddish-brown porous rock from frothy basaltic and andesitic lava
69
Types of Volcanoes
Shield Volcanoes Cinder Cones Composite
70
Vesicles
holes in rocks left from dissolved gases
71
viscosity
resistance to flow | controlled by: Temperature, Composition, and Dissolved gases
72
Agents of chemical weathering
The most important is water
73
Agents of erosion
n
74
Carbonic acid
created when carbon dioxide dissolves in raindrops | Calcite is easily attacked by weakly acidic solutions
75
Humus
remains of animals that are converted into organic component of soil
76
Hydrolysis
reaction of any substance with water
77
Interface
n
78
Regolith
Earth's land surface is covered by a layer of rock and mineral fragments
79
Residual soil
soil that is in its original location
80
Sheeting
large masses of igneous rocks are exposed by erosion and concentric slabs break loose
81
Soil
combination of mineral and organic matter, water, and air and supports plant growth
82
Spheroidal
Weathering attacks edges from two sides and corners from three sides Sharp edges become rounded
83
Talus
n
84
Transported soil
soil that has been moved from its original place
85
Types of weathering
Frost wedging Salt crystal growth Sheeting/Unloading Biological activity

Geol 101 Lecture (13 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions