Earth Science Exam #1

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Atmosphere

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The gaseous portion of a planet; the planet's envelope of air. One of the traditional subdivisions of Earth's physical environment

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Biosphere

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The totality of life on Earth, the parts of the solid Earth, hydrosphere and atmosphere in which living organisms can be found

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Closed System

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A system that is self-contained with regards to matter-that is, no matter enters or leaves

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Geocentric Model

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The concept of an Earth centered universe

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Heliocentric Model

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The view that the sun is at the center of the solar system

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Hydrosphere

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The water portion of our planet, one of the traditional subdivisions of Earths physical environment

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Lithosphere

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The rigid outer layer of Earth, including the crust and upper mantel

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Open System

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One in which both matter and energy flow into and out of the system, the most natural system

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System

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Any size group of interacting parts that form a complex whole

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Carbonates

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The term ‘carbonate’ is frequently used with reference to those sedimentary rocks with 95% or more of either calcite or dolomite, and is synonymous with limestone.

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Cleavage

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The tendency of a mineral to break along planes of weak bonding

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Crystal Form

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The common or characteristic shape of a crystal

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Fracture

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Any break or rupture in the rock along with no appreciable movement has taken place

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Hardness

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The resistance of a mineral offers to scratches

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Luster

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The appearance or quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral

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Mineral

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a natural occurring inorganic crystalline material with a unique chemical composition

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ure

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certain nonmetallic minerals such as fluorite and sulfer

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Oxides

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a binary compound of oxygen with another element or group.

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Polymorphs

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an organism or inorganic object or material that takes various forms.

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Reserve

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Already identified deposits from which minerals can be extracted profitably

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Rock-Forming Silicates

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the minerals that make up most of the rocks of Earth's crust

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Specific Gravity

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The ratio of a substance's weight to the weight of an equal volume of water

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Streak

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The color of a mineral in powered form

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Sulfates

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a mineral group that contain one or more metallic element in combination with the sulfate compound SO4 . All sulfates are transparent to translucent and soft. Most are heavy and some are soluble in water.

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Sulfides

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Divalent sulfur, or a compound of divalent sulfur with an electropositive element or group, especially a binary compound of sulfur with ametal.

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biochemical sedimentary rock

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Rock formed from accumulated sediments. Examples are clay, sandstone, and limestone.

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burial metamorphism

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chemical sedimentary rock

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consisting of material that was precipitated from water by either inorganic or organic means

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coarse-grained rock

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An igneous rock texture in which the crystals are roughly equal in size and large enough so that individual minerals can be identified with the unaided eye

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contact metamorphism

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changes in rock caused by the heat from a nearby magma body

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detrital sedimentary rock

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Rock formed from the accumulation of material that originated and was transported in the form of solid particles derived from both mechanical and chemical weathering

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dynamic metamorphism

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extrusive igneous rock

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igneous activity that occurs outside the crust

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felsic

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the group of igneous rocks composed primarily of feldspar and quartz

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fine grained texture

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A texture of an igneous rock in which the crystals are too small for individuals minerals to be distinguished with the unaided eye

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foliation

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a texture of metamorphic rocks that gives the rocks a layered appearance

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geological cycle

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The geologic cycle is a collective term used to describe the complex interactions between the component sub-cycles of tectonic, hydrologic, rock, and the biological cycling of elements known as the biogeochemical cycle.

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hydrothermal metamorphism

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Hydrothermal metamorphism is the result of the interaction of a rock with a high-temperature fluid of variable composition

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impact metamorphism

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describes the effects ofshock-wave related deformation and heating during impact events.

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intrusive igneous rock

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igneous rock that formed below earth's surface

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lava

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magma that reaches earth's surface

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lithification

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the process generally cementation and compaction of concerting sediments to solid rock

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mafic

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igneous rocks with a low silica content and a high iron magnesium content

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magma

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a body of molten rock found at depth including any dissolved gases and crystals

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metamorphic rock

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rocks formed by the altercation of preexisting rock deep within earth by heat pressure and chemically active fluids

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parent rock

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refers to the original rock from which something else was formed

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regional metamorphism

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metamorphism associated with large mountain building processes

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absolute time

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empty time apart from the events that occupy it

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astenosphere

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the upper layer of the earth's mantle, below the lithosphere, in which there is relatively low resistance to plastic flow and convection is thought to occur.

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catastrophism

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the concept that the earth was shaped by catastrophic events of a short term nature

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continental drift theory

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the idea that there was once a giant continent that broke up into the ones we know today.

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convergent plate boundry

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a boundary in which 2 plates move together causing one of the slabs of lithosphere to be consumed into the mantle as it descends beneath on an overriding plate

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crust

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the very thin outermost layer of earth

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daughter product

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an isotope resulting from radioactive decay

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divergent plate boundry

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a region where the rigid plates are moving apart typified by the midoceanic ridges

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endogenic process

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Endogenic processes include tectonic movements ofthe crust, magmatism, metamorphism, and seismic activity

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eons

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the largest time unit on the geologic time scale next in order of magnitude above era

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eras

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a major division on the geologic calendar eras are divided into shorter units called periods

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exogenic processes

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a geological process caused by sources of energy exterior to the earth’s surface, chiefly solar radiation, in combination with the force ofgravity.

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geomagnetic reversal

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A geomagnetic reversal is a change in a planet's magnetic field such that the positions of magnetic north and magnetic south are interchanged.

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gradualism

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the hypothesis that evolution proceeds chiefly by the accumulation of gradual changes (in contrast to the punctuationist model).

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Gutenberg Discontinuity

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The Gutenberg discontinuity occurs within Earth's inerior at a depth of about 2,900 km (1,800 mi) below the surface, where there is an abrupt change in the seismic waves (generated by earthquakes or explosions) that travel through Earth.

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half life

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the time required for one half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to decay

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inner core

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the solid innermost layer of earth

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law of superposition

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a basic law of geochronology, stating that in any undisturbed sequence of rocks deposited in layers, the youngest layer is on top and the oldest on bottom,

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Mantle

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the 2900 killometer thick layer of earth located below the crust

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mid-ocean ridge

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zone on the floor of oceans , represent divergent plate boundaries

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Mohorovicic Discontinuity(moho)

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the boundary separating the crust from the mantle

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outer core

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a layer beneath the mantle, properties of liquid

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pangaea

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the superintendent that 200 million years ago started to fall apart

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parent isotope

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after the parent isotope (the original isotope) has undergone decay

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periods

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a basic unit of the geological calendar that is a subdivision of an era

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plate tectonics

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the theory that says earths outer shell consists of individual plates that interact in various ways and produce earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains and the crust itself

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principle of cross-cutting relationships

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states that an igneous intrusion is always younger than the rock it cuts across.

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principle of original horizontality

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that layers of sediment are originally deposited horizontally under the action of gravity

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radiometric dating

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the procedure of calculating the absolute ages of rocks and minerals that contain radioactive isotopes

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relative time

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rift valley

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a long narrow trough bounded by normal faults. Divergence is taking place

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spreading center

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rigid plates moving apart

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subduction

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thrusting oceanic lithosphere and the mantle along a convergent boundry

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tectonic cycle

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movement of large portions of the earth's crust in what is termed "plates." The boundaries of these plates are generally defined by the occurrence of volcanoes and earthquakes.

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transform plate boundry

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neither create nor destroy lithosphere, is a type of fault whose relative motion is predominantly horizontal

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trench

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trenches are created as a result of erosion by rivers or bygeological movement of tectonic plates.

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uniformitarianism

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the concept that the processes that have shaped earth in the geologic past are essentially the same as those operating today

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anticline

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a fold in sedimentary strata resembling an arch

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cinder cone

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small. very steep, compromised of pyroclastics

ex. pancutin

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composite cone

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Tall, steep, high viscosity ;ava

ex, KRAKATAU

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crustal deformation

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earthquake

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the vibration of earth produced by the rapid release of energy

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elastic rebound

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the sudden release of stored strain in rocks that results in movement along a fault

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epicenter

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the location on earths surface that lies directly above the focus of an earthquake

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fissure

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a crack in rock along which there is a distinct separation

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focus

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the zone within earth rock displacement produces an earthquake

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folds

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a bent rock layer that were originally horizontal and subsequently deformed

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graben

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a valley formed by the downward displacement of a fault bounded block

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horst

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an elongated uplifted block of crust bounded by faults

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Mercalli Scale

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classify earthquakes based on intensity ranges from I to XII

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normal fault

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a fault in which the rock above the fault plane has moved down relative to the rock below

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pyroclastics

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an igneous rock texture resulting from the consolidation of individual rock fragments that are ejected during an eruption

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reverse fault

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a fault in which the material above the fault plane moves up in relation to the material below

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Richter Scale

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classifies earthquakes based on magnitude

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seismic waves

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a rapidly moving ocean wave generated by earthquake activity capable of inflicting heavy damage regions

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shield cone

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broad, gently sloping mountain, BIG, low-viscosity lava

Ex. olympus mons

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strike slip fault

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a fault along which the movement is horizontel

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syncline

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a linear downfold in sedimentary strata; the opposite of anticline

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tsunami

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the japanese word for a seismic sea wave

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volcano

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a mountain full of lava or pyroclastics