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178 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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strata beds
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parallel layers of sedimentary rock
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salt flat
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A white crust on the ground that is produced when water evaporates and leaves its dissolved materials behind
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sorting
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The degree of similarity in particle size in sediment or sedimentary rock
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sedimentary environment
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a geographic location where sediment is accumulating
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sediment
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Unconsolidated particles transported by water, wind, or glaciers.
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ripple mark
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Small waves of sand that develop on the surface of a sediment layer by the action of moving water or air.
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reservoir rock
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the porous section of an oil trap that yields oil and gas
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oil trap
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a structure that allows large amounts of oil and gas to gather
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nonmetal mineral resource
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mineral resource that is not a fuel or processed for the metals it contains
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nonclastic
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a term for the texture of sedimentary rocks in which the minerals form a pattern of interlocking crystals
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mud crack
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in sedimentary rocks that forms when wet mud dries shrinks and cracks
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lithification
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The process, generally in which sediments are converted to solid rock.
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graded bed
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A sediment layer characterized by a decrease in sediment size from bottom to top.
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fossil fuel
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any hydrocarbon that can be used as fuel
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fossil
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the remains or traces of organisms from the past
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evaporite
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A sedimentary rock formed of material deposited from solution by evaporation of water.
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Environment of deposition
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Same as sedimentary environment.
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diagenesis
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All chemical, physical, and biological changes that take place after sediments are deposited and during and after lithification.
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Detrital sedimentary rock
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Rocks that form from the accumulation of materials that originate and are transported as solid particles derived from both mechanical and chemical weathering.
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Crystalline texture
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A texture in which the minerals form a pattern of interlocking crystals (same as nonclastic).
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Cross-bedding
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Structure in which relatively thin layers are inclined at an angle to the main bedding. This is formed by currents of wind or water.
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compacting
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This is a type of lithification in which the weight of overlying material compresses the more deeply buried sediment. It is most important in fine-grained sedimentary rocks.
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clastic
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a sedimentary rock texture consisting of broken fragments of preexisting rock
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Chemical sedimentary rock
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Sedimentary rock that has material that was precipitated from water by either inorganic or organic means.
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Cementation
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A way in which sedimentary rocks are lithified. When the material precipitates from water that percolates through the sediment, the open spaces are filled and particles are joined to form a solid mass.
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cap rock
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Impermeable and keeps upwardly mobile oil and gas from escaping at the surface.
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Biochemical origin
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Organic processes of water-dwelling organisms also form chemical sediments are said to be of this origin.
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bedding planes
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A flat (nearly) surface separating two beds of sedimentary rock. Each bedding plane marks the end of one deposit and the beginning of another having different characteristics.
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caldera
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large depressions that are more or less circular
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Aa flow
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The flow of the basaltic lava sharp edges, spiny projections, jagged blocks. relatively cool and thick
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batholith
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A large mass of igneous rock that is formed when magma is emplaced at depth, crystallized, and exposed to erosion.
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Block lavas
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Generated by andesitic and rhyolitic magmas. They consist largely of detached blocks with slightly curved surfaces.
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cinder cone
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A small volcano built primarily of pyrolastics ejected from one single vent.
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columnar joints
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A pattern of cracks that forms during cooling of molten rock to generate columns.
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composite cones
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a volcano composed of both lava flows and pyroclastic material
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concordant
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Describes intrusive igneous masses that form parallel to the bedding of the surrounding rock.
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Conduit
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A circular pipe that magma moves through which terminates at a vent
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Continental volcanic arc
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Mountains formed in part by igneous activity associated with the subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath any continent.
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crater
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A steep walled depression at the summit of a volcano
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dike
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an intrusive igneous feature that cuts through surrounding rock
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discordant
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distributes plutons that cut accross existing rock structures
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Eruption column
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Buoyant plumes that extend thousands of meters into the atmosphere and are caused by the expulsion of hot ash-laden gases.
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fissure
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a crack (distinct seperation) in a rock
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fissure eruption
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lava eruptions through fissures
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Flood basalt
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Flows of basaltic lava that issue from numerous cracks or fissures and commonly cover extensive areas to thickness of hundreds of meters.
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fumerole
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a vent in a volcanic area that allows fumes or gases to escape
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Hot spot
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A concentration of heat in the mantle that is capable of introducing magma that extrudes onto Earth’s surface.
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Intraplate volcanism
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Igneous activity that occurs within a tectonic plate away from the plate boundaries.
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island arc
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same as volcanic island arc
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Laccolith
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A large concordant igneous body that intruded between preexisting strata.
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Lahar
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Mudflows on the slopes of volcanoes. Result when unstable layers of ash and debris become saturated and flow down slope.
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lava tube
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Cave like voids that were filled with molten lava.
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Mantle plume
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hotter than normal mantle material that can cause igneous activity
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Nuee ardente
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Incandescent volcanic debris that is buoyed up by hot gases and moves down slope in an avalanche fashion.
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Pahoehoe flow
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When fluid basaltic lavas of the Hawaiian type congeal they can form a smooth skin that wrinkles as lava advances. These resemble the twisting braids in ropes.
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Parasitic cone
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A volcanic cone that forms on the flank of a larger volcano.
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pipe
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conduit
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Pillow lava
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lava flow composed of structures resembling large bed pillows stacked atop each other.
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Pluton
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A structure that results from the emplacement and crystallization of magma beneath Earth’s surface.
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Pyrolastic flow
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Particles produced that range in size from fine dust and sand sized volcanic ash to pieces that can weigh several tons.
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Pyroclastic material
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The volcanic rock ejected during an eruption. Include ash, bombs, and blocks.
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scoria cone
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cinder cone
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Shield volcano
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A broad gently sloping volcano built from fluid basaltic lavas.
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Sill
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A tabular igneous body that was intruded parallel to the layering of preexisting rock.
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Stratovolcano-
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composite cone
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vent
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where pipes end
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tubular
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A feature having two dimensions that are much longer than the third.
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viscosity
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mobility of magma
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Volcanic Island Arc
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A chain of volcanic islands located a few hundred kilometers from a trench where there is active subduction of one oceanic plate beneath another.
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Volcanic neck
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An isolated, steep-sided, erosional remnant consisting of lava that once occupied the vent of a volcano.
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volcano
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a mountain formed from lava and or pyroclastic material
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volatiles
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the gaseous component of magma mostly water
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Chemical weathering
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The process by which the internal structure of a mineral is altered by the removal and/or addition of elements.
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Differential weathering
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The unusual weathering (not uniform) that creates many unusual rock formations and land forms.
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Eluviation
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The washing out of fine soil components from the A horizon by downward-percolating water.
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Erosion
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The incorporation and transportation of material by a mobile agent, such as water, wind, or ice.
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exfoliation dome
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large granite dome structure formed by sheeting
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external process
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Process such as weathering, mass wasting, or erosion that is powered by the Sun and transforms solid rock into sediment.
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frost wedging
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The mechanical breakup of rock caused by the expansion of freezing water in cracks and crevices.
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horizons
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layers or zones in soil
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Internal process
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A process such as mountain building or volcanism that derives its energy from Earth’s interior and elevates Earth’s surface.
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leaching
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The depletion of soluble materials from the upper soil by downward-percolating water.
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mass wasting
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The down slope movement of rock, regolith, and soil under the direct influence of gravity.
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mechanical weathering
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The physical disintegration of rock resulting in smaller fragments.
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parent material
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the material on which soil develops
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regolith
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The layer of rock and mineral fragments that nearly everywhere covers Earth’s land surface.
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Secondary enrichment
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The concentration of minor amounts of metals that are scattered through unweathered rocks into economically valuable concentrations by weathering processes.
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sheeting
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A mechanical weathering process characterized by the splitting off of slab like sheets of rock.
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soil
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A combination of mineral and organic mater, water, and air; that portion of the regolith that supports plant growth.
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soil profile
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A vertical section through a soil showing its succession of horizons and the underlying parent material.
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soil taxonomy
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A soil classification system. Six categories
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Solum
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The O, A, and B horizons in a soil profile. Living roots and other plant and animal life are here
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spheroidal weathering
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Any weathering process that tends to produce a spherical shape
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talus slope
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Sections or rock that has been wedged loose and collects at the base of a cliff.
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weathering
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The disintegration and decomposition of rock at or near the surface of the Earth.
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andesitic composition
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rocks with composition between granitic and basaltic
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Aphanitic texture
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igneous rocks in which the crystals are too small for individual minerals to be distinguished with the unaided eye.
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assimilation
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The process in which a magma body’s composition changes through the incorporation of foreign neighboring material (when magma is moving up).
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basaltic composition
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rocks with a lot of dark silicate material
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Bowen’s reaction series
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illustrates the relationship between magma and the minerals crystallizing from it during the formation of igneous rock.
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Crystallization
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As magma cools ions move slowly and join together to form crystalline structures. This process generates various silicate minerals that reside within the remaining melt.
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crystal settling
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The process that occurs when earlier-formed minerals are heavier than the liquid portion and sink toward the bottom of the magma chamber. Then the remaining melt solidifies with a very different chemical composition from the parent magma.
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decompression melting
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This occurs when temperature drops enough. This is responsible for generating magma along divergent plate boundaries
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extrusive
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igneous rocks that form at the surface
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felsic
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A term derived from feldspar and silica which is used to describe granitic igneous rocks.
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Fragmental texture
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Same as pyroclastic texture.
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Geothermal gradient
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Increase in temp at depth
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glass
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rocks with unordered ions
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glassy texture
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texture of igneous rocks with no crystals
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groundmass
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The matrix of smaller crystals within an igneous rock that has porphyritic texture.
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granitic composition
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igneous rocks with light colored silicates
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Hydrothermal solutions
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The hot and watery solution that escapes from a mass of magma during the later stages of crystallization. The solutions may alter the surrounding rock
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igneous rocks
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formed by the crystallization of molten magma
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Intermediate composition-
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andesitic composition
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intrusive
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plutonic
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lava
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magma that reaches the earth's surface
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mafic
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basaltic rocks
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magma
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Completely or partly molten material which forms igneous rock when it cools and solidifies.
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magma mixing
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A way in which the composition of a magma body can be altered. combination of fluids may cause an intermediate composition
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magmatic differentiation
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The formation of one or more secondary magmas from a single parent magma is called this.
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melt
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the liquid portion of magma
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partial melting
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the incomplete melting of rocks that produces most magma
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pegmatite
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An extremely coarse-grained igneous rock that is commonly found as a dike.
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pegmatitic texture
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texture of igneous rocks interlocking crystals are at least 1 cm in diameter
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Phaneritic texture
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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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Phenocryst
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Conspicuously large crystals in a porphyry that are imbedded in a matrix of fine-grained crystals.
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plutonic
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igneous rocks that form at depth
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Porphyritic texture
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An igneous rock texture characterized by two distinctively different crystal sizes.
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porphyry
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igneous rock with porphyritic texture
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pyroclastic texture
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igneous rock texture of rocks formed by the consolidation of individual rock fragments that are ejected during a violent eruption.
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texture
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The size shape and distribution of the particles that collectively constitute a rock.
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ultramafic
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igneous rocks made up almost entirely of ferromagnesian materials
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Vesicular texture
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aphanitic and igneous rocks that contain many small cavities
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volatiles
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gaseous component of magma
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volcanic
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same as extrusive
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atom
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the smallest particle of matter
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atomic number
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the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
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cleavage
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the tendency of minerals to break along planes of weak bonding
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color
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an unreliable feature to classify or observe minerals
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compound
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A substance formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements in definite proportions and usually having properties different from those if its constituent elements.
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covalent bond
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bond produced by sharing of electrons
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crystal form
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external expression of the internal arrangement of atoms
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dark silicates
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Minerals containing ions of iron and/or magnesium. dark in color and have a greater specific gravity.
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density
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mass per unit volume
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electron
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negatively charged subatomic particle outside the nucleus of an atom
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element
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A substance that cannot be broken down into a simpler one by chemical or physical means.
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energy levels
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sphere shaped negatively charged zone
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ferromagnesian silicates
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dark silicates
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fracture
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when minerals do not exhibit cleavage when broken
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hardness
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minerals resistance to scratching and abrasion
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ion
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an atom or molecule with an electric charge
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ionic bond
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A chemical bond between two oppositely charged ions formed by the transfer of valence electrons
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isotope
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varieties of the same element wtih the same number of protons and a different number of neutrons (diff mass number)
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Light silicates
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Silicate minerals that lack iron and/or magnesium. They are generally lighter in color and have lower specific gravities than dark silicates.
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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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mass number
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sum of neutrons and protons in the nucleus of an atom
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Metallic bond
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A chemical bond present in all metals which the electrons move freely from atom to atom.
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mineral
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Any naturally occurring inorganic solid that possesses an orderly crystalline structure and a definite chemical composition.
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mineral resource
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All discovered and undiscovered deposits of a useful mineral that can be extracted now or at some time in the future.
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mohls scale
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scale with ten minerals to determine hardness
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neutron
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subatomic particle with a neutral charge in the nucleus of an atom
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nonsilicates
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minerals that are less abundant in the earth's crust
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Nonferromagnesian silicates
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light silicates
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nucleus
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core of an atom with neutrons and protons that holds most of its mass
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ore
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metallic mineral that can be mined at a profit
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periodic table
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arrangement of elements according to atomic number
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principal shells
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energy levels
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proton
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positively charged subatomic particle (in nucleus)
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radioactive decay
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the process when isotopes disintegrate
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reserve
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identified deposits where minerals can be profitably extracted
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rock
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any solid mass of minerals (or mineral like) matter that occurs naturally as part of our planet.
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rock-forming minerals
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any mineral that forms rocks
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silicates
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any mineral with silicon-oxygen tetrahedron as their basic structure
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Silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
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A structure composed of four oxygen atoms surrounding a silicon atom
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specific weight
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ratio of a substances weight in comparison to the weight of an equal amount of water
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streak
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the color of a mineral in powdered form
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valence electron
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The electrons involved in the bonding process; the electrons occupying the highest principal energy level of an atom.
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abyssal plain
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Extremely flat areas that are part of the deep-ocean basin.
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