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48 Cards in this Set
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Describe how divergent plate boundaries work. |
Occurs where 2 tectonic plates separate and create new land. With oceanic, magma rises up and creates new oceanic lithosphere. With continental, mountain ranges are formed. Most divergent plates are in the ocean (Mid Atlantic Ridge). The Great Rift Valley in Africa is an example of a divergent plate boundary on land. |
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Describe how convergent plate boundaries work. |
Two tectonic plates are colliding with each other, typically causing one plate to rise above the other(creating a subduction zone), or for both to life (mountains). Old oceanic lithosphere is destroyed as it falls into the mantle. |
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Describe how transform plate boundaries work. |
Two plates are sliding relative to each other horizontally, but do not collide or pull apart. No magma is formed or destroyed. Any structures or buildings can however be pulled apart and separated when the plates shift. |
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How do we know the internal layering of the earth? |
Through seismic waves sent out during an earthquake, we are able to detect the inner layers of the earth. |
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How are rocks able to store and release energy as earthquake waves? |
Earthquakes occur when energy stored in elastically strained rocks is suddenly released. There are three types of stress which deforms the rock and can cause this energy buildup. Tensional stress (or extensional stress) stretches rock Compressional stress squeezes rock Shear stress results in slippage and translation. |
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How do we use seismic waves to locate earthquake waves? |
Scientists measure the difference between the arrival times of the P waves and S waves using a seismograph. The farther away an earthquake is, the greater the time between the arrival of the P waves and S waves. The seismograms from three different locations on earth are used to pinpoint the epicenter. |
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Describe and/or draw the relative motion of the hanging wall and foot wall in normal faults. |
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Describe and/or draw the relative motion of the hanging wall and foot wall in reverse faults. |
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Describe and/or draw the relative motion of right-lateral and left-lateral strike-slip faults. |
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What sort of tectonic forces and deformation are responsible for the creation of the Basin and Range Province of the Western United States? |
Normal faults are what formed the Basin and Range’s. Tectonic stretching causes the crust to give in to extensional stress and crack. On one side a slab sub-ducts, while the other is thrust up. Over time the uplifted block of crust is eroded by wind and water, rivers also run through, causing sediments to be deposited throughout. |
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What is terrane accretion? With which type of plate boundary is it associated with? |
A landmass that originated as an island arc or a microcontinent that was later attached onto a continent due to divergent plates causing sea floor spreading. |
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What are the defining characteristics of all minerals? |
Characteristics: Solid, Inorganic, Naturally Orcurring, Defintite Chemical Compostion, Definite Crystalline Structure Physical Properties: Color, streak, luster, density, hardness, cleavage, and fracture. |
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What are some common tests used to identify minerals? |
Physical properties can be used to determine mineral type, also the bite test, fracture test, taste, magnetism, hardness scale etc. |
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What are the most abundant elements in earth's crust? the most abundant materials? |
Elements:Oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, etc. More than 90% on the crust is composed of silicate minerals. Most abundant silicates are feldspars, alkali feldspar, quartz, pyroxenes etc. |
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What are the major groups of silicates? Describe and/or draw their internal structures. |
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What is the difference between extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks? How is the difference visible in the rocks themselves? |
Extrusive: magma is pushed to the surface , and hardens at a low pressure and very rapidly. Crystal size is small and fine, since it cools so quickly. Intrusive: They stay underground, where there is a greater pressure exerted on them, larger crystals form on intrusive because the magma takes more time to cool. |
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What are the major compositional groups of igneous rocks? What minerals are most common in each? |
Ultramafic rocks- olivine and pyroxene. Mafic rock- plagioclase and pyroxene and smaller amounts of olivine. Intermediate rocks- felsic minerals (mainly plagioclase) and mafic minerals (mainly hornblende, pyroxene). Felsic rocks- feldspar, quartz, and less than 15 (biotite, hornblende). |
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What factors affect the melting of rock and generation of magma? |
Rocks with different mineral components melt at different temperatures. The higher pressure a rock has exerted on it = the more difficult it is to melt that rock. Lower pressure = easier to melt. |
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What are shield volcanoes, and what are some famous examples? |
Shield volcanoes are very broad and flat, and can stretch across the earth for many miles. They have mafic magma, meaning that it doesn't build up, it is less viscous and that it flows very easily. Mauna Loa, Kilauea (Hawaiian islands) |
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What type of volcano is associated with explosive rocks and why? |
Strato Volcanoes. These are very tall, and very steep-sided volcanoes. They are highly explosive because of their felsic magma which plugs up and builds pressure until an eruption. |
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Know figure 4.5 |
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What is Bowen's Reaction Series? In what order do silicate minerals crystallize magma? Why is the order of their crystallization important? |
It explains why certain types of minerals tend to be found together while others are almost never associated with one another. As the melt keeps cooling and minerals keep crystallizing, the melt will change its composition. These crystals react with the melt to form new crystals |
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How are detrital sedimentary rocks classified? Chemical sedimentary rocks? |
Detrital sedimentary rocks are mainly classified by the size of their grains. The grains are different size because of the amount of weathering they were exposed to. |
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How are chemical sedimentary rocks classified? |
They are soluble material produced largely by chemical weathering. Chemical sedimentary rocks derive from ions that are carried in solution to lakes and seas, which then precipitates to form chemical sediments. |
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Know figure 7.20, mainly the names and distinguishing characteristics of the major groups of detrital and chemical sedimentary rocks. |
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Describe the difference between physical and historical geology. |
Historical: Origin and the development through time Physical: Examine materials that make up he earth. |
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How old is the earth? |
4.6 billion years old |
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How much of the earths surface is covered by ocean? |
71% |
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Describe the rock cycle; what are the major types of rock, and what processes convert rock from one type to another? |
Igneous (extrusive and igneous), sedimentary, metamorphic. Cooling, crystallization, weathering, lithi creation, metamorphism, melting. |
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How old is the oldest continental crust? The oldest oceanic crust? |
Oceanic: 260 million years Continental: 4 billion years |
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How old is the oldest continental crust? The oldest oceanic crust? |
Oceanic: 260 million years Continental: 4 billion years |
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How dense is most oceanic/continental crust? |
Oceanic: 2.9 grams cm^3 Continental: 2.7 grams cm^3 |
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What are the layers of the earth, from outside to inside? |
Atmosphere, crust, mantle, outer core, inner core. |
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What lines of evidence support the modern theory of plate tectonics? |
Fossil evidence, matching mountain ranges, puzzle piece continents, and evidence of sea floor spreading |
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What are the names of the super continents of the Paleozoic, and when did they exist? |
Pannonia - 650 million years ago Pangea - 300 million years ago |
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How do non-foliated metamorphic rocks, such as quartzite and marble, form? |
Non-foliated: rocks are often formed around igneous intrusion rocks where the temperatures are high and pressure is low all around. |
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What at the major metamorphic environments? What temperatures and pressures do they have? What types of rocks do such environments produce |
Contact or thermal metamorphism - low pressure, high temperatures. Produce marble, quartzite, clay, shale. Hydro-thermal metamorphism - low pressure, low/moderate temperatures Burial and subduction zones - lots of pressure and heat Regional metamorphism - much heat and pressure, produces phylogeny, ageist, gneiss, quartz, sandstone, and quartz |
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How are fossil fuels, such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas produced? What circumstances are required to harvest fossil fuels? |
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by they are formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms |
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Explain the lines of evidence Wegener used to support his continental drift hypothesis. |
Fossil evidence, and putting the continents together like puzzle pieces, matching up the mountain ranges |
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Why was Wegener's hypothesis initially rejected? |
He had no explanation for how the continents supposedly moved |
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What is foliation? How does it develop in a metamorphic rock? What minerals are common in foliated metamorphic rocks? |
Foliation: the process of vein split into thin sheets How?: Pressure squeezes the flat or elongated minerals within the rock so they become aligned. Then they have a plate-y or sheet like structure What minerals: feldspar or quartz |
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How can we determine paleocurrent direction? |
A paleocurrent indicator shows the direction of flowing water in the geologic past |
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What details make up a sedimentary facies? |
In sedimentary rocks, they are a combination of all the factors that identify sedimentary rocks. Lithology, mineralogy, grain size, sedimentary structures, fossils. |
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What is cohesion? How does it affect the ways that cohesive materials behave physically? |
Fine grained materials, cohesive sediment grains are electrostatically attracted. The particles stick to each other, think of clay |
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How do the most common and important sedimentary structures form? How can we use each to interpret the depositional environment of a sedimentary rock? |
Ripples - are formed by turbulence of the bed by water currents Dunes - are the same as ripples and form cross beds Cross beds - these form as dunes advance across the land. They build up on the soft side of the dune, and tumble down, leaving the cross bed. They can tell us about how the sediments were deposited there |
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How gay is Kaden Nay? |
Uber Gay |
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How are fossil fuels, such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas produced? What circumstances are required to harvest fossil fuels?
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Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. They examine core samples, look for natural fractures in the reservoir rock, and investigate the size and porosity of the reservoir and how fast oil droplets move through the pores |
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What are some common low-grade metamorphic rocks? |
Slate, phyllite, protolith |
