Geology Review 1

Front 1

What is crystal form?

Back 1

Crystal form and symmetry: The typical geometric shape of crystals of a given mineral. Most mineral specimens do not show their crystal form because they are either crystalline aggregates or they are broken or they are both.

Front 2

Give an example of the earth interacting or in equilibrium.

Back 2

Humans are part of the biosphere. When we build seawalls or clear land, we cause other parts of the system to respond. A seawall prevents wves from reaching areas behind the wall but may cause the beach to the seaward side of the seawall to experience significant erosion. (see pg 275 of book)

Front 3

What is Geology?

Back 3

The science that examines Earth, its form and composition and the changes it has undergone and is undergoing.

Front 4

What is the difference between physical geology and historical geology?

Back 4

PG studies the earth's composition, structure and the processes that shape it while HG is the study of the history of the earth and the history of life on earth.

Front 5

What is the State of Dynamic Equilibrium of the four major components of the earth?

Back 5

Dynamic Equilibrium (changeable balance) such that any significant change in any one of the four parts will result in a change in all of the others, but not necessarily of the same order of magnitude.

Front 6

What is Earth Science?

Back 6

Earth Science is the scientific study of earth and its major systems.

Front 7

What are the four major components of the earth?

Back 7

GEOSPHERE: - rocky substance of the earth
HYDROSPHERE: The earth's water
(97%in oceans, also rivers, glaciers, lakes, etc.)
BIOSPHERE: All living organisms on earth
ATMOSPHERE: The gaseious envelope arounmd the earth

Front 8

What is Historical Geology?

Back 8

HISTORICAL GEOLOGY is the history of the earth and of life on earth.

Front 9

What are the crust, mantle and core's bacis features?

Back 9

CRUST: granitic composition
MANTLE: Dense Iron Silicates about 1800 miles thick
CORE: OUTER CORE:molten iron and nickel about 1800 miles thick, about size of the moon.
INNER CORE: Solid iron and nickel

Front 10

What is physical geology?

Back 10

PHYSICAL GEOLOGY is the study of earth composition, structure and the processes that shape it (wind, erosion)

Front 11

What is the biosphere?

Back 11

All living organisms on earth.

Front 12

What happens to a crystal when crystals merge to form a CRYSTALLINE AGGREGATE?

Back 12

Most crystals in nature are merged with other crystals to form a crystalline aggregate, ie: a rock.

Front 13

What is the hydrosphere?

Back 13

The Earth's Water

Front 14

What is the theory of plate tectonics?

Back 14

The motion and interaction of rigid, interlocking plate-like segments composed of the outer 100 km (62 miles) of the Earth. This results in the deformation of these plates which is accompanied by such "tectonic" activity as earthquakes, volcanism and the formation of mountain ranges.

Front 15

Explain the concept of the earth as a system.

Back 15

The earth is a dynamic body with many separate, interacting parts or spheres. They interact and are interdependents and therefore a system. The parts are linked.

Front 16

How are metamorphic rocks formed?

Back 16

Formed by recrystallizing igneous or sedimentary rocks without melting them, due to heat and pressure deep underground.
shale...slate
limestone...marble
sandstone...quartzite

Front 17

What is the geosphere?
What are its three major subdivisions?

Back 17

The Geosphere is the rocky substance of the earth, ie. crust, mantle, core. It is the main part of the earth.

Front 18

What are deep-ocean trenches?

Back 18

An elongate-depression in the seafloor produced by bending of oceanic crust during subduction.

Front 19

What is the asthenosphere?

Back 19

The asthenosphere lies beneath the lithosphere. It behaves as a "plastic" solid (easily deformable) because it is very lose to its melting point (liek a redhot horseshoe is bendable). It is like "grease" that is between the plates so they can move.

Front 20

What is an element?

Back 20

A substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical or physical means.

Front 21

What is the hydrosphere's verious components?

Back 21

97% is in the Oceans
Also, rivers, lakes, glaciers, etc.

Front 22

What is the basic premise of the rock cycle?

Back 22

"Rocks in flux." These processes recycle rocks from one type to another and therefore the substance of any rock has existed as other rocks in the past.

Front 23

What is the Atmosphere?

Back 23

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

Front 24

How are sedimentary rocks formed?

Back 24

Sed. rocks are formed from sediments derived from other rocks by seathering and erosion.
-SHALE- most common compacted mud)
-SANDSTONE
-LIMESTONE-used for cement

Front 25

What is the lithosphere?

Back 25

The lithosphere consists of the crust plus the uppermost mantle down to about 100 km (62 miles). This behaves as a single rigid unit and is divided into "plates."

Front 26

What are the three types of plate boundaries?

Back 26

Divergent
Convergent
Transform

Front 27

What does the atmosphere consist of? What are it's most abundant components?

Back 27

78% Nitrogen
21% Oxygen
1% Argon
Carbon Dioxide
Water Vapor

Front 28

What is the continental shelf?

Back 28

The gently sloping submerged portion of the ocntinental margin, extending from the shoreline to the ocntinental slope.

Front 29

How are igneous rocks made?

Back 29

Igneous rocks are formed by the cooling and solidification of molten rock (magma).
- basalt lava - most common
- granite - cools more slowly

Front 30

What are the oceanic ridges?

Back 30

A continuous mountainous ridge on the floor of all the major ocean basins and varying in width from 300 - 3000 miles. The rifts at the crests of these ridges represent divergent plate boundaries.

Front 31

What is a rock?

Back 31

Rocks are consolidated (solid) mineral aggregates. Most rocks are made of more than one kind of mineral. This mineral matter can consist of crystals, particles and even fossils (shells).

Front 32

What is the difference between continental and oceanic crust as far as their thickness, composition, height, relative to sea level and relative amount of the Earth's surface is concerned?

Back 32

*

Front 33

What is a mineral?

Back 33

A mineral is a NATURALLY OCCURING substance of UNIFORM CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, INORGANIC ORIGIN and CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE.

Front 34

What are the basic components of the hydrologic cycle?

Back 34

*

Front 35

What is breakage?

Back 35

The way a mineral breaks is often useful in identifying it. The two basic types are: CLEAVAGE Breakage along flat surfaces in a preferred direction
FRACTURE:Breakage not along flat surfaces.

Front 36

What are the two most abundant elements in the EARTH'S CRUST?

Back 36

1. Oxygen (almost 1/2 of the
Earth's crust.
2. Silicon

Front 37

What happens if a crystal's form is not interfered with?

Back 37

?

Front 38

What is the hydrologic cycle?

Back 38

The continuous transfer of water on earth from one respository to another. Example: from the sea to air (evaporation) then from air to land (precipitation) and finally from the land back to the sea.

Front 39

What are the two most abundant elements in the Earth's crust?

Back 39

1. Oxygen
2. Silicon

Front 40

How does geologic time enable us to use ordinary, observable processes to explain most of what we see on earth? (uniformitarianism)

Back 40

Over such long periods of time, many seemingly insignificant natural processes can produce major results. Therefore,most of the earth's geological features can be explained in terms of ordinary, observable processes acting over geologic time spans.

Front 41

What physical properties are useful in identifying minerals?

Back 41

Breakage
Cleavage
Fracture
Hardness
Color
Streak
Luster
Specific Gravity

Front 42

What powers the hydrologic cycle?

Back 42

The energy of the Sun because the atmosphere provides the vital link between the oceans and the continents

Front 43

What are the components of the hydrologic cycle?

Back 43

Precipitation
Infiltration (a portion soaks into the ground)
drains downward into lakes, streams,oceans, etc.
Transpiration - some of the water is absorbed by
plants
Evaporation

Front 44

How do the lithosphere and asthenosphere relate to the theory of plate tectonics?

Back 44

The lithosphere is the crust that slides around on the "grease" of the asthenosphere.

Front 45

What is geologic time?

Back 45

Spans of time encompassing a vast scale. It ranges from thousands to billions of years.

Front 46

What is the continental slope?

Back 46

The steep gradient that leads to the deep-ocean floor and marks the seaward edge of the continental shelf.

Front 47

What causes some minerals to exhibit the property of CLEAVAGE whereas others do not?

Back 47

Cleavage is breakage along flat surfaces. It is caused by atomic bonds that are weaker in one or more directions. Not all minerals have cleavage.

Front 48

What is a crystalline solid?

Back 48

Crystallization is a process in which random arrange ments of atoms are transformed into orderly arrangements. Such material is said to be "crystalline". This leads to the formation of a "crystal."

Front 49

How to tell if a mineral has cleavage?

Back 49

Flat surfaces (continuous or stepped)
Mirror-like reflectance (it flashes)

Front 50

What powers the hydrologic cycle?

Back 50

The energy from the sun powers the hydrologic cycle.

Front 51

What are volcanic island arcs?

Back 51

A chain of volcanic islqnds generally located a few hundred kilometers from a trench where there is active subduction of one oceanic plate beneath another.

Front 52

What are the three major categories of rocks?

Back 52

Metamorphic
Igneous
Sedimentary

Front 53

What is a convergent boundary?

Back 53

A convergent boundary is where two plates are colliding and one is forced down beneath the other into teh mantle where it is recycled. This generates powerful quakes, volcanic activity and mountain building. This is mostly occuring in deep ocean trenches and leads to a formation of volcanic island arcs, continental volcanic arcs and complex moutains.

Front 54

How do crystals form and grow?

Back 54

By adding atoms to their outer surface (growth by accretion).

Front 55

What is a transform boundary?

Back 55

A boundary where 2 plates are sliding past one another along a transform fault. This causes earthquakes and deformation but it neither creates nor destroys lithosphere.

Front 56

What is a divergent boundary?

Back 56

A divergent boundary is wehre two plates are pulling apart and moving in opposite directions. This creates new lithosphere as magma intrudes into the cracks formed when the plates pull apart. This occurs along the central part (axis) of mid-ocean ridges.