Download Geology Terms: Systems, Feedback, Geosody, Latitude & Longitude, Map Conversion, Types of and more Quizzes Physical Geography in PDF only on Docsity!
Four spheres of geography
Lithosphere : The rigid outermost shell of the earth Hydrosphere :The combined mass of water found on, under, and over the surface of the earth. Atmosphere :The layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. Biosphere :The global sum of all ecosystems. TERM 2
Systems (open and closed)
DEFINITION 2 A collection of interrelated set of things and their organization;Linked by flows of matter and/or energy (e.g. river systems, weather, plate tectonics) Open system : inputs and/or outputs of energy or matter in a system (e.g. how energy arrive on earth from the sun) Closed system : no inputs or outputs; matter and energy move endlessly in cycles (e.g. the carbon cycle) TERM 3
Feedback in systems
DEFINITION 3 Steady state equilibrium : a system in which input is equal to output Positive feedback: enhances or increases the flow of energy/ matter Negative feedback : reduces flow of energy/ matter and leads to a self stabilizing system TERM 4
Geosody
DEFINITION 4 The study of Earth's shape and sizeEarth is an oblate ellipsoid (slightly squished sphere) TERM 5
Latitude &
Longitude
DEFINITION 5 Latitude : Angular distance north or south of the Equator Equator is 0 degrees Poles are 90 degrees Longitude : Angular distance east and west of the Prime Meridian Prime Meridian is located in Greenwich, UK at 0 degrees
Converting DMS to decimal units
Divide seconds by 60Add result onto minutesDivide minutes by 60Add result onto degrees TERM 7
Types of maps
DEFINITION 7 Topographic maps : contour lines indicate elevation above sea level Geologic maps : tells what kind of rocks are present on the surface Data maps : conveys information about the landscape (e.g. GIS) TERM 8
Map scales
DEFINITION 8 Verbal: indicating common distance on map versus in realitye.g. 1" = 1 mileFraction/ ratio: presents same information as 1/x or 1:xe.g. 1:24,000Graphic: presents same information as a bar to represent distance TERM 9
Map projections
DEFINITION 9 Converts the three dimensional globe into a two dimensional image; always involves some distortionConic, cylindrical, interrupted, plane andMercatorare the most common TERM 10
Rotation and Revolution
DEFINITION 10 Revolution : when one body moves around another ("orbiting") Rotation :the movement around an axis Aphelion : farthest position from the Sun (July
- Perihelion : closest position to the Sun (January 3)
Radioactive decay & half
lives
Radioactive 'parent' material decays to produce a stable 'daughter' material Amount of daughter material increases over time Half life : The time required for parent material to decay to half of its original value= ln (# parent / # original remaining) / -0.693= ln (1 + daughter / parent) / 0. TERM 17
Chemical Layers of Earth
DEFINITION 17 Core : contains mostly iron Mantle : contains iron, oxygen and silicon Crust : contains oxygen and silicon TERM 18
Physical Layers of Earth
DEFINITION 18 Lithosphere : rigid outer shell including crust and uppermost mantle Mafic (dark) oceanic crust Felsic (light) continental crust Asthenosphere : portion of mantle where rock flows Outer core : liquid iron-nickel alloy that generates earth's magnetic field Inner core : solid iron-nickel alloy TERM 19
Characteristics of minerals
DEFINITION 19 Homogenous Naturally occuring Solid Definite chemical composition Crystalline structure Inorganic TERM 20
Metamorphic rocks
DEFINITION 20 Rocks created by applying heat and pressure to pre-existing rocksChanges the mineral composition, size, shape and arrangement of grains in the rock (recrystallization)Heated by igneous intrusions or being buried near heat
Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
Foliation : layering of crystals in rock Slate : low grade shale based rock that cleaves in sheets Schist : intermediate grade rock with larger crystals; comes from mica, garnet, chlorite Gneiss : high grade banded rock with mafic (dark) and felsic (light) alternating layers TERM 22
Non-foliated Metamorphic rocks
DEFINITION 22 Quartzite : product of quartz sandstone with interlocking grains Marble : product of limestone with primarily calcite TERM 23
Igneous Rocks
DEFINITION 23 Rocks formed by the freezing of molten rock Intrusive : crystallization occurs below the surface Extrusive : crystallization occurs at the surface Magma : molten rock below earth's surface Lava : molten rock at earth's surface TERM 24
Igneous intrusions
DEFINITION 24 Plutons : intrusive igneous blogs that form when magma cools slowly at a great depth Batholiths : composite body of numerous plutons in the same region TERM 25
Volcano shapes (3)
DEFINITION 25 Shield volcano : low viscosity (little silica) basalt flows Pahoehoe (rope-like) A'a (clumpy, rocky) Cinder cones : cone-shaped piles of tephra Strato- volcanoes : alternating layers of lava flows and tephra
Soil
Horizons
O : organic layer, o minerals A : topsoil, dark organic layer with some minerals E : transition layer, iron layer, light color B : subsoil, clay and ions collect here, orange colorC: weathered rockR: unweathered bedrockO-organic; A-topsoil; E-transition; B-subsoil; C-weathered rock; R-unweathered rock TERM 32
Clastic Sedimentary Rocks
DEFINITION 32 SedimentTransport (water, wind or ice)DepositionLithificationCommon types: Conglomerate Sandstone Shale or siltstone TERM 33
Biochemical Sedimentary Rocks
DEFINITION 33 Common types: Limestone Chert Coal TERM 34
Chemical Sedimentary Rocks
DEFINITION 34 Evaporites : water evaporates and dissolved materials precipitate.Common types: Halite Gypsum Precipitates : form when dissolved minerals precipitate out of a solution. Common types: Travertine Chert TERM 35
Types of Stress
DEFINITION 35 Compression : shortens the crust and creates crustal roots Anticlines (A shapes) Synclines (U shapes) Tension : lengthens the crust Shear : no topography created, moves left or right
Fault types
Dip-slip : sliding on slope of fault (along dip) Strike-slip : sliding along strike (either left and right) Normal fault : hanging wall goes down (tensional stress) Reverse fault : hanging wall moves up (compression stress - high) Thrust fault : hanging wall moves up (compression stress - low) TERM 37
Earthquakes!
DEFINITION 37 Earthquake : the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Focus : underground location of rock rupture or split Epicenter : point at surface directly above focus TERM 38
Seismic waves (4)
DEFINITION 38 Seismic waves : indicate geographic location and depth of quake P (pressure) waves : particle motion parallel wave to propagation S (shear) waves : particle motionperpendicularto propagation Love (surface) waves : strongest at surface; decreases with depth Rayleigh (surface) waves : elliptical motion in the rock TERM 39
Continental drift
DEFINITION 39 Continental drift : theory that explains the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other; proposed by Wegener in 1915Evidence includes: Continental shorelines match up Age and type of rocks on separate continents match Paleo-climate and glaciers match Fossil evidence matches TERM 40
Sea floor spreading
DEFINITION 40 Seafloor spreading : new oceanic crust forms through volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges; proposed by Harry Hess in the 1950s Mid-ocean ridges : young, basaltic lavas form ridges elevated 2-3 km above the ocean basin floor Abyssal plains : flat featureless areas of the deep seafloor covered by sediment (approximately 30% of earth's surface)
