geol midterms

an element is defined by

how many protons it has

mineral

has atoms arranged in 3d arrays, inorganic

composition of earths crust

primarily aluminum + oxygen + silicon

presence of earths magnetic field provides evidence of

motion of liquid iron in the outer core

lithosphere

outer layer of earth, layer above asthenosphere

tectonic plates are

regions of the lithosphere that move as a unit

characteristics that define the crust

chemical composition

continental crust is

thick and low densiting and floats on the asthenosphere

glass is

a non crystalline solid

igneous rock types in top row

sorted by texture so basalt, andesite, rhyolite

andesite

volcanic rock with intermediate silica content

basalt

would be formed from eruptions at divergent margins

lowest points on the earths solid surface (underwater) are found at

convergent boundaries

felsic minerals

high in silica content (more than 52%)

forms from a high-viscosity lava?

rhyolite

what happened to subducted plates

they sink down through the mantle, eventually reaching the core-mantle boundary

oceanic crust

much younger than continental, because it subducts and returns to the mantle

asthenosphere

its plastic

what drives plate motion

mantle circulation, driven by heat escaping from the core

source of energy that is released in an earthquake?

stored elastic strain energy

plutonic rock w intermediate silica content

diorite

which rock is formed by magma cooling in the subsurface and divergent margins

gabbro

chemical sedimentary rock

made of minerals precipitated from water solutions

which environment would u expect sediment that becomes a sandstone

beach

shale

clastic sedimentary

shallow water sediments are deposited on top of deep water sediments is a result of

a marine transgression

clays

sheet silicates, stable, increase water holding capacity, fine grained

when carbon dioxide dissolves in water?

a weak acid is formed (carbonic acid, h2co3)

what environment does limestone form

marine

what happens during metamorphism of rock

solid state change of a protolith

how deep must rock be for metamorphism to begin

10 km

folitation

layers in rock formed by a preferred orientation of mineral grains

when magma intrudes into limestone in metamorphism what rock

marble

force acting over an area is

stress

in regional shear stress, style of faulting is

strike slip faulting

fold and thrust belt is likely to be found

in a convergent plate boundary

how does adding water affect the forces that trigger landslides

water decreases the resisting force

largest carbon reservoir in short term organic cycle

soil organic matter

what two processes control atmospheric co2 on time scales

silicate weathering and carbonate precipitation

seismic intensity

decreases away from the epicenter of earthquake

increases with duration of shaking in an earthquake

seismic intensity

incongruent dissolution

weathering of primary minerals can produce secondary clay minerals