Key Terms from Geology and Biology Lecture

95 vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture notes covering key concepts in geology and biology.

Arthropods

A diverse family that includes organisms from lobsters and crabs to millipedes and spiders; named for their jointed legs.

Archaeopteryx

The first birds, direct descendants of dinosaurs.

Angiosperm

Flowering or seed-enclosed plants from the Cretaceous Period.

Crossopterygii

The first fish to venture onto land, categorized as lobe-finned fish.

Chicxulub

Crater left by a meteorite that struck Earth 65 million years ago, named after a Mayan town.

Erectus

Homo Erectus; one of the first species of our genus, replaced by Homo Neanderthals.

Ediacara

The last period of the Proterozoic Eon, defined by macroscopic fossils.

Eukaryote

An organism composed of cells having a well-defined nucleus and organelles.

Terminal Moraine

A pile of debris transported by a glacier that forms at its terminus.

Fracking

Pressurized fluid injected into a well creating tiny fractures to facilitate hydrocarbon removal.

Coal

Carbon-rich sedimentary rock created by fossils of seedless plants from the Carboniferous period.

Radon

Gas in groundwater that might rise before an earthquake.

Silurian

The period during which vascular plants evolved; these plants have structural support from stems and limbs.

Gymnosperm

A naked-seed plant including ginkos and conifers from the Devonian Period.

Ordovician

One of the periods from the Paleozoic Era.

Arete

A sharp crested ridge formed by two cirques on opposite sides of a mountain meeting.

Temperate Glacier

Glaciers that are near their melting point throughout the interior.

Triassic

The end of the Mesozoic Era.

Helium

Some of the volatile elements from early Earth, including nitrogen, argon, and hydrogen.

Cambrian

The end of the Paleozoic Era.

Carbon Dioxide

Gas that opens the stomata of plants when pressure is high and closes when low.

Coprolite

Fecal droppings left by prehistoric animals providing evidence of their characteristics, habits, and diets.

Lateral Moraine

A pile of debris transported by a glacier that forms along its edges.

Magmatic

Pertaining to magmatic deposits formed through igneous processes.

Subtropical

Deserts located near the two belts of low rainfall at 30N and 30S latitudes.

Peat

Biogenic sediment formed by the compaction of plant remains from bogs and swamps.

Placer

Deposits formed by sedimentary processes related to erosion, consisting of minerals transported by water.

Repose

The steepest angle at which loose particles will come to rest.

Nuclear

Energy derived from the binding energy in the nuclei of atoms, often obtained from fission.

Esker

A raised bed of sediment left behind by a retreating glacier.

Cenozoic

The first Era of the geological time scale.

Kettle

Depressions left by melting glaciers that form ponds and lakes.

Punctuated Equilibrium

A theory that species persist for long periods with few changes and undergo occasional sharp changes.

Cirque

Bowl-shaped glaciers found at the head of glaciers.

Oxygen

Chemical analysis of oxygen isotopes in ice, revealing preserved information.

Deflation

Wind erosion in which loose particles are removed, leaving coarser particles behind.

Hydrothermal

Deposits formed when minerals precipitate from hot water solutions carrying dissolved loads.

Banded Iron

Chemical sedimentary rock rich in iron minerals and silica.

Anthropogenic

Referring to the part of the greenhouse effect that results from human activities.

Stromatolite

Entire colonies of bacterial life formed about 3.55 billion years ago.

Paleozoic

The last Era in the geological time scale.

Jurassic

A period in the middle of the Mesozoic Era.

Pavement

Desert pavement left behind after fine particles are removed by deflation.

Ice Wedge

Geological formations produced by freeze-thaw cycles.

Photovoltaic

Cells that convert solar energy directly into electricity.

Ablation

Losses and shrinkage of a glacier.

Periglacial

Landforms near glaciers formed from intense frost action.

Permian

The first Period of the Paleozoic Era.

Prokaryote

A single-celled organism without a distinct nucleus.

Patterned Ground

Ground patterns illustrating thawing and freezing processes in soil.

Paleosol

Woody organic matter from ancient soils.

Bajada

Formations occurring after water loses its ability to transport sediment.

Oil

The liquid form of petroleum.

Archean

The third Eon in the geological time scale.

Water Vapour

Main chemical component of volcanic gas, 97% by volume.

Ice Core

Continuous records of weather conditions derived from ice chemical analysis.

Striation

Glacial striations formed when basal sliding occurs, creating long parallel scratches.

Paleogene

The last period in the Cenozoic Era.

Rainshadow

Desert formed when a mountain range creates a barrier to moist air.

Flood

Occurs when a water body overflows its banks.

Hydroelectric

Energy generated by the movement of water.

Saltation

Sediment transport where particles move in short jumps along arched paths.

Alluvial Fan

A formation where water loses its ability to transport sediment after leaving upland regions.

Till

Sediment of various sizes deposited by glaciers.

Proterozoic

The second Eon in the geological time scale.

Trilobite

Hard-shelled organisms from the Cambrian period, extinct by the Paleozoic.

Tundra

A treeless biome with long winters and short summers, characterized by poor soils.

Geothermal

Energy derived from the Earth's interior.

Cretaceous

The first period in the Mesozoic Era.

Milankovitch

Cycles influencing Earth's climate due to astronomical factors.

Arroyo

Steep-sided canyons formed by rapid runoff of rainfall.

Residual

Minerals left behind by chemical weathering of a host rock.

Creep

Sediment transport where wind causes particles to roll along the ground.

Devonian

The third period in the Paleozoic Era.

Ventifact

Bedrock or stones shaped by windblown sediment.

Horn

Mountain peaks shaped by cirques that develop on all sides.

Biomass

Energy derived from plant life.

Hydrogen

An element that can power fuel cells, producing only water as a byproduct.

Australopithecus

An older hominid genus from which Homo evolved approximately 2 million years ago.