Geomorphology: Endogenic Processes, Rocks, Minerals, and Earth Structure

Vocabulary flashcards covering systems in geomorphology, exogenic vs endogenic processes, rock types, the rock cycle, metamorphic processes, and Earth's structural layers based on Lecture 7 notes.

Morphological Subsystems

Subsystems defined in terms of their internal geometry, including the number, size, shape, and linkages of components (such as stream networks, mineral crystals, or rock joints), identifiable by their distinct shapes and patterns.

Cascading Subsystems

Subsystems that receive and make complex inputs and outputs of matter, energy, or both (such as a chain of rivers and lakes), maintaining balance through regulators and storage mechanisms.

Process-Response Control Subsystems

Subsystems that alter their internal geometry or behavior in response to cascading inputs, linked together through common components and operations.

Exogenic Energy

Energy driving surface processes like weathering and erosion that wear down the Earth's surface (planation), reducing relief and potential energy.

Endogenic Energy

Energy derived from the decay of radioactive minerals and residual primordial heat that drives mountain building and plate tectonics, increasing relief and potential energy.

Diastrophism

Large-scale deformation of the Earth's crust fueled by endogenic energy—including lithospheric plate movement, volcanic loading, and folding—creating continents, oceanic basins, mountain systems, tectonic plateaus, and rift valleys.

Minerals

Homogeneous, naturally occurring, inorganic solids with a definite chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure, consisting of a single element (such as copper or gold) or a compound of elements.

Rocks

Solid material made up of one or more minerals.

The Rock Cycle

A geological concept authored by James Hutton ($1727\text{--}1797$) that depicts the continuous interrelationships among igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Igneous Rocks

Crystalline solids formed directly from the cooling and solidification of magma through an exothermic process involving a phase change from liquid to solid, classified as primary rocks.

Intrusive Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks (such as granite) that crystallize and solidify beneath the Earth's surface.

Extrusive Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks (such as basalt) formed at the Earth's surface through the solidification of volcanic lavas.

Sedimentary Rocks

Secondary rocks formed from the compaction and cementation (lithification) of eroded and deposited sediments, or through chemical precipitation in evaporites.

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks created when an existing rock body is buried and subjected to elevated temperature and pressure, causing recrystallization of minerals to restore equilibrium; examples include slate, schist, gneiss, and marble.

Types of Metamorphism

The three metamorphic modes: regional metamorphism (driven by pressure and heat), contact metamorphism (driven by heat from magma), and dynamic metamorphism (driven by faulting and pressure).

Lithosphere

The cool, rigid, and brittle outermost layer of the Earth composed of the crust and uppermost mantle, extending to a depth of approximately $100\text{ km}$.

Asthenosphere

The hot, weak, plastic layer of the upper mantle situated beneath the lithosphere, extending from approximately $100\text{ km}$ to $350\text{ km}$ depth.

Mesosphere

The lower mantle layer extending from approximately $350\text{ km}$ to $2883\text{ km}$ depth, described as hot but stronger due to high pressure.

Mohorovicic Discontinuity

The boundary layer (commonly referred to as the Moho) separating the Earth's crust from the underlying mantle.

Earth's Internal Structure

The concentric division of Earth's interior into crust, mantle, and core chemically, and lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, liquid outer core, and solid inner core mechanically.

Earth Layer Densities

The density breakdown across Earth's layers: average Earth density is $5.5\text{ g/cm}^3$, crust is $2.7\text{--}2.8 / 3.0\text{ g/cm}^3$, mantle is $4.5\text{--}5.5\text{ g/cm}^3$, and core is $10\text{--}15\text{ g/cm}^3$.