Earth Processes - Exogenic and Endogenic; Weathering, Erosion, Volcanoes, Tectonics, Continental Drift

A set of 100 practice flashcards in a Question-and-Answer format covering Earth processes, exogenic and endogenic processes, weathering, erosion, mass wasting, water cycle, volcanism, tectonics, continental drift, fossils, and rocks as presented in the lecture notes.

What are the two main categories of Earth processes?

Exogenic processes and Endogenic processes.

From where do exogenic processes derive their energy?

From the surface of the Earth.

From where does energy for endogenic processes come?

From within the Earth.

Which processes shape the Earth at the surface?

Weathering, erosion, mass wasting, and the water cycle.

Which processes shape the Earth from within?

Volcanism and tectonics.

What is weathering?

The process of breaking down rocks into small pieces.

What are the two types of weathering?

Physical (mechanical) weathering and chemical weathering.

What is physical weathering?

Sudden change of temperature causing rocks to break.

What is chemical weathering?

Decomposition of rocks by alteration of minerals.

What is erosion?

The process of transporting weathered sediments by agents of erosion.

Name an erosional agent mentioned in the notes.

Wind.

Are weathering and erosion the same?

No; weathering breaks rocks in place, erosion transports sediments.

What is mass wasting?

The downward mass movement of rocks, soil, and regolith from a higher elevation to a lower one.

List some mass-wasting features.

Rock falls, rock slides, mudflows, slumps, creep.

Define rock fall.

Direct downward pull of gravity causing rocks to move vertically down a steep slope.

Define rock slide.

A large mass of rocks moving rapidly down a slope with little or no fluids.

Define mudflow.

Soil and rock moving down a slope in a fluid manner due to the presence of water.

Define slump.

Movement similar to rock slides but without translational movement.

Define creep.

The slowest mass-wasting process; soil and rock move slowly over a long period of time.

What is the water cycle?

The cycle involving evaporation, condensation, and precipitation (and related processes).

What causes evaporation in the water cycle?

Heat from the sun.

What happens during condensation?

Water vapor rises and cools to form clouds.

What is precipitation?

The process by which water is released from clouds as rain, snow, etc.

Name some advanced water cycle processes listed in the notes.

Evapotranspiration, infiltration, seepage, surface runoff, groundwater flow/storage.

What is evapotranspiration?

The combination of evaporation from surfaces and transpiration from plants.

What is infiltration?

Water seeping into the ground.

What is seepage?

Movement of water through soil or rock.

What is surface runoff?

Water flowing over the surface of the land into streams or rivers.

What is groundwater storage?

Storage of water in aquifers beneath the surface.

What is groundwater flow?

Movement of groundwater through soil and rock.

What is volcanism?

The activity of expulsion/extrusion of lava from the Earth's interior.

What is tectonics?

The study of the structure of the Earth's surface and how it changes shape over time.

What is a shield volcano?

A volcano that looks like a very broad shield, formed from low-viscosity lava.

What is a cinder cone volcano?

A landform with very steep slopes made from pyroclastic fragments.

What is a stratovolcano?

Not too wide and not too steep; made up of pyroclastic materials and lava.

What is the Hawaiian volcano style?

Effusive, quiet emission of lava with very low volatile content.

What is Strombolian volcanism?

Similar to Hawaiian but with more viscous lava and short-lived explosions.

What is Vulcanian volcanism?

Similar to Strombolian but with more sustained explosions and series of blasts.

What is Plinian volcanism?

Sustained eruption columns and widespread dispersal of materials like ash.

What is Surtseyan volcanism?

An eruption with magma contacting water producing steam.

What are some effects associated with volcanic activity besides eruptions?

Ground tremors/earthquakes, drying up of small bodies of water, death of plants, ground swelling, unusual animal behavior.

What is tectonics the study of in this context?

The structure of the Earth's surface and how it changes shape over time.

What are the three main plate boundary types?

Convergent boundary, Divergent boundary, Transform boundary.

Name some tectonic plates listed in the notes.

North American Plate, Eurasian Plate, Pacific Plate, African Plate, Antarctic Plate, Indian Plate, Australian Plate, South American Plate, Nazca Plate, Cocos Plate, Philippine Plate.

What is the Continental Drift Theory?

The idea that land masses move and were once joined in one single land mass.

What are the pieces of evidence for Continental Drift discussed in the notes?

Jigsaw puzzle fit of continents, terrestrial fossils, and rock structures.

Which fossils support the idea that southern continents were once joined?

Glossopteris (fern) and fossils like Lystrosaurus, Cynognathus, Mesosaurus.

Name a Triassic land reptile fossil mentioned in the notes.

Lystrosaurus.

Name another Triassic land reptile fossil mentioned.

Cynognathus.

Which freshwater reptile fossil is mentioned?

Mesosaurus.

Which fossil is a fern found on all southern continents?

Glossopteris.

What does Glossopteris indicate about past landmasses?

Fossils across southern continents indicate they were once joined.

What does the 'Rock and Structures' evidence suggest about continents?

Coastlines appear similar and mountain ranges align across continents.

Name an example of a mountain range linking continents.

Appalachian Mountains (North America) and Caledonian Mountains (Europe/Greenland).

What is the purpose of the 'Continental Drift Theory' map illustration on the slides?

To show how continents were joined and have drifted apart.

What does the term 'Jigsaw Puzzle Fit' illustrate?

Continents fit together when combined.

Which continents are linked by Appalachian and Caledonian mountains according to the notes?

North America and Europe.

What is the significance of similar coastlines across continents?

They support the idea of past connections between continents.

What are terrestrial fossils?

Fossils preserved remains of living organisms found on land.

Name a fossil evidence example for the Triassic period listed.

Lystrosaurus.

What is the significance of the fossil Cynognathus in the notes?

One of the Triassic land reptiles whose fossils were found on multiple continents.

What is Mesosaurus's significance in continental drift evidence?

A freshwater reptile fossil found in multiple continents, supporting joined past landmasses.

Which fossil indicates that southern continents were once joined by sharing a fern across continents?

Glossopteris.

What does the term 'Endogenic processes refers to geological events that shape the Earth from within' indicate?

Volcanism and Tectonics.

What does the term 'Exogenic processes' refer to in this context?

Processes derived from the surface energy of the Earth (weathering, erosion, etc.).

What is the energy source for exogenic processes as per the notes?

From the surface of the Earth.

What is the energy source for endogenic processes as per the notes?

From within the Earth.

What is the main idea of the two categories of Earth processes in this lecture?

Exogenic processes operate on the surface; Endogenic processes operate from within.

What is the role of weathering in shaping the Earth's surface?

It breaks down rocks into smaller pieces in place.

What is the role of erosion in shaping landscapes?

It transports weathered sediments to new locations.

What is the result of mass wasting on slopes?

Downward movement of material due to gravity.

Which process causes layers of volcanic material and lava to form a stratovolcano?

Stratovolcano formation.

Which volcano type is characterized by broad, low-viscosity lava flows?

Shield volcano.

What type of volcanic eruption is associated with ash plumes and sustained columns?

Plinian eruption.

What type of eruption involves magma interacting with water to produce steam?

Surtseyan eruption.

Name a volcanic eruption style with short-lived explosions and more viscous lava.

Strombolian eruption.

Name a volcanic eruption style with a series of blasts and energy release.

Vulcanian eruption.

In the notes, which term refers to an eruption with very steep slopes of pyroclastic fragments?

Cinder cone volcano.

According to the notes, what can be said about the energy source of exogenic processes compared to endogenic processes?

Exogenic energy comes from the surface; endogenic energy comes from within.

What is the term used for the process that moves rocks downslope slowly over time?

Creep.

What is the term for the rapid movement of rocks down a steep slope due to gravity?

Rock fall.

What is the term for a large mass of rock moving rapidly down a slope with little water involvement?

Rock slide.

Which mass-wasting process involves a slurry of water, soil, and rock moving downslope?

Mudflow.

Which mass-wasting process is the slowest and involves gradual movement in many directions?

Creep.

Which mass-wasting process resembles slides but lacks translational movement?

Slump.

Which process transports weathered sediments by wind, water, or ice?

Erosion.

What is the primary evidence that supports the idea of continental drift through fossils and rocks?

Fossil distribution and matching rock structures across continents.

Which piece of fossil evidence demonstrates that Triassic land reptiles were distributed across continents?

Lystrosaurus and Cynognathus.

What is the term for a plant fossil found across southern continents that supports continental connections?

Glossopteris.

What is the key implication of the Continental Drift Theory for modern geography?

Continents were once joined and have since moved apart.