GEOL 101 Exam 1

Earth Science

• geology

• planetary

• oceaonography

• meteroology

• env sci

Geology

earth materials and

processes

Science

process of producing knowledge (by making observations/developing

explanations)

hypothesis

educated guess based upon observation

Scientific Theory

explanation of a set of related observation based on hypothesis

Scientific Law

generally accepted to be true and universal

Catastrophism

explained how rocks on Earth were formed quickly through fast, violent

processes.

Principle of Uniformitarianism/Actualism today

We find no vestige of a beginning,—no prospect of an end.“,

Galaxies

Systems of stars

Big Bang Theory

Sent all matter flying outward, Cooled, condensed into

stars and galaxies

Nebular Theory

how the solar system foremd

Crust

Earth’s thin, rocky outer skin

Mantle

2900 km thick and composed of

peridotite

Core

composed of iron-

nickel alloy

Lithosphere

rigid outer layer

of Earth that consists of the crust

and the upper mantle

Asthenosphere

weak

mantle layer below the lithosphere

Transition zone

zone in upper

mantle w sharp inc

in density below the asthenosphere

Lower Mantle

zone of strong, hot

rocks subjected to gradual flow below

the transition zone

Outer core

liquid outer layer of the

core

Inner core

solid inner layer of the

core

ocean basins and

continents

Earth’s surface is divided into

Ocean crust

thinner, denser,

mafic rock

Oceanic ridges

most prominent

feature on the ocean floor and are

composed of igneous rock that has been

fractured and uplifted

abyssal plain

flat feature of

the deep ocean basin.

Seamounts

small volcanic

structures that dot the ocean floo

Deep-ocean trenches

deep and

relatively narrow depressions that

make up only a small portion of the

ocean floo

Continental margins

portion of the seafloor adjacent to

major landmasses.

continental shelf

gently sloping region of

continental crust extending

from the shore.

continental slope

steep drop off hta textends from contientnal shelf to deep ocean floor

continental rise

thick wedge of sediment that moved down from cs and slope to accum on sea floor

Mountain belts

most

prominent features of continents.

Cratons

stable interiors of

continents.

Shields

flat regions

of old deformed crystalline rocks

within cratons.

Stable platforms

portions of

cratons covered with sedimentary

rocks

Geosphere

solid Earth

Hydrosphere

ocean and fresh water

atmosphere

gas envelpe

biosphere

plant/animal

Igneous rock

form when magma/laval cools

sedimentary rock

weathering production

metaphormic rock

transformation of pre existing rock

Continental drift hypothesis

Supercontinent called Pangaea began breaking

apart about 200 million years ago

was not legit hto

Geosyncline theory

Crustal downwarp forms basin, filled by sediment

• Isostatic rebound forms mountain belt

• Contracting earth (grape t

Theory of Sea Floor Spreading

New oceanic crust formed at the mid ocean rift and moved away

Crust subducted in the trenches

Theory of Plate Tectonics

Rigid Lithosphere Overlies

Weak Asthenosphere and slides underneath each other

Divergetn plate

constructive

plates move apart

Convergent

destructive

plates move together

Transform

conservative

plates grind past each other without the production or destruction

continental rift

when a divergent plate

boundary occurs within a

continent (ex: East africn rift)

subduction zones

Where lithosphere descends (subducts) into the

mantle

Deep-ocean trenches

surface manifestations

produced at subduction zones

Oceanic-continental convergence

The denser oceanic slab sinks into the

mantle beneath the buoyant continental

block

• Creates continental volcanic arc

Oceanic-oceanic convergence

When two oceanic slabs converge, one

descends beneath the other.

• forms volcanic island arc

Continental-Continental Convergence

Continued subduction can bring two

continents together

convection

ultimate driver of

plate tectonics.

slab puyll force

subduction of cold dense oceanic lithosphere

ridge push force

elevated lithosphere at oceanic ridges will slide down due to gravity

Magma

Formed by partial melting in the Earth’s

crust

Lava

magma extruded at surface

(extrusive)

Ash

magma emitted explosively

Extrusive

volcanic rocks, cooled quickly (fine grained)

Intrusive

plutonic rocks, cooled slowly (coarse grained)

Crystallization

cooling of

magma which results in the systematic

arrangement of ions into orderly

patterns

Where do igneous rock form

• volcanic arc near subduction zones

• rifts near divergent plateboudnerar

• over hotpots in teh ocean/on land