Honors Geology Final Study Guide Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering geologic time, topographic maps, mass wasting, hydrology, glaciology, oceanography, and structural geology based on the Honors Geology Final Study Guide.

James Hutton (Geologic Time)

Known as the Father of Modern Geology; proposed uniformitarianism and realized Earth is very old.

Uniformitarianism (Geologic Time)

The principle that "the present is the key to the past," meaning geologic processes happening today also happened in the past.

Charles Lyell (Geologic Time)

Author of Principles of Geology who helped popularize uniformitarianism and influenced Charles Darwin.

Superposition (Geologic Time)

A relative dating principle stating that in undisturbed layers, the oldest rocks are at the bottom and the youngest are on top.

Original Horizontality (Geologic Time)

The principle that sedimentary rocks form in horizontal layers.

Cross-Cutting Relationships (Geologic Time)

The principle that a fault or intrusion is younger than the rock it cuts through.

Inclusions (Geologic Time)

Rock fragments found inside another rock that are older than the surrounding rock.

Unconformity (Geologic Time)

Gaps in the geologic record caused by erosion or nondeposition.

Angular unconformity (Geologic Time)

A type of unconformity where tilted layers are found beneath horizontal layers.

Disconformity (Geologic Time)

A type of unconformity with parallel layers separated by an erosion surface.

Nonconformity (Geologic Time)

A type of unconformity where sedimentary rocks are deposited on top of igneous or metamorphic rocks.

Index fossils (Geologic Time)

Fossils used for correlation that lived for a short time, were widespread geographically, and are easy to identify.

Radiometric Dating (Geologic Time)

A method of absolute dating that uses radioactive decay.

Half-life (Geologic Time)

The time required for half of the parent atoms in a radioactive substance to decay.

Radioactive Decay Formula (Geologic Time)

$N = N\_0 \times \binom{1}{2}^n$ where $N$ is the remaining parent atoms, $N\_0$ is the original amount, and $n$ is the number of half-lives.

Paleozoic (Geologic Time)

The era of the geologic time scale representing "ancient life."

Mesozoic (Geologic Time)

The era of the geologic time scale known for dinosaurs.

Cenozoic (Geologic Time)

The era of the geologic time scale representing "recent life."

Relief (Topography)

The difference between the highest and lowest elevation on a topographic map.

Gradient (Topography)

$$\text{Gradient} = \frac{\text{Change in Elevation}}{\text{Distance}}$$

Dendritic Drainage (Topography)

A tree-like drainage pattern that forms on uniform rock.

Township (Land Division)

A land division system unit measuring $6\text{ mi} \times 6\text{ mi}$ and divided into 36 sections.

Shear Force (Mass Wasting)

The force pulling material downhill that drives mass wasting.

Shear Strength (Mass Wasting)

The resistance to movement that opposes shear force in mass wasting.

Creep (Mass Wasting)

A very slow type of mass wasting movement.

Braided Streams (Fluvial)

Streams with multiple channels, significant sediment, and a steep gradient.

Cut bank (Fluvial)

The feature of a meandering stream where erosion occurs due to high velocity.

Point bar (Fluvial)

The feature of a meandering stream where deposition occurs.

Delta (Fluvial)

A depositional feature at a stream mouth where it enters still water.

Alluvial Fan (Fluvial)

A fan-shaped sediment deposit found at the base of a mountain.

Zone of Saturation (Groundwater)

The groundwater zone where all pores are filled with water.

Water Table (Groundwater)

The top surface of the zone of saturation.

Porosity (Groundwater)

The amount of open space within rock or sediment.

Permeability (Groundwater)

The ability for water to flow through rock or sediment.

Aquitard (Groundwater)

A geologic layer that blocks or slows the movement of water.

Artesian Well (Groundwater)

A well where water rises naturally due to pressure.

Karst Topography (Geological Features)

A landscape formed from dissolving limestone, characterized by sinkholes, caves, and underground streams.

Ablation (Glacial Processes)

The loss of ice in a glacier.

Cirque (Glacial Processes)

A bowl-shaped depression formed by glacial erosion.

Arête (Glacial Processes)

A sharp ridge formed between two glacial valleys.

Moraine (Glacial Processes)

A ridge of sediment deposited by a glacier.

Abyssal Plain (Oceanography)

The flat, deep-ocean floor.

Ophiolites (Plate Tectonics)

Pieces of ocean crust found on continents that provide evidence for plate tectonics.

Strain (Rock Deformation)

Rock deformation caused by stress.

Anticline (Geological Structures)

An arch-shaped fold where the oldest rock layers are in the center.

Syncline (Geological Structures)

A bowl-shaped fold where the youngest rock layers are in the center.

Normal Fault (Geological Structures)

A fault caused by tension where the hanging wall moves down.

Reverse Fault (Geological Structures)

A fault caused by compression where the hanging wall moves up.