final exam review flashcard set- GEO 101- Martinez- CSUP

vocab from each chapter+ general vocab

Geology

Study of Earth, its materials, processes, and history

Catastrophism

Earth changed by sudden violent events

Uniformitarianism

Present processes operated in the past

Scientific method

Observation, hypothesis, testing, conclusion

Theory

Well-tested explanation

System

Group of interacting parts

Feedback loop

Process that reinforces or balances change

Rock

Naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals

Rock cycle

Continuous transformation of rocks

Igneous rock

Rock formed from cooled magma/lava

Sedimentary rock

Rock formed from compacted sediments

Metamorphic rock

Rock altered by heat and pressure

Intrusive igneous

Slow cooling underground

Extrusive igneous

Fast cooling at surface

Lithification

Compaction + cementation

Strata

Layers in sedimentary rocks

Metamorphism

Rock changed by heat and pressure

Continental drift

Continents once connected

Wegener

Proposed continental drift

Hess

Proposed seafloor spreading

Seafloor spreading

New crust forms at ridges

Paleomagnetism

Magnetic record in rocks

Convection

Heat transfer by movement/movement in the mantle

Lithosphere

Rigid outer Earth layer

Asthenosphere

Plastic layer beneath lithosphere

Divergent boundary

Plates move apart

Convergent boundary

Plates collide

Transform boundary

Plates slide past

Subduction

One plate sinks under another

Hot spot

Volcano from mantle plume

Earthquake

Sudden energy release in Earth

Focus

Underground origin point

Epicenter

Surface point above focus

Fault

Break in Earth’s crust

P-wave

Fastest seismic wave

S wave

Travels only through solids

magnitude

Energy released

intensity

Damage caused

Triangulation

Finding epicenter using 3 stations

Tsunami

Ocean wave caused by underwater disturbance

weathering

break down of rock

mechanical weathering

Physical breakdown

chemical weathering

Chemical breakdown

Erosion

Movement of sediment

Deposition

Dropping of sediment

Mass movement

Gravity-driven movement of rock

Landslide

Rapid downhill movement

Creep

Slow downhill movement

Frost wedging

Water freezes and expands in cracks

Runoff

Water flowing over land

Infiltration

Water soaking into ground

Water table

Upper level of groundwater

Aquifer

Underground water storage

Stream discharge

Volume of water flowing

Floodplain

Flat land near rivers

Meander

Curve in river

Delta

Sediment deposit at river mouth

Glacier

Moving mass of ice

Accumulation

Snow added to glacier

Ablation

Ice loss

Plucking

Glacier pulls rock

Abrasion

Glacier scrapes rock

Moraine

Sediment deposited by glacier

U-shaped valley

Valley carved by glacier

Desert

Area with low precipitation

Arid climate

Extremely dry

Deflation

Wind removes loose particles

Dune

Hill of sand shaped by wind

Oasis

Water source in desert

Weathering in deserts

Mostly mechanical

Wave erosion

Waves wear away coast

Longshore drift

Sediment moves along shore

Beach

Sediment deposited by waves

Barrier island

Offshore sand island

Sea arch

Wave-cut arch in rock

Sea stack

Isolated pillar of rock

Atmosphere

Layer of gases around Earth

Troposphere

Lowest atmospheric layer

Stratosphere

Contains ozone

Air pressure

Weight of air

Humidity

Water vapor in air

Condensation

Gas to liquid

Evaporation

Liquid to gas

Dew point

Temperature where condensation starts

Weather

Short-term atmospheric conditions

Air mass

Large body of air with same properties

Front

Boundary between air masses

Cold front

Cold air pushes warm air

Warm front

Warm air pushes cold air

Stationary front

Front stops moving

Occluded front

Cold front overtakes warm front

Hurricane

Tropical cyclone

Storm surge

Rise in sea water caused by storm

Tornado

Violent rotating air column

Thunderstorm

Storm with lightning and thunder

El Niño

Warmer Pacific waters

La Niña

Cooler Pacific waters

Upwelling

Cold nutrient-rich water rises

Climate

Long-term weather patterns

Latitude

Major climate control