Exam 1 Questions

Average residence time

average time required for total stock to be cycled through a system

steady state

when inputs = output, total stock is unchanged

hydrological changes

channelization of streams

How have human activities altered chemical weathering in watersheds

Increase transport of acid neutralizing capacity as bicarbonate

Salinization of freshwater is increasing in some areas of US

Chronic groundwater

Uniformitarianism

Wind and water erosion worked similarly before

S-waves

not transmitted through outer-core - liquid

isostacy

rock uplift

inner core

solid - iron

outer core

liquid - mostly of iron

mantle

mostly solid - iron, magnesium rich silicates

Basic building block of all silicate minerals

silicon-oxygen tetrahedron

metallic bond

electrons are shared between all atoms in solid mass

Acid mine drainage

caused by weathering of sulfides

groups of individuals capable of interbreeding

species

Chemical weathering

the breakdown and dissolving of rocks due to carbonic nitric and sulfuric acids

Hot spot

hot region of core/mantle boundary

Stable isotopes

used to track pollution sources

not good characteristic to identify minerals

Color

• Good: crystal habitat, cleavage, hardness

convection in mantle

drives plate movement

bigger crystals

intrusive igneous rocks

mafic

magnesium and iron

limestone

affected by chemical weathering

convection

convergent plate boundary

coal

NOT a mineral

wetland

C

coastal hypoxia and dead zones

overgrowth of algae and bacteria

denitrification

microbial process that can purify stream water from excess nitrate pollution

flood risks

reducing wetland cover, straightening channels, all