GEOL 115 Exam 3 Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for GEOL 115 Exam 3 Study Guide.

5 Defining Characteristics of a Mineral

Naturally occurring, solid, inorganic, specific chemical composition, & crystalline.

Isotope

Same element, different mass.

Igneous Rock Formation

Mineral crystals solidify from magma or lava.

Metamorphic Rock Formation

Pre-existing rocks that are changed by heat, pressure, or fluid activity.

Sedimentary Rock Formation

Rocks that form through accumulation of other sediment.

Plate Tectonics

Plate movement; divergent, convergent, and transform.

Cross-Cutting Relationships

An igneous intrusion must be younger than the layers it passes through.

Superposition

The oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest is at the top.

Inclusions

Inclusions must be older than the rocks that they are in.

Lateral Continuity

Sedimentary rocks are spread in even layers when deposited.

Isotopic Dating

Unstable atoms decay over time; each half-life is how long it takes for the parent isotope to decay into the daughter isotope.

Climate

Statistical weather patterns in an area over 30 years.

Weather

Daily measure of the atmosphere in a region.

Greenhouse Effect

Gases in the atmosphere reflect long wave radiation back to Earth, which traps heat like a greenhouse.

River Erosion and Deposition

Erosion happens at the meanders and deposition happens at deltas.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes occur because rocks under stress break and release seismic waves.

Seismic Waves

Released during earthquakes, p s and surface waves.

Tsunami Waves

Influence all ocean depth, tens to hundreds of miles, waves unrelated to speed, wave velocity reaches hundreds of mph, & water arrives in a raised plateau.

Ocean Waves

Influence upper 300 feet, tens to hundreds of feet, waves related to wind, wave velocity reaches tens to hundreds of mph, & waves break in shallow water.

How Tsunami Waves Change Approaching Shore

It slows down and increases in height.

What Causes Tsunamis?

Caused by sudden vertical displacement of water.

Signs of Approaching Tsunami

Receding water or very low shoreline/water higher than high tide.

Tsunami Safety Measures

Travel inland at least 2 miles and climb at least 100 feet above sea level.

Mass Wasting

Downslope motion of earth’s materials.

Types of Mass Wasting (Fastest to Slowest)

Rockfalls, slides, debris flow, lahars, mudflow, slumping, soil creep

Why Steeper Slopes are Less Stable

Larger downhill force at steeper slopes.

Triggering Events for Mass Wasting

Shocks and vibrations, removing slope support, and changes in slope strength.

Climate Affect on Mass Wasting

More rainfall.

Tectonics Affect on Mass Wasting

Create uplift and generate seismicity.

Terraces

Removes mass load on the slope.

Revegetation

Adding plants to slope.

Slowing/Eliminating Undercutting

Increases stability.

Shield Volcano

Very large, gentle slope, made from lava flows.

Stratovolcano

Smaller, steeper slopes, made from lava flows and volcanic ash.

Cinder Cone

Very small, steep slopes, made from lava flows and lava rock.

Conditions for Explosive Volcanoes

Highly viscous and large amounts of gas.

Mafic (Basaltic) Volcanism Features and Hazards

Low viscosity, so they flow farther and cause more damage; pillow basalts underwater; lava tubes.

Intermediate (Andesitic) Volcanism Features and Hazards

Pyroclastic debris, volcanic ash, pyroclastic flows, volcanic debris flow, lahars.

Felsic (Rhyolitic) Volcanism Features and Hazards

Lava domes and tuffs.

Lava Fountain

Gas pressure pushes lava out like a firework.

Lava Flow

Stream of molten rock.

Pyroclastic Flow

Hot ash travels downslope due to gravity.

Lahar

Ash and volcanic materials mixed with water.

Caldera

Large bowl shaped depression that forms when a volcano crashes into itself.

Lava Dome

Form prior to or after eruption from viscous, cool lava.

Volcanism at Divergent Boundaries

Mafic volcanoes and pillow basalts at ocean-continent boundaries.

Volcanism at Convergent Boundaries

Most volcanoes, felsic/intermediate.

Volcanism at Hot Spots

Shield volcanoes.

The Ring of Fire

A horseshoe shaped zone of volcanoes around the edges of the pacific ocean.

Hydrosphere

The total amount of water on Earth.

Freshwater Storage

Most of earth’s freshwater is stored in ice caps and glaciers.

Water (Hydrological) Cycle

Explains the movement and storage of water on earth.

Evaporation

Liquid water turns into gas water.

Transpiration

Water in plants turns to gas water through photosynthesis.

6 Phase Changes

Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, freezing, melting, & sublimation.

Water Budget

Water In = Water Out.

Saturation Level Influence on Precipitation

Increased runoff, reduced infiltration.

Land Cover Influence on Precipitation

Less infiltration, increased runoff.

Topography Influence on Precipitation

Less infiltration, increased runoff.

Evapotranspiration Influence on Precipitation

Less infiltration, increased runoff.

Porosity

How much water can be stored.

Permeability

The ability of a material to transmit water.

Water Table

The top of the saturated zone; varies due to climate and precipitation, follows the slope of the surface.

Aquitard

Low porosity and low permeability, groundwater cannot flow.

Unconfined Aquifer

Starts at the water table and opens up to atmospheric pressure.

Confined Aquifer

Separated by the water table by an aquitard.

Spring Formation

Where the water table intersects with earth's surface.

Major Uses of Water

Agriculture and power.

Water Pollution

Degradation of water quality.

Pollutant

A substance that can be harmful to other organisms or humans.

Pathogenic Microorganisms (Pollutants)

Bacteria and viruses present in water that can cause outbreaks.

Nutrients (Pollutants)

Leads to an increase in algae.

Resource

An area of a naturally occurring material on earth that can be extracted.

Reserve

The portion of a material that is currently available to be extracted for profit.

Mineral Resource Formation (Igneous)

Crystal setting, magmatic processes, & hydrothermal activity.

Mineral Resource Formation (Sedimentary)

Glacial and fluvial, placer deposits, & evaporite deposits.

Environmental Impact of Mining

Generates a lot of waste.

Mine Reclamation

the process of modifying land that has been mined to restore it to an ecologically functional or economically usable state.

3 Main Fossil Fuels

Coal, oil, and natural gas.

Coal Formation

Formed from swamp plants.

Oil Formation

Made from microscopic ocean organisms.

Natural Gas Formation

Forms if oil is deeper below the surface.

Source Rock

Where oil forms.

Reservoir Rock

Where oil is stored.

Cap Rock

Blocks upward migration.

Environmental Impacts of Mining and Burning Fossil Fuels

Habitat destruction, water pollution, air pollution.

Nuclear Fission

Nuclear reaction that splits the nucleus.

Nuclear Fusion

When two nuclei form to create a heavier nucleus.

Renewable Energy Options

Solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal.

Critical Minerals for Renewable Energy

Lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper.

Solutions to Increased Mining Efforts

Battery recycling, solar panel recycling