Physical and Structural Geology Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the physical and structural geology course, including definitions of geological terms and processes.

Geology

The study of the Earth, including its materials, physical and chemical changes, and its history.

Magma

A hot liquid mixture of rock, crystals, and gas from which igneous rocks are formed.

Erosion

The process by which weathered rock and soil are moved from one location to another by natural agents such as water, wind, or ice.

Weathering

The breaking down of rocks, soils, and minerals through contact with the Earth's atmosphere and waters.

Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks that form from the accumulation and consolidation of sediment.

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks that have been altered by heat, pressure, or chemically active fluids.

Fault

A planar fracture in rock along which there has been significant displacement.

Plate Tectonics

The theory explaining the movement of the Earth's lithosphere which causes geological phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Hydrosphere

All the water in, on, and above the surface of the Earth, including liquid, frozen, and vapor.

Geosphere

The solid part of the Earth, consisting of rock, soil, and sediments.

Biosphere

All living organisms on Earth and the habitats in which they live.

Geologic Time

The timeline of Earth's history, divided into eons, eras, periods, and epochs.

Groundwater

Water that exists in the pore spaces and fractures in rock and sediment beneath the Earth's surface.

Aquifer

A rock layer that can store and transmit groundwater.

Unconformity

A gap in the geological record, indicating that deposition was not continuous.

Fossil Succession

The principle that fossils in sedimentary rocks occur in a definite and recognizable order.

Strike-Slip Fault

A fault in which the movement is horizontal, typically occurring at transform boundaries.

Convergent Boundary

A tectonic boundary where two plates collide, often forming mountains or subduction zones.

Divergent Boundary

A tectonic boundary where two plates move apart, leading to seafloor spreading.

Volcanism

The process by which magma from the Earth's interior erupts onto the surface.

Glaciation

The process of land being covered by glaciers, which shape the landscape through erosion and deposition.

Hydraulic Gradient

The slope of the water table; it influences groundwater movement.

Geothermal Gradient

The increase in temperature with depth in the Earth's crust.

Fault Breccia

Rock formed from fragments produced by the movement along a fault plane.

Foliation

In metamorphic rocks, the alignment of mineral grains in layers due to pressure.

Paleomagnetism

The study of the record of the Earth's magnetic field in rocks, sediments, or archeological materials.

Loess

A wind-deposited sediment composed of silt and clay.