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Conchoidal
surfaces are somewhat rounded, shell-like (quartz)
Sills
resemble buried lava flows and may exhibit columnar joints
Structural geology
deals with the position of rock bodies and with tectonic geology interprets the forces causing them to be deformed or broken.
Geochronology
is a system of dating developed, for the purposes of study of the earth's history.
Paleogeography
the geography of the geologic past; concerns all physical aspects of an area that can be determined from the study of rocks.
CRYSTALS
geometric forms of minerals produced by repeating pattern of atoms that is present throughout the mineral
A mineral is
Naturally occurring, Definite chemical composition, Inorganic solid, Crystalline structure, Definite set of chemical and physical properties
Native Minerals
composed of single elements
Color
least useful; change in chemical formula will vary the color of the mineral
Luster
appearance of mineral in reflected light
Vitreous
shiny; glass
Resinous
resin
Pearly
pearl (ex. opal)
Waxy
dull shine like wax
Earthy
no shine
Greasy
it looks as if covered with a thin layer of oil.
Silky
it looks like the appearance of silk.
Streak
color of a mineral's powder
Cleavage
tendency of a mineral to break/separate along planes of weaknesses. (has a pattern/weakness part)
Fracture
the manner in which a mineral breaks in any direction
Uneven
rough surfaces, no distinguishable pattern
Hardness
the resistance offered by the smooth surface of a mineral to abrasion or scratching
Effervescence
adding HCL to a mineral causes it to fizz
Magnetism/Magnetic
ability to attract a magnet
Double Refraction
splits light rays (Calcite)
Fluorescence
the ability to glow under ultraviolet light (sphalerite)
Tenacity
the property of minerals that can resist crushing, bending, or tearing or in short, its cohesiveness.
Geologic Time scale
a system used by scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events in Earth's history. It covers a vast expanse of time, from the formation of the planet nearly 4.6 billion years ago to the present day.
EONS
largest division of the geologic time scale; spans hundreds to thousands of million of years ago; based on the abundance of certain fossils
ERA
division in an Era that span time periods of tens to hundreds of millions of years; marked by major changes in the fossil record
PERIOD
a division of geologic history that spans no more than one hundred million years; Based on types of life existing at the time
EPOCH
is a subdivision of the geologic timescale that is longer than an age and shorter than a period; the smallest division of the geologic time scale characterized by distinctive organisms
CATASTROPHISM
the generally accepted idea of how the Earth was formed
UNCONFORMITIES
Geologic time is continuous; it has no gaps. In any sequence of rocks, however, there are many major discontinuities (unconformities) that indicate significant interruptions in the rock-forming processes.
RELATIVE DATING
simply determining the chronologic order of a sequence of events.
Principle of superposition
states that in a sequence of undeformed sedimentary rock, the oldest beds are on the bottom and the higher layers are successively younger.
Principle of horizontality
All rock layers were originally deposited horizontally.
Principle of original lateral continuity
Originally deposited layers of rock extend laterally in all directions until either thinning out or being cut off by a different rock layer.
Principle of cross cutting relationships
States that igneous intrusions and faults are younger than the rocks they cut.
Jurassic
was first introduced for strata outcropping in the Jura Mountains.
Quaternary
the name proposed for very recent deposits, which contain fossils of species with living representatives.
Lord Rutherford
he made the first clear suggestion that radioactive decay could he used to date geologic events in absolute time.
Sedimentary rock
is formed from the weathered products of preexisting rocks that have been transported, deposited, compacted, and cemented.
Metamorphic rock
formed by the alteration of pre-existing rock deep within Earth (but still in the solid state) by heat, pressure, and/or chemically active fluids.
Nonfoliated Metamorphic Rock
Does not have a banded texture
Volcanism
process by which magma from the interior of the earth rises through the crust, emerges onto the surface as lava, and cools into volcanic rock
Pyroclastic materials
the name given to particles produced in volcanic eruptions.
Pumice
frothy, air-filled lava
Lapilli
walnut-sized particles
Conduit
carries gas-rich magma to the surface.
VOLCANIC DOMES
Explosive eruptions consisting of felsic volcanism, High silica and high viscosity, ash flows
Geology
study of the earth
Physical Geology
deals with the materials that constitute the earth, the structure and surface features and the processes that have given the earth its present appearance.
Historical Geology
Deals with the forces and processes which operate on/upon the surface and within the interior of the earth which brings about changes and reduces the earth's features as we see today.
Mineralogy
study of minerals
Oceanography
study of oceans and their basins
Paleontology
study of fossils
Petrology
study of rocks
Stratigraphy
is the study of the layered rock chiefly those of sedimentary in origin.
Geodesy
is concerned in the measuring of the form and size of the earth.
Geomorphology
is the study of landforms, their origin and developments.
Geophysics
deals with the application of the principles of physics to the study of the earth.
Geochemistry
is the study that deals with the application of the principles of chemistry to geology.
Seismology
is the study of earthquakes.
Volcanology
is the study of volcanoes
Hydrology
is the study of surface & subsurface waters.
Sedimentology
the science concerned with the description, classification, origin and interpretation of sediments & sedimentary rocks.
Planetology/ planetary geology
a science that applies geologic principles and techniques to the study of planets & their natural satellites.
Paleoecology
the study of the interrelationship between organisms & their environment of the geologic past.
Environmental geology
application of geologic information to environmental problems.
Hypothesis
an idea concerning an event and its possible explanation ; an assumption
Theory
Explanation; this has been proven already
NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS
this explains that the matter that made up the planets, satellites and the sun was a huge spheroidal nebula (gaseous matter) which had acquired rotational motion, though slow at first, gradually became faster & faster due to gravitational contraction and because of centrifugal force some portion escape outward thereby forming the planets, satellites & other heavenly bodies.
PLANETESIMAL HYPOTHESIS
it explains that the sun traveled alone until it almost collided with another star. In that encounter, tidal stresses generated by the pull of the passing star partly disrupted the sun and set the fragments on the plane around it. This debris was then slowly gathered to form the planets and their satellites, and the residue being left in the form of planetoids & meteors but were caught in the gravitational field of the planets.
TIDAL HYPOTHESIS
This explained the origin of the solar system as a result of a close encounter between the Sun and a second star. However, it differed significantly from the other major catastrophic hypothesis of the 20th century, the Chamberlin-Moulton planetesimal hypothesis.
DUST CLOUD HYPOTHESIS
The interplanetary dust cloud is cosmic dust (small particles floating in space) which pervade the space between planets in the Solar System and in other planetary systems. It has been studied for many years in order to understand its nature, origin, and relationship to larger bodies.
NOVA HYPOTHESIS
A nova is a cataclysmic nuclear explosion triggered by hydrogen accretion on a white dwarf star's surface, igniting nuclear fusion in a runaway manner.
BIGBANG THEORY
According to this model, the Universe expanded from an extremely dense and hot state and continues to expand today.
Crust
composed of rocks & minerals
Mantle
composed of rocks so hot where they are partly melted
Outer Core
composed of the liquid metal
Mohorovicic discontinuity
means zone of change
Primates
any of the highest mammals including man.
MINERALS
Made up of single elements or compound
ELEMENTS
substance that cant be broken down to any simpler substance
Silicates
any mineral which is a silicate must contain Si (Silicon) and O (Oxygen) in their chemical formula
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Reflection of the internal arrangement of their atoms
Adamantine
brilliant glow; diamond
Fibrous
jagged surface like fibers (Wollastonite)
UNIFORMITARIANISM
It assumes that the chemical and physical laws operating today have operated throughout all time.
Principle of faunal succession
states that groups of fossil animals and plants occur in the geologic record in a definite and determinable order and that a period of geologic time can be recognized by its characteristic fossils..
Inclusion principle
States that a fragment of a rock incorporated or included in another is older than the host rock
PRECAMBRIAN
represented by a group of highly complex metamorphic and igneous rocks, which form a large volume of the continental crust.
Paleozoic
"ancient life;"
Cambrian
comes from Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where these rocks were first studied.
Ordovician
is derived from the name of an ancient Welsh tribe
Silurian
designates rocks are exposed on the border of Wales, a territory originally inhabited by a British tribe
Devonian
was first used to refer to rocks exposed in Devonshire, England.
Carboniferous
the name of a sequence of coal-bearing formations that lie above the Devonian rocks.
Silurian
designates rocks are exposed on the border of Wales, a territory originally inhabited by a British tribe,