GEOSCI 102 FINAL (WIP - left off on 12)

How do you decipher a rock story?

1. Identify rocks and minerals

2. Link environments of formation to rocks present

3. Determine the mountain building events that occurred

4. Put all the events in order

Which rock type is most important for historical geologists?

Sedimentary, due to fossil records

If you were standing in front of an outcrop of layered sedimentary rocks, in terms of the geologic age of sediments, which of the following is correct?

Youngest rocks would be found on the top

Geologic environments change over time, so different types of sediments could be deposited in the same geographic place.

True

Sedimentary rocks must all be flat-lying in order to determine age.

False

How long ago did the greatest mass extinction of all time occur?

About 250 Ma when 95% of life went extinct

The color of rocks can give us clues about the environment at the time the sediments were deposited.

True

How do fossils help us understand the rocks they are found within?

They give an indication of geologic rock age, type of life lived during the period, and the environment that the rocks were deposited in

If similar rocks have been seen in Ireland and Scotland, what is the potential geologic explanation?

They formed from a single volcanic event centered in Iceland.

What processes cause a blueschist rock to form?

High pressures and temperatures that cause minerals to recrystallize

Which of the following structures result from large crushing tectonic forces?

Fissures, folds, and faults

Which of the following is considered critical for the evolution of life on Earth (and other planets)?

Liquid water

Which element makes up the majority of all matter in the Universe?

Hydrogen

About how old is the Universe?

13.8 billion years

Place the numbers corresponding to the events of solar system formation in the correct order.

1. A nebula mostly consisting of hydrogen occupies space.

2. The nebula condenses into a stellar disk.

3. A new star forms.

4. Particles of dust aggregate into protoplanets.

5. Protoplanets aggregate into larger planets.

6. Rocky planets form closer to the Sun, whereas gas giant planets form further away.

Longest to shortest geologic timeline

Eon → Era → Period → Epoch → Age

What Geologic Time PERIOD are we currently living in?

Quaternery

What is the OLDEST Geologic EON?

Hadean

What does the mnemonic “Crusty Old Sour Doughs Make Perfect Pancakes, Toast, Juice, and Coffee” signify?

Signifies important geologic time periods/eras - Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Mississippian, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous

The first eukaryotes (multi-celled organisms) appeared in the…

Proterozoic

Life originated in the…

Archean

The moon formed during the…

Hadean

The dinosaurs lived in the…

Phanerozoic

Humans currently live in the…

Phanerozoic

What do most mass extinction events have in common?

Climate change

Scientists believe we’re currently undergoing a mass extinction event.

True

What is the leading hypothesis for why the Permian-Triassic Extinction (The Great Dying) occurred?

Volcanic traps and release of gas undersea

What is the exosphere subsystem?

Space environment

What is the atmosphere subsystem?

Gaseous environment

What is the hydrosphere subsystem?

Liquid environment

What is the lithosphere/geosphere?

Solid environment

What is the biosphere?

Living environment

What is the cryosphere?

Icy environment

What is the anthrosphere?

Human environment

When a volcano emits carbon dioxide into the air…

The lithosphere effects the atmosphere

If an earthquake in the middle of the Pacific ocean causes a tsunami…

The lithosphere affects the hydrosphere

If it rains in an arid region and creeks begin to form…

The atmosphere affects the hydrosphere

If lava from a volcano destroys nearby flora and fauna…

The lithosphere affects the biosphere.

A proton has a charge of…

+1

An electron has a charge of…

-1

Neutrons have a charge of…

0

Protons have the same mass as…

Neutrons

Which is lighter: Protons, Neutrons, or Electrons?

Electrons

Which type of particle repels each other within the nucleus?

Protons

Which type of particles keep the nucleus together?

Neutrons

What does the atomic number refer to?

The amount of protons an element contains

What is the mass number made up of?

The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus

Atoms of the same element have the same…

Atomic number

Isotopes of elements will have a different…

Mass number

What’s the maximum amount of electrons an atom can have in its shell (second shell and beyond)?

8

What’s the maximum amount of electrons an atom can have in its shell (first shell only?)

2

Why are helium, neon, argon, and krypton considered non-reactive/noble gases?

Their outer shells are filled to the correct amount

What are ionic bonds?

Atoms that give away or gain electrons to make their outer shells neutral (0, not +1 or -1)

What are covalent bonds?

Atoms that share electrons to neutralize their outer shells; this happens when losing/gaining electrons normally would make too much of an energy imbalance

What’s a cation?

A positive ion; when a element loses electrons to become stable (a panther has paws! meow!)

What’s a anion?

A negative ion; when a element gains electrons to become stable

What is metallic bonding?

When electrons dissociate from their original element (due to loose holds) and move freely to other atoms

What’s the criteria for something to be a mineral?

It has to be created naturally, have a distinct chemical formula, and have a crystalline structure

What are Oxide Minerals?

Minerals with a O^-2 Anion

What are some examples of oxide minerals?

Hematite (Fe₂O₃₎, Magnetite (Fe₃O₄), Limonite(2Fe₂O₃ × 3H₂0), Corundum (Al₂O₃), Bauxite (Al₂O₃ × 2H₂0)

What makes a oxide considered a hydroxide?

If they have the hydroxyl anion (OH-)

What are Sulfide Minerals?

Minerals with a S^-2 Anion; they tend to have a metallic sheen

What are some examples of sulfide minerals (S^-2)?

Galena (PbS), Chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂), Sphalerite (ZnS), Molybdenite (MoS₂), Pyrite (FeS₂), Bornite (Cu₅FeS₄), Arsenopyrite (FeAsS), Stibnite (Sb₂S₃)

What are some examples of sulfide minerals (SO₄^-2)?

Andhydrite (CaSO₄), Gypsum (CaSO₄ × 2H₂O), Barite (BaSO₄), Celestite (SrSO₄)

What are Halide Minerals?

Minerals containing halogen elements (chlorine, fluorine, and bromine, etc)

What are some examples of halide minerals?

Cryolite (Na₃AlF₆), Flourite (CaF₂), Halite (NaCl)

What are carbonate minerals?

Minerals that have a CO₃^2- Anion

What are some examples of carbonate minerals?

Calcite (CaCO₃₎, Siderite (FeCO₃), Dolomite ((Ca,Mg)CO₃), Azurite (Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂), Magnesite (MgCO₃), Malachite (Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂)

What are phosphate minerals?

Minerals that have a PO₄^3- anion; one of them includes hydroxyapatite, which makes up teeth enamel

What are silicate minerals?

Minerals that include silicon and oxygen in some form (SiO₄^4–)

What are native element minerals?

Minerals made of a single element

How are igneous rocks formed?

melting, cooling, and crystallizing

How are sedimentary rocks formed?

weathering, deposition, and lithification

How are metamorphic rocks formed?

burial, deformation, and exhumation

What are the igneous dark minerals called?

Ferromagnesian; they have lower amounts of silica

What are the igneous light minerals called?

Non-Ferromagnesian; they have higher amounts of silica

Which type of igneous rock has more light colored, Mg/Fe-poor, and Silica-Rich?

Felsic/Intermediate

Which type of igneous rock has more dark colored, Mg/Fe-rich, and Silica-Poor?

Mafic/Ultramafic

What do chemical rocks react to?

dilute HCl

The higher grade a metamorphic rock is…

The less they look like their parent rock. They are usually rougher and coarser with more recrystallization and foliation

What is the evidence for Pangea and continental drift from Alfred Wegener?

Similar glacial formations and rocks found across oceans, fossils of land-dwelling creatures found on different continents, and matching shapes of continental shelves.

What now supports most of Plate Tectonics Theory?

The age of the Atlantic seafloor becomes closer the farther you move from the Mid-Atlantic ridge and Earth’s magnetic fields changing throughout history

What’s most important about the inner core?

Layer closest to the center of the Earth, theorized to be about the same temp as the sun’s surface (5340 deg. Celcius), solid iron-nickel alloy

What’s most important about the outer core?

Layer second-closest to the center of the Earth, liquid iron and nickel, responsible for earth’s magnetic field

What’s most important about the mantle?

Third-closest to the center of the Earth and thickest layer, plastic solid (slow-flowing), driving force of plate tectonics, thickest layer of the Earth

What’s most important about the crust?

Most outer layer of the Earth, has two types of crust (continental + oceanic), contains the asthenosphere and lithosphere (← responsible for plate tectonics)

What are some characteristics of convergent plate boundaries?

can be oceanic-continental, oceanic-oceanic, or continental-continental, pushing against one another (→←), usually associated with the Himalayan mountains, has compression stress

What are some characteristics of divergent plate boundaries?

only ocean-ocean, push away from one another (←→), usually associated with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, has tension stress

What are some characteristics of transform plate boundaries?

can either be ocean-continental or continental-continental, push up and down against each other (↑ ↓), usually associated with the San Andreas Fault, shear stress

What is a anticline deformation?

Plastic sedimentary deformation that curves upward (n like a frown :[ ), the oldest sediment layers tend to be in the middle

What is a syncline deformation?

Plastic sedimentary deformation that curves downward (u, like a smile :] ), the youngest sedimentary layers tend to be in the middle, caused by compressional stress

What is elastic stress?

Rocks that bounce back to their original form after strain; happen more slowly after events, usually colder

What is plastic stress?

Rock stress that becomes brittle after strain; does not come back to its original size/form, and happens faster after events, usually hotter, can be seen on Earth’s surface

What is brittle deformation?

Similar to plastic defformation, appears on the surface

What are the dip-slip faults?

Faults that move vertically:

• Normal (When blocks of rock are pulled apart)

• Reverse/Thrust (When blocks of rock are pushed together)

What are the strike-slip faults?

Faults that move horizontally:

• Left-Lateral faults (left block would move toward you; the right would move away)

• Right-Lateral faults (right block would move toward you; the right would move away)

What types of inclusions can be cut through original rock and affect the age?

• Faults, Fractures

• Intrusional igneous rock, dikes

• Animal/Weather/Erosion activity

What’s an uncomformity?

When landscapes are eroded by water, it affects their appearance and/or layering

What’s a noncomformity?

When nonlayered rock is uplifted and eroded (igneous)

What’s a discomformity?

When sedimentary rock is deposited, eroded for some period of time, and changes from a time of erosion to a time of deposition and a new sedimentary layer is deposited on top of the old layer