Wave Properties and Earth's Systems

These flashcards cover key concepts related to wave behavior and Earth's systems based on the lecture notes.

What type of waves are P waves and S waves?

P waves are compression waves, while S waves are transverse waves.

What evidence can be collected from seismograms?

Evidence can be collected to determine P and S wave arrival times.

How can data from various seismograph stations be used?

Data from these stations can be applied to determine the distance to the epicenter.

What is the explanation for tectonic plate movement?

Tectonic plates move due to processes involving malleable and plastic layers beneath the rigid lithosphere.

What is seafloor spreading?

Seafloor spreading is a process that involves changes to the ocean floor, evidenced by cyclical magnetic polarity reversal and the presence of mid-ocean ridges.

What causes changes to occur in the ocean floor over time?

Changes occur due to energy and matter interactions that lead to density changes and the formation of subduction zones.

What is meant by 'subduction zone'?

A subduction zone is an area where one tectonic plate moves under another and is forced down into the mantle.

how and why do tectonic plates move

Caused by internal earth forces such as by mantle convection, ridge push, slab pull, shaping earths geology

mantle convection

where hot rock rises and cooler rock sinks in circular patterns dragging plates along

Ridge push

a tectonic plate movement mechanism where gravity causes newly formed hot crust at mid-ocean ridges to slide away from elevated ridge crest down the slope of the sea floor

Slab pull

The primary force driving tectonic plate motion, occurring at the subduction zones were cold, dense oceanic plates sinking into the mantle under their own weight, pulling the rest of the plate along like a heavy chain

geosphere

The solid or a system on compassing everything from the planets, core mantle to crust to its surface features like rock, soil, mountains, and landforms, including the nonliving parts of soil and even fossilized remains

hydrosphere

is all the water on earth and ocean rivers, lakes, ice, glaciers, ice, caps, underground (ground water) and in the air (vapor clouds) existing as liquid solid or gas and includes the water cycle that moves around it making life possible and regulating climate

atmosphere

The envelope of gases surrounding the Earth or another planet

biosphere

The region on, above, and below the Earth surface where life exists

trench

Long, narrow depressions on the sea floor that formed at the boundary of tectonic plates were one plate is pushed, or subducts beneath another

ridge

A long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep slides

malleable

A physical property of materials, especially metals describing their ability to deform or be hammered/pressed into thin sheets or different shapes without breaking

plasticity

A materials ability to undergo permanent irreversible shape, change, deformation under stress without breaking, like bending metal or molding clay, involving internal atomic shifts

rigid

An object or system that resists changing shape, size or volume when forces are applied, exemplified by hard rocks or tectonic plates moving as a unit

lithosphere

is the Earths ridge, rocky outer layer, compromising the crust and the uppermost, solid part of the mantle, extending down about 100 km

asthenosphere

A semi fluid, mechanically weaker layer in upper mantle, located beneath the ridge lithosphere (crust + mantle) extending roughly 100 to 700 km deep, this is the mantle

outer core

A thick liquid layer of molten iron and nickel surrounding the solid inner core

inner core

The planets in most layer, a solid, super hot sphere of mostly iron and nickel, kept solid by immense pressure despite temperatures similar to the sun surface. It rotates slightly faster than the rest of the planet.

cyclical magnetic polarity reversal

natural flips of a planets magnetic poles (north becomes south south becomes north)

mid ocean ridge

earth’s longest mountain chain an underwater volcanic ranged form at divergent tectonic plate. Boundaries where plates pull apart, allowing magma to rise cool and create new ocean crust.

sea floor spreading

The geological process where new oceanic crust forms at mid ocean ridges as tectonic plates pull apart diverge, allowing magma from the Earth mantle to rise, solidify and create new ocean floor

density

defined as the ratio of mass and volume of an object

subduction zone

A deep ocean trench area where two tectonic plates collide at a convergent boundary, causing the denser oceanic plate to slide under the other plate and sink into the Earth mantle ( generating earthquakes, etc)

symmetry

an object or system that looks the same after a transformation, like rotation, reflection, or translation