GEOL 102 Exam 1 Heller

System

A group of parts that work together as a whole

open system

energy and matter can flow across boundaries

closed system

only energy can flow across boundaries

isolated system

A system that can exchange neither energy nor matter with its surroundings.

dynamic system

energy or matter inputs (or withdrawals) cause the system to change over time.

static system

no change (or net change) occurs

biosphere

we are in what

reservoirs

systems have ____ of energy and matter

stock

energy or matter in the reservoir

flux

energy flowing in or out of a system

reinforcing(positive) feedback

promote further change ex: exercising

balancing(negative) feedback

reverse direction of change ex: getting the flu

gold mine in Africa

2.4 mi deep

130degrees F

Deepest mine

Boring in Russia

7.6 miles deep

Deepest hole

crust

contains oxygen and silicon

core

iron and nickel

mantle

oxygen, silicon, iron, and magnesium

Lithosphere

A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.

continental crust

thicker and less dense

oceanic crust

thinner and more dense

Continental Drift Theory

Alfred Wegener believed landmasses of Earth once fit together to form single landmass

1. "Pangaea"

2. glacial sediments found on several continents

3. fossils from time period found on different continents

4. matching crust and mountain belts on different continents

mid-ocean ridges

trenches

fracture zones

most oceans have these 3 things

reversal of magnetic field

recorded by oceans crust, show that crust is constantly forming

mantle convection

drives continental drift

divergent boundary

A plate boundary where two plates move away from each other. ex: Iceland

convergent boundary

A plate boundary where two plates move toward each other. ex: Mariana's Trench

transform boundary

plates slide past each other ex: San Andreas Fault

subduction

One plate going under another plate

Himilayan Mountains

example of subduction

normal fault

A type of fault where the hanging wall slides downward; caused by tension in the crust

reverse fault

a type of fault where the hanging wall slides upward; caused by compression in the crust

right lateral strike slip fault

as you face the fault, the opposite side of the fault moves to the right

left lateral strike slip fault

as you face the fault, the opposite side of the fault moves to the left

hypocenter(focus)

where energy was released

seismograph

A device that records ground movements caused by seismic waves as they move through Earth

Primary Waves (P-Waves)

Travel the fastest through rock material by causing particles in the rock to move back and forth , or vibrate, in the same direction as the waves are moving.

Secondary Waves (S Waves)

type of seismic body waves that are Slower and ONLY travel through SOLIDS.

deformation

the bending, tilting, and breaking of Earth's crust; the change in the shape of rock in response to stress

by magnitude and intensity and how it affects people

-scales of 12

how Earthquakes are measured

surface waves

seismic waves that travel along the Earth's surface

Mercalli Intensity Scale

scale of earthquake intensity based on what people feel and the extent of damage caused by the earthquake

elements

any substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances

92

How many 1naturally occurring elements are there?

silicon and oxygen

two most abundant elements in the earth's crust(75%)

minerals

a naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition

rocks

naturally occurring aggregates or combinations of one or more minerals or non mineral matter

silicate

most of rock forming minerals are made of this

1. habit in which it grows

2. cleavage

3. luster

4. streak test

how minerals are identified

Mohs hardness scale

the standard scale against which the hardness of minerals is rated 1-10

diamond

mineral with hardness of 10

1. process of formation

2. texture

3. composition

how rocks are determined

igneous rock

a type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock at or below the surface

sedimentary rock

A type of rock that forms when particles from other rocks or the remains of plants and animals are pressed and cemented together

metamorphic rock

A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.

intrusive igneous rock

rock formed from the cooling and solidification of magma beneath Earth's surface. grain size is coarser

extrusive igneous rock

Rock that forms when magma cools above the surface of Earth quickly

clastic sedimentary rock

A sedimentary rock composed of fragments of preexisting rock. form from physical weathering

chemical sedimentary rock

forms when minerals crystallize out of a solution to become rock

biologic sedimentary rock

a type of sedimentary rock that forms from plant or animal remains

grand canyon

mostly clastic rock

salt

chemical sedimentary rock

coal

a biological sedimentary rock composed almost entirely of organic carbon

foliated metamorphic rock

a metamorphic rock with a texture that gives the rock a layered appearance due to pressure

stone, sand, and gravel

largest mineral resource we need

mineral deposits

locally rich concentrations of minerals

mineral reserves

Deposits from which minerals can be extracted profitably

ores

reserves of metallic ore minerals

concentration

amount of mineral/element that is present in deposit - sometimes shown as a % (grade)

Concentration factor

ratio of abundance in deposit to average abundance in continental crust

used for computer chips

igneous pegmatite deposit

placer deposit

a stream where things like gold concentrate

critical mineral

very important to economy, supply not certain

1. geophysical techniques

2. sifting

3. drilling

how minerals are located

open pit mining

a mining technique that uses a large visible pit or hole in the ground - most common

underground mining

method of mining used to recover deep mineral deposits

Dredging

making a river deeper or wider by digging up sand and mud from the bottom

drilling

the act of drilling a hole in the earth in the hope of producing petroleum

tailings

waste material that results from mining.

1300

number of active/potentially active volcanoes on Earth

convergent plate boundary

80% of volcanoes occur here

1. bomb

2. cinder

3. ash

debris from volcano listed biggest to smallest in size

conduit

the pipe in the center of a volcano

cinder cone

1. smallest and most numerous

2. built from pyroclastic materials - tephra

3. erupting lava falls around vent

4. local and short lived - one time events

Shield Volcano

1.Gentle outpourings of mafic lava (basalt) from central vent or conduit

2. Far broader than high

3. Hawaiian Islands (hotspot volcanism) - Built up from seafloor eruptions

Stratovolcanoes

1. Stratified layers built from combination of effusive and explosive activity (composite cones)

2.Form on landward side of subduction zones

-Descending oceanic crust melts and rises

-Magma becomes enriched with silica and gases

-Andesitic and rhyolitic volcanism: explosive

ex: Mt Fuji

volcanic explosivity index

measures intensity and size of volcanic eruptions

lahar

a destructive mudflow on the slopes of a volcano.

pyroclastic flows

a dense, destructive mass of very hot ash, lava fragments, and gases ejected explosively from a volcano and typically flowing downslope at great speed.

- greatest number of casualties come from this

Law of Superposition

The geologic principle that states that in horizontal layers of sedimentary rock, each layer is older than the layer above it and younger than the layer below it.

Law of Cross-Cutting Relationships

principle that a fault or intrusion is younger then any other body of rock it cuts through

Law of Fossil Succession

the fossil below is older than the fossil above

relative dating

Method of determining the age of a fossil by comparing its placement with that of fossils in other layers of rock

absolute dating

obtain an actual date; takes advantage of natural process of radioactive decay where a radioactive isotope (parent) spontaneously gains or loses a particle, causing it to become another element (daughter)

Radiometric dating

the process of measuring the absolute age of geologic material by measuring the concentrations of radioactive isotopes and their decay products

half-life

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

1. Phanerozoic Eon

2. Cenozoic Era

3. Quaternary period

4. Recent or Holocene Epoch

what time are we in right now?

1. Individual

2. Population

3. Community

4. Ecosystem

5. Biome

6. Biosphere

Levels of Earth's Biosphere

Biome

physical and chemical environments with shared characteristics that produce distinct organisms

climate

a major control on the distribution of biomes

Ecosystem

an assemblage of communities of organisms in a distinct physical and chemical environment. Part of a biome