Geology Exam 3 - Earth Resources and Climate

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to energy, earth resources, glaciers, ice ages, and climate change.

Radiant Energy

Energy from the sun.

Geothermal Energy

Energy from Earth's internal heat.

Gravitational Energy

Energy from potential energy related to Earth's processes.

Types of Energy

Electrical, chemical, thermal, kinetic, potential, nuclear, and solar.

Source Rock

Organic-rich shale where oil and gas originate.

Oil Formation Temperature

Temperature range where oil forms (60°C to 120°C).

Natural Gas Formation Temperature

Temperature range where natural gas forms (120°C to 200°C).

Reservoir Rock

Rock with high porosity and low permeability that stores oil.

Cap Rock (Shale Example)

Rock with low permeability that acts as a barrier to trap oil.

Largest World Reserve of Petroleum

Middle East (63%).

Fracking

Process of extracting oil and gas from shale rock.

Acid Rain Formation

CO2 combines with water to make sulfuric acid, leading to acid rain.

Mercury Deposition

Toxic heavy metal released during coal combustion, contaminating land and water.

Coal Reserve

Loan deposition of coal that can be mined for profit.

Petroleum and Natural Gas

Hydrocarbon molecules that form liquid oil and gaseous natural gas.

Components of Natural Gas

Methane, ethane, propane, and butane.

Peak Oil

Point at which global oil production reaches its maximum rate, after which production declines.

Glaciers

Rivers of ice that move due to their weight and gravity.

Alpine (Mountain) Glaciers

Glaciers that Movement controlled by topography.

Moraine

Ridge of till deposited at the edge of a glacier.

Kettles

Circular depressions formed when ice blocks are buried and melt.

Drumlins

Elongated ridges of glacial till shaped by the flow of the glacier.

Ice Ages (Glaciation)

Periods when the climate is significantly colder and continental glaciers advance.

Interglacial Periods

Warmer periods between glaciations with less ice cover and higher sea levels.

Pleistocene Ice Age

Most recent ice age that began 2.6 million years ago.

Milankovitch Cycles

Changes in Earth's orbit, tilt, and wobble that affect global climate.

Climate

Average weather condition in an area over time.

Radiation Energy

Electromagnetic waves emitted or reflected by objects, classified by wavelength.

Incoming Radiation

Incoming solar energy, primarily short wavelength radiation.

Outgoing Radiation

Outgoing heat that Earth radiates to space in the form of infrared radiation.

Greenhouse Effect

Prevents heat from escaping, trapping outgoing infrared radiation.

Major Greenhouse Gases

Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and ozone.

Aerosols

Tiny particles (solids or liquids) in the atmosphere that reflect sunlight.

Paleoclimatology

Study of past climates utilizing direct and proxy measures.

Proxy Measures

Tree rings, ice cores, and geologic records.