The Rock’n Plate Tectonics FINAL REVIEW

These flashcards cover key concepts from the Rock’n Plate Tectonics lecture notes, including definitions and classifications of various types of rocks, the mechanics of plate tectonics, and hazards related to volcanic activity and earthquakes.

How are rocks classified?

By the way they form.

What defines an Igneous Rock?

Rock formed from molten rock (magma, lava) that cools and crystallizes.

What defines a Sedimentary Rock?

Rock formed from the compaction and cementation of material deposited on Earth’s surface.

What type of rock makes up most of the Earth's crust?

Igneous Rock.

What are the two types of igneous rocks based on crystal size?

Intrusive and extrusive.

What is the difference in crystal size between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks?

Intrusive rocks have large crystals because magma cooled slowly inside Earth; extrusive rocks have small crystals because lava cooled quickly outside Earth.

What texture do porphyritic igneous rocks have?

They have both large and small crystals due to two types of cooling.

What is a glassy texture in igneous rocks?

A texture with no crystals because the lava cooled too fast.

What is the difference between mafic and felsic igneous rocks?

Mafic rocks are dark and more dense, while felsic rocks are light in color and lower density.

Why did Earth's water settle on top of oceanic crust rather than on continental crust?

The continental crust is less dense than the oceanic crust, allowing water to collect over the denser oceanic crust.

What are the three types of lava involved in different volcanoes?

Mafic, felsic, and andesitic.

What aspect of a volcano is considered the most dangerous?

Ash, because it can travel long distances and affect climate.

What are andesitic volcanoes?

Super-explosive volcanoes occurring at subduction zones.

What is Plate Tectonics?

The crust of the Earth is divided into plates that float on the mantle and move, causing geological events like earthquakes.

What are the three types of plate boundaries?

Convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries.

What defines sediment?

Any material that can be deposited on the surface and compacted into rock.

What is a clastic sedimentary rock?

A sedimentary rock made from fragments of pre-existing rocks.

What defines organic sedimentary rocks?

Rocks made from sediment derived from dead organisms.

What is hydraulic fracturing (fracking)?

A method used to extract fossil fuels, but it has potential environmental risks.

Where do most earthquakes occur?

On or near plate boundaries.

What causes a normal fault?

When Earth's crust is pulled apart.

What is the Elastic Rebound Theory?

It describes how rocks bend under stress and break along faults.

What are seismic waves?

Energy waves produced during an earthquake.

How many seismograms are necessary to determine the epicenter of an earthquake?

At least three seismograms are needed.