Integrated Physical Sciences: Section 3 Lessons 4-7

What are the 4 main layers of the earth?

crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

crust

the outermost rocky shell at the surface of Earth

mantle

the rocky layer beneath the crust, and the thickest layer of the Earth

outer core

the metallic outside layer of Earth's core that is mainly composed of hot iron in a liquid state

inner core

the metallic inside layer of Earth's core that is composed of a solid ball of nickel-iron alloy under extreme pressure

what is the thickest layer of the earth?

the mantle

which 2 layers of the earth are composed of rock?

the crust and the mantle

weathering

The alteration or breaking down of rock or soil

physical weathering

weathering that is the result of mechanical processes such as changes in temperature or pressure

chemical weathering

weathering that is the result of chemical processes or reactions that cause a rock's composition to change

deposition

the process by which soil, sediment, or rocks are added to a landform

erosion

the mechanism responsible for the transportation or removal of material

glacier

a slowly moving mass of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow

What is the cause of sediment being moved by a slow-moving mass of ice?

glacier

What is the cause of a landslide moving rocks from a higher elevation to a lower elevation?

gravity

What is the cause of sediment being moved by a river?

flowing water

Which is the alteration or breakdown of rock or soil?

weathering

What is the mechanism responsible for the transportation or removal of material?

erosion

What is the process in which soil, sediment, or rocks are added to a landform?

deposition

sand dunes

an example of the aeolian process requiring the same three basic elements for formation: a large quantity of loose and unvegetated sand, wind, and an obstacle

what was one of the main lessons learned from the dust bowl of the 1930s?

vegetation can play an important role in the reduction and mitigation of erosion.

Which conditions are necessary for sand dune formation?

wind, loose sand, and an obstacle

In which of the following environments would you expect to see the most wind erosion?

baren desert

3 multiple choice options

meanders

curves in a river that form as the outer bank of a river erodes while the inner edge is deposited with sediment.

river valleys

valleys produced by erosion that form when a river cuts down into the underlying bedrock in a steep V shape.

Which feature or process is formed through water erosion?

river valley

Which feature or process is formed through wind deposition?

sand dune

Which feature or process is formed through water erosion and deposition?

river meander

How are glaciers different from other masses of ice?

they flow

How do glaciers form?

when snow turns to ice

How do glaciers affect the landscape?

Glacial deposits can consist of a diverse mix of clay, sand, gravel, and boulders.

mineral

a naturally occurring, solid, inorganic element or compound that is formed by natural processes, has a limited range of possible chemical composition, and has a definite arrangement of atoms

rock

a heterogeneous mixture of one or more minerals

A geologist studies a naturally occurring, solid material that contains a mixture of feldspar, quartz, and mica. Which type of substance is the solid material?

rock

sedimentary rocks

rocks made up of weathered particles, such as sand, silt, clay, gravel, cobbles, or even occasionally boulders, that have been cemented together into hard rock

igneous rocks

rocks formed by lava or magma; molten rock, or lava, cools quickly into rock when it erupts onto Earth's surface

metamorphic rocks

rocks that have been changed from their original form and typically occur when a rock is partially buried and exposed to elevated temperatures and pressures that are not extreme enough to melt the rock completely

How are metamorphic rocks formed?

Through exposure of preexisting rock to high pressure and temperature.

What is the most common characteristic of igneous rocks?

They form large crystals when formed underground and microscopic or no crystals when formed on the surface.

rock cycle

the various processes that change rocks from one form to another

Which type of rock forms from magma?

Igneous

Which type of rock forms when rocks are buried and experience heat and pressure that cause the minerals in them to change?

metamorphic

Which type of rock is created by the weathering and erosion of igneous rock?

sedimentary rock

analog

a close approximation, or direct analogy, of the long-term behavior of materials and processes found in a geologic feature

How do geologists use modern-day analogs?

To determine how rocks were formed

Which of the following is an example of a modern day analog?

The progression of sediments on a marine shelf

principle of superposition

a principle stating that in any sequence of undeformed sedimentary rocks, each bed is younger than the one below it and older than the one above it

principle of crosscutting relationships

a principle used to determine the relative ages of different rocks: if a rock, fault, or other feature cuts through a rock layer, that rock layer must have been preexisting in order to have been cut through

unconformity

a buried erosional surface

Which is the oldest layer of rock?

the bottom layer

What are unconformities caused by?

erosion

How does the sedimentary rock formation below an unconformity compare to how it would be if the unconformity did not exist?

it is thinner

What is true about unconformities?

Unconformities are caused by erosion.

fossil

the remains or traces of animals, plants, or other organisms that have been preserved within sedimentary rocks