Creating and Sustaining National Parks Exam 2

Local change in relative elevation

Relief

Extensive area of relatively flat upland with low relative relief and relatively high altitude.

Plateau

Study of “strata” (Layers of sedimentary rock)

Stratigraphy

-Relative Dating Approaches

-Numerical (Absolute) Dating Approaches

these are both __-dating methods.

Age

Specifying rock or event age based on position relative to each other or paleontological association is referred to as...

Relative Dating

Specifying rock or event age in number of years with some level of analytical certainty is referred to as…

Numerical Dating

-Sedimentary layers are deposited sequentially

-Oldest (Bottom)

-Youngest (Top)

this is the principle of ___.

Superposition

Layers of sedimentary rocks (strata) are generally deposited in a horizontal position.

this idea is referred to as the principal of original ___.

Horizontality

Sedimentary strata originate as continuous layers that extend outward up to the basin margins

this idea is referred to as the p Irinciple of lateral ___.

Continuity

Pre-existing rock must be in place before another protrudes into it.

/

this idea is referred to as the principle of cross-___ relationships.

Cutting

Framework for the entire geologic timescale and evolution of life from the fossil record.

*Use to fossils to determine age

Biostratigraphy

-Tool in Biostratigraphy

-Time Marker

-Widespread

-Abundant

-Fast Evolving/Easily Identifiable

Index Fossil

The probability that a radioactive isotope will undergo radioactive decay per unit time.

Lambda, s(second)-1 or a(year)-1

Decay Constant

Time required for half of an amount of isotope to transform into a stable atom.

Half-Life

An unstable nuclei emits an “alpha particle” resulting in a loss of mass by 4 atomic mass particles.

*Product may or may not be stable

Alpha Decay

-Unstable Nuclei captures/emits electron

-Converts a proton to neutron/vice versa

-Mass Stays Same

-Elemental Identify Changes

*Electron Capture

Beta Decay

-Unstable Nuclei splits into two smaller parts

-Common to very large nuclei

Fission Decay

Metamorphic and igneous rocks with vertical folds and foliation are referred to as ___ basement rocks.

Vishnu

The largest subdivision of time is referred to as…

(Hundreds of thousands Ma)

Eons

Subdivision of an eon

(65 to hundreds of millions of years)

Eras

Subdivisions of an era

(2 to 70 million years)

Periods

Subdivisions of a period

(0.011 to 22 million years)

Epochs

One year (a)

Annum

Thousands of Years (Ka)

Kilo Annum

Millions of years (Ma)

Mega Annum

Billions of years (Ga)

Giga Annum

-Eon of Geologic Time

-Visible Life

-542 Ma to Present

-Precambrian-Cambrian Boundary Start

-Life Diversified Rapidly

Phanerozoic

-Eon of Geologic Time

-Before Life (2.5 to .542 Ga)

-Tectonic Plate Development

-Atmospheric O2 Buildup

-Multicellular Life Appeared

Proterozoic

-Eon of Geologic Time

-Ancient (3.8 to 2.5 Ga)

-Birth of Continents

-Earliest Life Forms Appear

Archean

-Eon of Geologic Time

-Hell (4.6 to 3.8 Ga)

-Internal Differentiation of Earth’s Layers

-Oceans and Secondary Atmosphere Form

Hadean

-Phanerozoic Era

-Recent Life

-66 Ma to Present

-Age of Mammals

Cenozoic

-Phanerozoic Era

-Middle Life

-252 Ma to 66 Ma

-Age of Dinosaurs

Mesozoic

-Phanerozoic Era

-Ancient Life

-541 Ma to 252 Ma

-Rapid Diversification of Life

Paleozoic

The deep bottom ocean is referred to as the ___ plain.

Abyssal

Transition from shelf to plain, higher gradient refers to the continental __.

Slope

Shallow area submerged by ocean water is referred to as a continental ___.

Shelf

The force that stretches continental crust by:

-Pulling it apart

-Forms Faults

-Is driven by the Pulling Other Side of Plate Boundary

-Driven by Buoyant Asthenosphere Uplift

Tensile Stress

Tilted sedimentary and igneous rock layers are called the Grand Canyon ___.

Supergroup

Horizontal sedimentary rock layers are called the ___ Paleozoic rocks.

Layered

Metamorphic and igneous rocks with vertical folds and foliation are called the ___ basement rocks.

Vishnu

The Chinle is ___ in age.

Triassic

Ancient soil horizons are referred to as ___.

Paleosol

For silicification and formation of petrified wood to occur”

-Moisture

-Time

-And aqueous ___ in the ground water are needed.

Silica

-Mineral Matter Fills Voids

-Mineral Matter Surrounds Cells/Pores

-Surrounds Without Destroying Delicate Cell Structure

Permineralization