CK

Untitled Flashcards Set


1. Difference Between an Element, Mineral, and Rock:

  • Element: A basic substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Examples include oxygen, silicon, and iron.

  • Mineral: A naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and a crystalline structure. Minerals are made of one or more elements. Examples include quartz, feldspar, and calcite.

  • Rock: A solid, naturally occurring combination of one or more minerals or mineraloids. Rocks can be classified into three types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Examples include granite, limestone, and basalt.

2. Most Common Elements in the Crust and in the Entire Earth:

  • Crust: Oxygen (O), Silicon (Si), Aluminum (Al), Iron (Fe), Calcium (Ca), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg).

  • Entire Earth: Iron (Fe), Oxygen (O), Silicon (Si), Magnesium (Mg), Nickel (Ni), Sulfur (S).

3. Five Defining Properties of a Mineral:

  1. Naturally occurring

  2. Inorganic

  3. Solid

  4. Definite chemical composition

  5. Ordered atomic structure (crystalline structure)

4. Volcanic vs. Plutonic Igneous Rocks:

  • Volcanic: Formed from lava that cools and solidifies quickly on the Earth’s surface. Examples include basalt and rhyolite.

  • Plutonic: Formed from magma that cools and solidifies slowly beneath the Earth’s surface. Examples include granite and diorite.

5. Mafic vs. Felsic Magma:

  • Mafic Magma: Rich in magnesium and iron, low in silica. It tends to form dark-colored rocks like basalt.

  • Felsic Magma: Rich in silica, aluminum, potassium, and sodium, low in iron and magnesium. It tends to form light-colored rocks like granite.

6. Formation of Basalt vs. Granite:

  • Basalt: Formed from mafic magma that cools quickly at the Earth's surface (volcanic).

  • Granite: Formed from felsic magma that cools slowly beneath the Earth’s surface (plutonic). The slower cooling allows larger crystals to form.

7. Types of Sedimentary Rocks:

  • Clastic: Formed from fragments of other rocks. Example: sandstone.

  • Biochemical: Formed from the remains of organisms. Example: limestone.

  • Organic: Formed from the accumulation of plant material or other organic matter. Example: coal.

  • Chemical: Formed by the evaporation of water, leaving behind minerals. Example: rock salt.

8. How Transportation Affects Clastic Sediment:

  • Size: Longer transportation distances lead to smaller sediments due to wear and tear.

  • Shape: Longer transportation causes more rounding of particles.

  • Sorting: Longer transport leads to better sorting, where similar-sized particles are grouped together.

9. Conditions Necessary for Metamorphism:

  • High temperature and pressure, typically deep beneath the Earth's surface. This causes changes in mineral composition and structure without the rock melting.

10. Rock Cycle Diagram:

The rock cycle is a continuous process where:

  • Igneous rocks form from cooling magma or lava.

  • Sedimentary rocks form from the erosion and deposition of pre-existing rocks.

  • Metamorphic rocks form from the alteration of other rocks due to high temperature and pressure.

11. Common Sedimentary Structures:

  • Ripple marks: Formed by the movement of water or wind across sediment.

  • Mud cracks: Formed when wet sediment dries and contracts.

  • Cross-bedding: Formed by the deposition of sediment at an angle, commonly found in sand dunes.

12. Terrestrial Depositional Environments:

  • Rivers, lakes, deserts, and swamps.

13. Sedimentary Characteristics in Terrestrial Environments:

  • Rivers: Coarse-grained sediments like sand and gravel.

  • Lakes: Fine-grained sediments like mud and clay.

  • Deserts: Well-sorted, fine-grained sand.

  • Swamps: Organic-rich sediments, such as peat.

14. Fossil Definition:

A fossil is the preserved remains, impression, or traces of a once-living organism.

15. Two Broad Fossil Categories:

  • Body fossils: Physical remains of organisms, such as bones or shells.

  • Trace fossils: Evidence of an organism’s activity, like footprints or burrows.

16. Two Phases of Taphonomy:

  • Biostratinomy: Processes that occur between death and burial, such as decay and scavenging.

  • Diagenesis: Processes that occur after burial, such as compaction and mineralization.

17. Biostratinomic Processes After Dinosaur Death:

  • Scavenging, decay, transportation, and burial can affect how a dinosaur fossil is preserved.

18. Biostratinomic Processes and Fossilization:

  • Decay and scavenging can destroy soft tissues, while burial and mineralization preserve hard tissues like bones.

19. Diagenetic Factors and Dinosaur Preservation:

  • Heat, pressure, and chemical conditions can alter or preserve fossils. For example, the presence of minerals can cause bones to become petrified.

Module 4: Dinosaur Clades

1. Difference Between the Two Dinosaur Clades:

  • Saurischia: "Lizard-hipped" dinosaurs, including theropods and sauropodomorphs.

  • Ornithischia: "Bird-hipped" dinosaurs, characterized by a different pelvic structure.

2. Baron et al. Phylogenetic Hypothesis:

This hypothesis suggests that dinosaurs are divided into two main clades: Saurischia (lizard-hipped) and Ornithoscelida (bird-hipped), with modern birds being more closely related to Ornithoscelida.

3. Ornithischia and Diagnostic Traits:

Ornithischians are characterized by a bird-like pelvic structure. They typically have beaks and herbivorous diets.

4. Thyreophoran Groups:

  • Stegosaurids: Known for their plated backs and spikes (e.g., Stegosaurus).

  • Ankylosaurids: Known for their armored bodies (e.g., Ankylosaurus).

5. Ornithopods and Derived Clades:

Ornithopods are herbivorous bipedal dinosaurs. The two derived clades are:

  • Hadrosaurids (duck-billed dinosaurs): e.g., Parasaurolophus.

  • Iguanodontids: e.g., Iguanodon.

6. Marginocephalia and Key Groups:

Marginocephalians are characterized by a bony ridge or frill on the back of their heads. The two main groups are:

  • Ceratopsians (e.g., Triceratops)

  • Pachycephalosaurs (e.g., Pachycephalosaurus)

8. Two Derived Groups of Sauropods:

There are two major derived groups of Sauropoda:

  • Diplodocidae: Known for long necks and tails, with relatively small heads. They were typically herbivores that used their long necks to reach high vegetation. Example genus: Diplodocus.

  • Brachiosauridae: Characterized by their longer front legs compared to rear legs, giving them a more upright posture. They were also herbivores but may have fed on taller vegetation than other sauropods. Example genus: Brachiosaurus.

9. Characteristics of Theropods:

Theropoda includes mostly carnivorous dinosaurs, many of which were bipedal. Key characteristics include:

  • Carnivorous diet (in most species).

  • Bipedal locomotion.

  • Hollow bones, often contributing to their light weight.

  • Some species had feathers, especially closer to the avian lineage (modern birds).

  • Sharp teeth and claws for predation.

  • Small to large sizes, ranging from the tiny Compsognathus to the enormous Tyrannosaurus rex.

Common clades within Theropoda:

  • Tyrannosauridae (e.g., Tyrannosaurus rex)

  • Dromaeosauridae (e.g., Velociraptor)

  • Spinosauridae (e.g., Spinosaurus)

  • Ornitholestidae (e.g., Ornitholestes)