Science Study Guide

Seismic waves

-          Energy waves that travel through earth

Richter Scale

-          A scale of numbers used to tell the magnitude/power of earthquakes

Moment Magnitude Scale

-          Is a measure of an earthquakes magnitude based off of seismic moment

Pangaea

-          The original super continent

Seafloor Spreading

-          Where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and gradually moves away from the ridge

Tectonic Plate Theory

-          Theory that deals with large-scale constant motion of the plates

Isostasy

-          State of gravitational equilibrium

Subsidence/Uplift

-          Refers to the downward vertical movement of the earths surface

-          Uplift refers to the upward movement of the earth surface

Continental Rift

-          Thinning process of the lithosphere

Fault/Fault Zone

-          A fault is a fracture between 2 blocks of rock that allows them to move relative to each other

-          A fault zone is an area which there are several closely spaced faults

Ridge Push

-          Result of gravitational forces acting on the young, raised oceanic lithosphere around mid-oceanic ridges pushing the peak outwards, away from eachother

Basal Drag

-          The frictional resistance at the base of tectonic plates

Slab Pull

Three types of rocks

-          Igneous, metamorphic, sedimentry

Texture

-          Size shap, arrangement of the mineral grains and crystals

Grains (in rocks)

-          Size of individual mineral crystals

Composition

-          The way a whole or mixture is made up

Crystallization

-          The process of solidification of a lighid substance into a highly structured well defined 3D lattice

Weathering (Chemical and Mechanical)

-          Mechanical: breaking down rocks into smaller pieces without altering their mechanical composition

-          Chemical: alters the composition of the rock materials – water is especially effective

Erosion

-          The geological process in wich materials are worn away and transported by natural forces like wind or water

Deposition

-          Sediments are transported then settle in a new location (streams)

Compaction

-          the making more dense of something

Cementation

-          the hardening of sediments

Mineral

-          substances formed in the earth, typically solid

Rock Cycle

-metamorphic à melting à lava/magma à cooling and crystallization à igneous à uplift à weathering à sediments à erosion, deposition, cementation, compaction à metamorphic à extreme pressure or heat

Stress (3 types) and Strain (2 types)

Stress: compression, tension, and shear

Strain: elastic and plastic

Primary and Secondary Waves

-          P-waves go forward and back like talking

-          S-waves curve up and down

Surface Waves

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Seismometer

-          Measures and records ground motion

Transform Fault

-          Where 2 tectonic plates slide past each other horizontaly

Fault Zone

-          A cluster of parallel faults

Continental Rift Valley

-          A region where the continental lithosphere is weakening and stretching apart

Plate Boundaries (3 types)

-          Divergent: 2 tectonic plates move away from each other

-          Convergent: 2 colliding plates

-          Transform: 2 plates sliding past each other

Subduction Zone

-          Where 2 plates collide and one dives beneath the other