Geo Final 1

Model of the Solar System with the Earth in the center. First created by the Greeks.

Sun is the center of the universe

1. roughly spherical object
2. orbits around a star
3. incorporate most objects in its surroundings

planets similar to Earth (rock shells with solid cores, no rings)

made mainly of hydrogen, helium, and other gases. has solid rings (many moons and rings).

the farthest planets in the sun (Uranus and Neptune) made of elements like methane, hydrogen, and helium (frozen gas due to distance)

a small rocky body orbiting the sun

the region of the solar system between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, where many asteroids are found

Objects that circle the sun beyond the orbit of Neptune

balls of ice, rock, and dust in space with a tail

contains ice debris and planet tesimals

A spherical region of comets that surrounds the solar system

a small asteroid, mostly fragments of an asteroid

a space rock that enters Earth's atmosphere

a meteoroid that does not completely burn up in the atmosphere and strikes the surface of a moon or planet

the apparent change in the frequency of a wave caused by relative motion between the source of the wave and the observer

wavelength is identical in every direction

in the direction, the wavelengths are bunched up and in the opposite direction, the wavelengths are going to have more space (lower freq).

higher frequency = blue shift
lower frequency = red shift

The theory that the universe originated in a huge explosion that released all matter and energy.

The cosmic formation of atoms more complex than the hydrogen atom.

The concept that planets grow out of rings of gas, dust, and ice surrounding a new-born star

a large disk-shaped cloud of dust and gas

space object built of solid particles that can form planets through collisions and mergers

0-17 km above Earth's surface, site of weather, organisms, contains most atmospheric water vapor. (temperature decreases with increasing altitude, pressure decreases)

ozone layer

The layer of Earth's atmosphere immediately above the stratosphere

The uppermost layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature increases as altitude increases

A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.

The soft layer of the mantle on which the lithosphere floats.

The thin and solid outermost layer of the Earth above the mantle

plastic like asthenosphere (liquid iron)

Below the crust is the lower mantle, and below the lower mantle is the core. (solid iron)

materials begin to separate from one another (different layers using physical processes)

heat remaining from collisions during Earth's formation

One explanation for the interior heat of a terrestrial world: The rock and metal that built the terrestrial worlds contained radioactive isotopes such as uranium, potassium, and thorium. When radioactive nuclei decay, subatomic particles fly off at high speeds, colliding with neighboring atoms and heating them. In essence, this transfers some of the mass energy of the radioactive nuclei to the thermal energy of the planetary interior.

the rate of change in temperature with depth

kinetic energy transferred to outside environ.

The portion of the earth's crust that primarily contains granite, is less dense than oceanic crust, and is 20-50 km thick

thinner, more dense, younger crust making ocean floor

the upper part of the mantle, which is rock-like

rotating liquid iron -> magnetic field

made up of the liquid outer core that is made up of an electric conductor

streams of electrically charged particles flowing at high speeds from the sun

strong magnetic lines that trap particles and radiation makes it through

region around a star where liquid water could be present on a planet's surface

78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gases

Continents fit like puzzle pieces

Continental Rocks match up

Ancient fossils match up (mesosaur)

Mountain ranges match up

Paleo-climates (coal found in Antarctica)

hills of sand shaped by the wind

Preserved remains of once-living organisms

sound pulse emitted on board

record of geomagnetic data deserved in rocks and minerals

a state in which magnetized objects would reverse direction and orient themselves to point south

places where the field strength is stronger than expected

places where the field strength is weaker than expected

A solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.

solids whose particles are arranged in a lattice structure

smooth, flat surfaces with regular geometric outlines

regular, repeating arrangement of atoms in a mineral

A chart of the elements showing the repeating pattern of their properties

tetrahedral configuration
carbon surrounded by 4 other carbons

triangular configuration
carbon atom surrounded by 3 carbon atoms

holds together
-Natural Cement (classic rocks like sandstone)

-interlocking (crystalline rocks like granite)

The process by which dissolved minerals crystallize and glue particles of sediment together into one mass.

form when magma cools very quickly without growth of mineral grains

Rocks formed from the weathering, erosion, depostion, and compaction of other rocks

Form directly from cooling of magma or lava. Ex: granite (magma) and obsidian (lava)

A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.

Due to the lower density than the solid rock above

lava cools quickly
magma cools slowly

depth of magma chamber
size of shape of magma chamber
presence/absence of circulating groundwater

The process by which atoms are arranged to form a material with a crystal structure

process in which different minerals crystallize from magma at different temperatures, removing elements from magma

magma that has pushed into cracks in existing rocks

A structure built to prevent ocean waters from flooding adjacent land

sheetlike rock parallel to the layering

intrusive igneous rock bodies

A mass of rock formed when a large body of magma cools inside the crust

The breaking down of rocks and other materials on the Earth's surface.

the mechanical breakdown of rocks and minerals

The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes

weathering depending on rock type

The mechanical breakup of rock caused by the expansion of freezing water in cracks and crevices

a weathering process where salt crystals grow and expand in the cracks and holes of rock, creating pressure which eventually causes fragments of rock to break away

weathering caused by the growth of trees

a type of mechanical weathering in which the volume of rocks changes in response to heating and cooling

separation into parts; the process of dissolving

Breaking down rocks by the chemical addition of water

some minerals absorb large amounts of water -> expansion

some minerals contain abundant iron

weathering of rock and the accumulation of organic material

air in the pore space contains nutrients (carbon, oxygen, hydrogen)
water in pore space contains abundant dissolved nutrients
other nutrients derived from the soil solids including organics

soil develops as a result of the combined effect of climate and organisms acting on parent material as influenced by topography over time

colder climate -> more regolith
tropical climate -> deeper soil
desert -> little soil
temperate climate -> moderate size soil

Processes by which rock, sand, and soil are broken down and carried away (i.e. weathering, glaciation)

A series of processes on the surface and inside Earth that slowly changes rocks from one kind to another

may change the mineral composition and the texture of the rock

stress applied uniformly in all directions on rocks

force exerted in a particular direction on rocks

provide evidence for the presence of fluids

help in transporting ions to the site of growing crystals

contact meta -> thermal meta
creates "hornfels" -> no foilation
contact auroleo

process to form ocean bed

the sudden occurrence of a violent discharge of steam and volcanic material

a liquid's resistance to flow

flows easily (effusive) low Si02 content

lots of resistance (flows slowly) high SiO2 content

a destructive mudflow on the slopes of a volcano.

A low, flat, gently sloping volcano built from many flows of fluid, low-viscosity basaltic lava

cone-shaped with steep slopes, explode frequently, Mount St. Helen's

A small, steeply sloped volcano that forms from moderately explosive eruptions of pyroclastic material.

expelled vapor and aerosols