Term
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Definition
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Term
| Earth history is divided into |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
1. Found in nature
2. Inorganic
3. Specific chemical formula
4. Characteristic atomic structure
5. Crystalline structure |
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Term
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Definition
| Study of composition, properties, classification of minerals |
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Term
| Minerals are identified by: |
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Definition
1. Crystal structure
2. Hardness
3. Luster
4. Streak
5. Color
6. Density |
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Term
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Definition
1. Igneous
2. Metamorphic
3. Sedimentary |
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Term
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Definition
Rocks that solidified and crystallized from a molten state
Majority of crustal rock
Consists of silicates and metals
Characterized by interlocking grains |
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Term
| Two classes of igneous rock |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
1. Si + Al
2. Low density and melting point
3. Light in color
ex.) granite, diorite |
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Term
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Definition
1. Fe + Mg
2. High density and melting point
3. Dark in color
ex.) basalt, gabbro |
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Term
| Cooling speed vs. Crystal size |
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Definition
Slow cooling = large crystals
Fast cooling = small crystals |
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Term
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Definition
1. Cool underneath Earth's surface
2. Cool slowly, form large crystals
ex.) granite |
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Term
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Definition
1. Cool above Earth's surface
2. Cool slowly, form small crystals
ex.) obsidian, basalt |
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Definition
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Definition
| A pool of magma under the Earth's surface |
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Term
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Definition
| Vertical river of magma under Earth's surface |
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Term
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Definition
| Horizontal river of magma under Earth's surface |
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Term
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Definition
Rocks that formed through erosion, transportation, deposition, cementation, other physical processes
Majority of surface rock
Often fossiliferous |
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Term
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Definition
| Fine-grained mineral matter transported by air, water, or ice |
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Term
| Three classes of sedimentary rock |
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Definition
1. Clastic
2. Chemical
3. Organic |
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Term
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Definition
Formed from weathered/fragmented rock
Composed of boulder-sized to microscopic grains
ex.) mudstone, shale |
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Term
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Definition
Formed from dissolved minerals
Transported in solution and precipitated
ex.) limestone, evaporites |
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Term
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Definition
Formed from remains of dead organisms
ex.) coal |
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Term
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Definition
Formed by heat and/or pressure
A changed form of a parent rock
Commonly found at mountain bases
shale turns to slate
limestone turns to marble
sandstone turns to quartzite |
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Term
| Two types of geological systems |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Internal process; happens in Earth's interior |
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Term
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Definition
| External process; happens on Earth's exterior |
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Term
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Definition
1. Law of Superposition
2. Law of Original Horizontality
3. Law of Cross-Cutting Relations |
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Term
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Definition
| Younger rocks are deposited on older rocks |
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Term
| Law of Original Horizontality |
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Definition
| Sedimentary rocks and lava are originally deposited horizontally |
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Term
| Law of Cross-Cutting Relations |
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Definition
Rocks that intrude into other rocks are younger than the host rocks
Faults are younger than the rocks they cut through
Folds are younger than the rocks they bend |
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Term
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Definition
| Process by which crust is created and destroyed through subduction and spreading |
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Term
| Three types of plate boundaries |
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Definition
1. Spreading (Divergent)
2. Converging
3. Transform |
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Term
| Spreading boundaries produce: |
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Definition
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Term
| Converging boundaries produce: |
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Definition
| Volcanic ranges, volcanic islands, mountain ranges |
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Term
| Oceanic crust to continental crust convergence causes: |
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Definition
Volcanic ranges
ex.) Andes |
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Term
| Oceanic crust to oceanic crust convergence causes: |
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Definition
Volcanic island arcs
ex.) Hawaii |
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Term
| Continental crust to continental crust convergence causes: |
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Definition
Mountain ranges
ex.) Himalayas |
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Term
| Transform boundaries produce: |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| As crust is created from sea-floor spreading, the new crust records magnetism at the time of its creation |
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Term
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Definition
| The same physical processes active today have been happening throughout geological time |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Boundary between crust and mantle |
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Term
| The lithosphere is composed of: |
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Definition
| Uppermost mantle and crust |
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Term
| Three zones in the Earth's mantle: |
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Definition
1. Uppermost mantle
2. Asthenosphere
3. Mesosphere |
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Term
| The idea of Pangaea was proposed by: |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Equilibrium maintained when crust sinks and rises |
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Term
| Two types of geological dating: |
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Definition
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Term
|
Definition
| Based on steady decay of isotopes |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Some organics, some minerals |
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Term
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Definition
| Elluviated; iron and aluminum are leeched, so the E-layer is pale. |
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Term
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Definition
| Subsoil. Minerals from E-layer accumulate in B-layer. |
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Term
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Definition
| Weathered bedrock, or regolith. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| It takes a good soil layer ___ years to form. |
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Definition
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Term
| Depletion of soil is due to: |
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Definition
| overgrazing, deforestation, overexploitation from agriculture |
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Term
| Solutions to the soil depletion problem: |
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Definition
| wind breaks, terracing, plowing with slop contours |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Material deposited by running water |
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Term
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Definition
| the area contributing water to a stream |
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Term
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Definition
|
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Term
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Definition
| wdv, width x depth x velocity |
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Term
| Effect of urbanization on hydrographs: |
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Definition
| decreased lag between precip and peak discharge, higher peak discharge |
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Term
| Three types of sediment transport: |
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Definition
| Dissolved load, suspended load, bed load |
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Term
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Definition
| Minerals are dissolved in running water; very fine-grained material |
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Term
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Definition
| Sediments are kept aloft by running water; sandy material |
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Term
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Definition
| Material is dragged along the streambed; coarser materials (pebble-boulder size) |
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Term
| Three stream channel types: |
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Definition
| braided, straight, meandering |
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Term
| Braided streams are associated with: |
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Definition
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Term
| Straight channels are usually: |
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Definition
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Term
| Meandering channels are found on ____ slopes, and have _____ and _____. |
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Definition
| gradual slopes and have cut banks and point bars. |
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Term
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Definition
| Flat, low area surrounding a stream where flooding occurs. |
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Term
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Definition
| Built-up river banks that keep rising water from spilling onto floodplain |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| No; sea level varies over time. |
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Term
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Definition
| Transport energy from one place to another |
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Term
| Water beneath a wave moves in a _____ motion. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| daily oscillations in sea level |
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Term
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Definition
| the gravitational force of the sun and moon |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Moon, Sun and Earth are aligned and so range between tides is greatest; highest high tide, lowest low tide |
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Term
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Definition
| Moon is perpendicular to Sun, which cancels out its pull. Smallest variation between tides. |
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Term
| What do waves do to coastlines? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Ocean current parallel to coast |
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Term
| Why are beaches important? |
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Definition
| Beaches stabilize shoreline by absorbing wave energy. |
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Term
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Definition
| Groins, jetties, breakwaters, nourishment, sub-aqueous vegetation |
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Term
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Definition
| Bar that just out into ocean perpendicular to shore. Traps sediment, building up the beach. |
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Term
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Definition
| Double-bars jutting out perpendicular to shore. Build beaches and create harbor entrances. |
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Term
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Definition
| Long offshore bar that runs parallel to shore. Meant to break waves and decrease their intensity. |
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Term
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Definition
|
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Term
| Topography of a barrier island: |
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Definition
| Beach, primary dune, trough, secondary dune, backdune |
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Term
| Where is the best place to build on a barrier island? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where is the worst place to build on a barrier island? |
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Definition
|
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Term
| What kind of bond keeps hydrogen and oxygen atoms together in a water molecule? |
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Definition
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Term
| Water molecules are ___ to each other because of their ___. |
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Definition
| Attracted to each other because of their polarity. |
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Term
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Definition
| Heat needed to change state; ex., from liquid to solid. Doesn't affect temperature. |
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Term
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Definition
| Energy that raises temperature |
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Term
| As water cools, it contracts. As it reaches __ degrees, it ___. |
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Definition
| As it reaches 4 degrees C, it expands. |
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Term
| The hydrologic cycle is a ____ system |
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Definition
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Term
| Hydrologic inputs to ocean include: |
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Definition
| precip, surface runoff, subsurface runoff |
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Term
| Hydrologic inputs to land include: |
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Definition
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Term
| Hydrologic inputs to atmosphere include: |
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Definition
| Evap from oceans, evap from land, transpiration from land |
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Term
| Oceans experience ___ evaporation than precipitation |
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Definition
| greater evaporation than precipitation |
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Term
| Land experiences ____ evaporation than precipitation |
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Definition
| less evaporation than precipitation |
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Term
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Definition
| total (pool) divided by input or output |
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Term
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Definition
| Water beneath the earth's surface |
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Term
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Definition
| precip, seepage from surface |
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Term
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Definition
| Wells, streams, lakes, oceans |
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Term
| Two factors determine how easily water can leech into the ground: |
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Definition
| Rock porosity and rock permeability |
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Term
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Definition
| Ability of rock to hold water |
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Term
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Definition
| Ability of rock to transmit water; function of how interconnected pore spaces are. |
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Term
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Definition
| Region permeable rock the holds water underground |
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Term
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Definition
| Aquifer that is bordered by impermeable rock layers |
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Term
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Definition
| Aquifer that is open to water seepage from above |
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Term
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Definition
| The layer of impermeable rock that borders a confined aquifer |
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Term
| Unconfined aquifers can be recharged by: |
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Definition
| Water seepage from directly above |
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Term
| Confined aquifers can only be recharged if: |
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Definition
| Some sort of pathway exists for water to travel to it. |
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Term
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Definition
| Region of sediment above water table; pore spaces filled with air and water |
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Term
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Definition
| border between saturated and unsaturated zones |
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Term
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Definition
| region of sediment below water table; pore spaces contain only water |
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Term
| Overuse of groundwater can cause: |
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Definition
| water shortages, collapsed aquifers, intrusion of sea water |
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Term
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Definition
| World's largest aquifer; provides water for 20% of U.S. farmland |
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Term
| Has the water table dropped at the High Plains aquifer? |
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Definition
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Term
| Possible solutions to problem at High Plains Aquifer |
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Definition
| switch to arid crops, conserve water, abandon irrigation |
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Term
| Two forms of solar energy: |
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Definition
| Solar wind, radiant energy |
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Term
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Definition
| clouds of electrically charged particles |
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Term
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Definition
| electromagnetic waves that can transport energy |
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Term
| Sun emits ___ energy, ___ wavelength energy |
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Definition
| high-energy, short-wavelength |
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Term
| Earth emits ___ frequency, ____ wavelength energy |
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Definition
| low-frequency, long-wavelength energy |
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Term
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Definition
| hotter objects radiate more energy |
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Term
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Definition
| Hotter objects radiate shorter wavelength energy |
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Term
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Definition
| transmission, refraction, reflection, scattering, absorption |
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Term
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Definition
| energy passes through object (e.g. atmosphere) |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| ability of object to repel electromagnetic waves without altering object or waves (like a mirror) |
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Term
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Definition
| reflective quality of a surface |
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Term
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Definition
| Shorter wavelengths show increased scattering |
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Term
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Definition
| O3 molecules; absorb UV rays |
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Term
| Process of ozone depletion: |
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Definition
UV rays hit CFC, splitting off a chlorine atom. Then, an oxygen atom from O3 bonds with the chlorine, producing ClO
Free O-atoms can then steal this O-atom from the ClO, freeing the chlorine atom to attack another O3 molecule. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Atmospheric structure is defined by: |
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Definition
| composition, temperature, function |
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Term
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Definition
| Bottom layer is homogeneous. Top layer is heterogeneous. |
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Term
| Atmospheric Temperature Layers |
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Definition
Exosphere 1
Thermosphere 2
Mesosphere 3
Stratosphere 4
Troposphere 5 |
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Term
| Function layers of Atmosphere |
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Definition
Ionosphere
absorbs cosmic, gamma, & x-rays
reflects some radiowaves
Ozonosphere
- ozone layer
- absorbs most UV light |
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Term
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Definition
Warming of lower atmosphere.
Radiatively active gases absorb longwave radiation and delay losses of heat energy into space |
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Term
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Definition
| body of air with specific temp and humidity |
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Term
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Definition
rate at which an air parcel drops with increased altitude
-dry (DAR)and moist (MAR) |
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Term
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Definition
| rate at which surrounding air drops with increased altitude |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
|
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Term
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Definition
| Amount of water vapor in air |
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Term
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Definition
| ratio of humidity content to capacity of air to hold water (%) |
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Term
| Air's capacity to hold water is a function of its ____. |
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Definition
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Term
|
Definition
| temperature at which given mass of air becomes saturated. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Degrees, minutes, seconds of arc |
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Term
| DMS to decimal conversion: |
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Definition
1. Divide seconds by 60, add to minutes
2. Divide minutes by 60, add to degrees |
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Term
| Most common map projection is called: |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Point at which sun's rays hit at 90º |
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Term
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Definition
| Latitude of subsolar point |
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Term
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Definition
| System in which input = output |
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Term
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Definition
| Energy and matter can enter and leave the system |
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Term
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Definition
| No input or output of energy or matter; enclosed cycle |
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Term
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Definition
| Disc-shaped spiral galaxy of about 400 billion stars |
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Term
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Definition
| 3 x 10^8 meters per second |
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Term
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Definition
| Earth's farthest position from Sun (July 4) |
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Term
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Definition
| Earth's closest position to Sun (January 3) |
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Term
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Definition
| Study of Earth's shape and size |
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Term
| Two sections of geography |
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Definition
| Human geography and physical geography |
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Term
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Definition
| Realms of the Earth in which different systems operate |
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Term
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Definition
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere |
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Term
| Pressure/wind patterns from Equator to Poles: |
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Definition
| Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), tradewinds, subtropical highs, westerlies |
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Term
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Definition
| circular ocean current that transfers heat energy |
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Term
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Definition
| at the warm waters of the Equator |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Cold water reaches the coastline, warms and moves to the surface, then flows away from the coastline |
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Term
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Definition
| Warm water reaches the coastline, cools, and moves downward, then flows away from the coastline |
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Term
| Upwelling and downwelling are ________ currents |
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Definition
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Term
| Normal Pacific circulation: |
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Definition
| Warm water from west coast of S. America is dragged westward by trade winds |
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Term
| El Niño Pacific circulation: |
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Definition
| Trade winds reverse direction, no pooling of cool water off west coast of S. America |
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Term
|
Definition
| When El Niño reverses trade winds, Central America and parts of Africa, India, and Polynesia experience draught. |
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Term
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Definition
| short-term, day to day conditions of atmosphere |
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Term
| Factors that control weather: |
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Definition
amount of insolation received,
temperature,
air pressure,
relative humidity,
wind speed & direction |
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Term
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Definition
| air with specific temperature & moisture characteristics due to climate of the area |
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Term
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Definition
| Continental polar: Cold, dry |
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Term
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Definition
| Maritime polar: Cool, wet |
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Term
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Definition
| Continental tropical: hot, dry |
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Term
|
Definition
| Maritime tropical: warm, wet |
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Term
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Definition
| leading edge of advancing air mass |
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Term
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Definition
| low pressure center, air spirals inward and upward (convergence), associated with cloudy/rainy weather |
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Term
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Definition
| high pressure center, air spirals downward and outward (divergence), associated with fair weather |
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Term
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Definition
| migrating low pressure center |
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Term
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Definition
| a cold front spirals into a warm front, forcing warm air upward |
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Term
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Definition
| raindrops cycle through a cumulonimbus cloud, repeatedly freezing and thawing |
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Term
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Definition
| Rolling winds form on flat ground, and an updraft pushes the rolling winds into a vertical position |
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Term
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Definition
| originates as an easterly wave or weak low pressure center, and generates energy via release of latent heat |
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Term
| Hurricanes cause more and more damage because: |
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Definition
| more people are building on the floodplains |
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Term
| Air pollution takes the form of: |
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Definition
| gases, aerosols, & particulates |
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Term
| The Clean Air Act significantly reduced: |
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Definition
| atmospheric lead, and thus, cancer incidences (except skin cancer) |
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Term
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Definition
| weather patterns over many years, including variability & extremes |
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Term
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Definition
| empirical system of climate regions classification based on temperature & precipitation |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
|
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Term
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Definition
|
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Term
| Köppen group for Williamsburg: |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Paleoclimatologists study: |
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Definition
| pollen, tree rings, ice cores, sediment cores, coral growth |
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Term
| Global climate is dependent upon: |
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Definition
| 11-year solar cycle, Milankovitch cycles, plate tectonics, atmospheric composition, ocean circulation |
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Term
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Definition
| shift in orbit shape, tilt of axis, direction of axis (wobble) |
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Term
| How to determine climate from pollen: |
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Definition
Herbs (weeds) = disturbance
Gymnosperms = generally cooler temperatures
Angiosperms = generally warmer temperatures |
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Term
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Definition
| study of relationships between organisms & their environment |
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Term
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Definition
| global system of living organisms |
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Term
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Definition
| self-sustaining association of living organisms & their physical environment |
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Term
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Definition
| formed by interactions among populations of living organisms at a particular time |
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Term
|
Definition
| 6CO2 + 6H2O + light --> C6H12O6 + 6O2 |
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Term
|
Definition
| net photosynthesis for whole plant community |
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Term
| Food web efficiency ____ as you move up to the tertiary predator. |
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Definition
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Term
| Abiotic components of an ecosystem: |
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Definition
| energy, atmosphere, water, weather, climate, minerals |
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Term
|
Definition
| intense periods of extinction in fossil record |
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Term
| What caused the KT extinction? |
|
Definition
| 15 km bolide collistion, equivalent to 100 mill H bombs |
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Term
| Causes of modern extinction: |
|
Definition
| Habitat loss, Habitat fragmentation, Habitat degradation, Climate change, Overexploitation, Invasive/introduced species, Disease |
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Term
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Definition
| Rain forests, Wetlands, Coral reefs, Oceanic islands |
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