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Final
geo study notecards
50
Geology
Undergraduate 1
12/01/2009

Additional Geology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
glacier
Definition
a thick ice mass that originates on land form--the accumulation, compaction and recrystallization of snow.
Term
where do glaciers form?
Definition
mt glaciers- high elevations bc of low pressure, its cold. continental glaciers form near the poles.
Term
what are the layers of the atmosphere?
Definition
thermosphere&mesosphere (ionosphere) stratosphere-troposphere (ozonosphere)
Term
In which layer does weather occur?
Definition
troposphere
Term
What are the constituents of the ancient atmosphere?
Definition
methane ammonia water vapor hydrogen co2
Term
What are the constituents of the present atmosphere?
Definition
nitrogen & oxygen
Term
What are some of the green house gases?
Definition
methane, water vapor, carbon dioxide
Term

What are the global atmospheric circulation cells called, where are they, and what do they do?

 

Definition
transfer moisture to higher latitudes, Hadley cell-0-30. Ferrel cell- 30-60. Polar cell- 60-90.
Term
What is acid rain and how does it form?
Definition
results from the chemical reaction between water and certain compounds in the atmosphere.
Term
Describe the troposphere.
Definition
where we live. lowest layer. 80% of mass is the atmosphere. where weather occurs. temp decreases with height & pressure decreases
Term
Describe the stratosphere.
Definition
18% mass of atmosphere. temp increases w/ height pressure decrease. contains ozone that shields the surface from UV radiation.
Term
What drives surface currents?
Definition
atmospheric currents
Term
What is longshore transport?
Definition
Transporting material across the beach. Makes spits and barrier islands.
Term
What landforms are associated with wave refraction?
Definition
spits & barrier islands.
Term
Does a wave move water or energy?
Definition
energy
Term
What causes tides?
Definition
the gravitational pull of the moon.  (2 high tides)
Term
What is a spring tide?
Definition
a bigger high tide. bc the sun and moon are aligned with the earth/ (high high tide)
Term
What is a neap tide?
Definition
pulls at right angles; low high tide.
Term
What drives thermohaline (deep sea) currents?
Definition
density differences. cold salty water falls. warm water rises.
Term
What effect does this current have on our climate?
Definition
moderates our climate
Term
What defines a desert?
Definition
less than 10 in of rain per year. (250 mm) lacking vegetation, cannot support a large population
Term
difference btwn a mountain & continental glacier
Definition
mt glac- smaller, lengths are great than widths, only cover small regions. continental- large & cover 10% of earth. ex- antartica & greenland
Term
how do glaciers move?
Definition
Internally, by the rotation of grains, slipping along weak surfaces and melting and refreezing. Externally, basal slips which is the slipping on a layer of water between the ice and bedrock.
Term
Where within a mountain glacier is the movement fastest?
Definition
In the middle, away from the friction of the sides and bottom.
Term
Describe the glacial budget.
Definition
In- zone of accumulation, snow accumulates. Out, the zone of ablation is the general term for loss of ice or snow from a glacier. Melting or calving of icebergs is how snow or ice is lost.
Term
How do glaciers loss mass?
Definition
By the melting or calving of icebergs.
Term
Describe the types and locations of glacial sediment.
Definition
Till, where material is deposited directly by the glacier. Sorted sediments- material laid down by glacial meltwater.
Term
What are moraines, eskers, kettle lakes, erratic, drumlins, and outwash plains?
Definition
Moraines are a pile of debris that has been transported and deposited by a glacier. Eskers are ridges of sorted sand and gravel deposited in sub glacial meltwater tunnels. Kettle lakes are a water filled depression left by glacial ice blocks. Erratics are boulders, transported by glaciers and left on the surface as the glacier melted. Drumlins are elongated hills formed when a glacier overrides glacial till. Outwash plains are sand and gravels deposited by glacial melt.
Term
What are horns, arêtes, hanging valleys, truncated spurs, tarn lakes cirques and U-shaped valleys?
Definition
Horns are a pyramid like peak formed by a glacial action in three or more cirques surrounding a mountain summit. Aretes are a narrow knifelike ridge separating two adjacent glaciated valleys. Hanging valleys are a tributary that enters a glacial trough high above the floor of the trough. Truncated spurs are eroded triangular shaped cliffs in glaciated valleys. Tarn lakes are small lakes in a cirque. Cirques are an amphitheater shaped basin at the head of a glaciated valley. U- Shaped valleys are glacial troughs.
Term
How do glaciers effect the landscape?
Definition
Continental glaciers make the land flat. Mountain glaciers sharpen the land.
Term
What are the stages of glaciation in Illinois?
Definition
Preillinoian 700,000 to 1.8 million years ago, Illinoian 3000,000 to 125,000 years ago, and Wisconsinan 75,000 to 10,000 years ago.
Term
In general, when did glaciation occur in Illinois?
Definition
During the ice age. 1.8 million years ago to 10,000 years ago
Term
What direction did the glaciers advance from?
Definition
the north
Term
What is the Milakovitch theory?
Definition
It describes the changes in Earth’s orbit. It says that changes in Earth’s tilt occurred 41,000 years ago, Precession of the Equinoxes occurred 22,000 years ago, and Eccentricity of the orbit occurred 100,000 years ago.
Term
What are the layers of the atmosphere?
Definition
What are the layers of the atmosphere?
Term
17. In which layer does weather occur?
Definition
troposhpere
Term
20. What are the global atmospheric circulation cells called, where are they located, and what do they do?
Definition
Polar cells are 60 to 90 degrees latitude near the poles. They transfer moisture to higher latitudes.
Term
21. What is acid rain and how does it form?
Definition
Acid rain results and forms from the chemical reaction between water and certain compounds in the atmosphere, like carbon dioxide, sulfur oxide, and Nitrogen oxides.
Term
24. What is O-zone and where does it occur?
Definition
O zone is oxidized material that is like bleach. They occur during lightening storms.
Term
. Describe the green house effect.
Definition
Incoming solar radiation consists of short, high energy waves. These waves pass thought the atmosphere and are absorbed by the Earth. Some of this absorbed energy is then released back into the atmosphere as long, low energy waves which are absorbed by the particles in the atmosphere and raise the temperature.
Term
. What are some of the green house gases?
Definition
Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and chlo-floro- carbons (CFCs)
Term
What drives surface currents?
Definition
atmospheric currents
Term
What landforms are associated with wave refraction?
Definition
Headlands, embayment, sea arches, and sea stacks.
Term
What are the parts of a wave?
Definition
Wave length, crest, trough.
Term
What causes a wave to break?
Definition
When the depth of the bottom of the ocean is half the wave length.
Term
Does a wave move water or energy?
Definition
energy
Term
What causes tides?
Definition
Gravitational influences of the moon and sun
Term
What is a spring tide?
Definition
What is a spring tide?
Term
What is a neap tide?
Definition
When the sun and moon are at 90 degree angles form each other and it causes an exceptionally low tides.
Term
What drives thermohaline (deep sea) currents?
Definition
Difference in temperature and salinity.
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