Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Geology 100
Exam 2 Review
61
Geology
Undergraduate 1
03/25/2012

Additional Geology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Two main types of weathering?
Definition
Mechanical & Chemical
Term
Mechanical vs Chemical weathering?
Definition

Mechanical: Force that breaks rock into smaller and smaller pieces.

 

Chemical: Chemical transformation of rock into one or more new compounds.

 

Term
Mechanical: Water, salt growth, biological activity?
Definition
Frost wedging, salt water evaporation,reduction in pressure (unloading), plant roots and animal burrows.
Term
Chemical: Dissolution, hydrolysis, oxidation?
Definition
Elements disolving in water
Term
How does climate affect weathering?
Definition
Freeze-thaw cycles and high moisture
Term
What is soil?
Definition
Mineral and organic matter, water and air
Term
Why is soil an interface in the Earth System?
Definition
It is formed where the 'spheres meet and involved in complex interactions that will change accordingly
Term
5 Basic Controls of Soil Formation
Definition
  1. Parent Material
  2. Time
  3. Climate
  4. Plants/Animals
  5. Topography
Term
Loose sediment converts into hard sedimentary rock? (Lithification)
Definition
  1. Compaction-Pressure
  2. Cementation-Crystallization of minerals
Term
Groups of Sed. Rocks?
Definition
  1. Detrital
  2. Chemical
  3. Organic
Term
Why are sedimentary structures useful?
Definition
Provide useful knowledge of the past
Term
Mud Cracks
Definition

Sediment was formed from wet and dry

(Tidal flats, shallow lakes and desert basins)

Term
Why Sed. Rocks are important to history and economic importance?
Definition
Close to the surface, shows evidence of ancient life. Coal, gas, etc.
Term
What is the Hydrologic Cycle?
Definition
Evaporation, condensation, percipitation...runoff! Infiltration, transpirtation, from the plants to the clouds
Term
How/Where do rivers get water from?
Definition
Overland flow and groundwater
Term
Main parts of a river system?
Definition
  1. Sediment Production
  2. Sediment Transportation
  3. Sediment Deposition
Term
Stream Discharge (& How it's measured)
Definition

Volume of water flowing past a point in a given time.

(Cross-sectional area X velocity)

Term
How a stream transports its' load?
Definition
  1. Dissolved
  2. Suspended
  3. Bed
Term
Braided vs Meander Channels
Definition
  • Braided-Interwoven across numerous islands
  • Meandor-Sweeping bends (Suspension load)
Term
Cut Bank
Definition
Outside Fast, erosion
Term
Point Bar Deposits
Definition
Inside Slow, deposition
Term
How Oxbow Lakes form?
Definition
Meander shifts position
Term
Deltas
Definition
Sediment-charged streams enter still water
Term
Alluvial Fans
Definition
Deposition from a steep mountain to flat, low land
Term
Regional vs Flash Floods
Definition
  • Regional-Rapid melting or heavy rains
  • Flash-Little warning, rapid rise in water
Term
Which type of flood is more deadly?
Definition
Flash Floods
Term
Flood Recurrence Interval
Definition

50 years

# of floods in 50 yrs

Term
Groundwater importance?
Definition
  • 1/2 our drinking water
  • Sustaining streamflow
  • Erosion for caverns
Term
What is groundwater?
Definition
Water beneath the surface
Term
Porosity
Definition
Percent of pore spaces
Term
Permeability
Definition
Connectedness of pores
Term
Cross section of artesian system (Sketch)
Definition
[image]
Term
Land Subsidence
Definition
Sinking of land due to heavy well pumping
Term
Groundwater Contamination
Definition
Sewage
Term
What are mass wasting processes?
Definition
The downslope of rock, regolith, and soil from gravity
Term
What is the controlling force of mass wasting?
Definition
Gravity
Term
How does water affect mass wasting?
Definition
When the pores are filled with water, the cohesion is destroyed
Term
Significance of the angle or repose?
Definition
Steepest angle at which material remains stable
Term
How a wild fire could influence/trigger mass wasting?
Definition
The loss of anchored vegatation
Term
Slump
Definition
Donward sliding of a mass of rock along a curved surface
Term
Rockslide
Definition
Bedrock breaks loose and slides down a slope
Term
Debris Flow
Definition
Rapid flow of soil and regolith that contains water (canyons and streams)
Term
Earthflow
Definition
Hillsides in humid areas during heavy rain or fast melting
Term
Creep
Definition
Gradual downhill movement of soil and regolith
Term
Types of glaciers?
Definition
  1. Valley/Alpine-High Elevation
  2. Ice Sheet-Large
Term
Factors determining whether a glacier will form
Definition
  1. Air infiltrates snow
  2. Snow is small and thick
  3. Air is forced out
Term
How glacial ice moves?
Definition
  1. Plastic Flow-With in ice,with pressure
  2. Basal Slip-Entire mass slipping
Term
Draw a cross section of a glacier
Definition
[image]
Term
Glacier Budget
Definition
[image]
Term
How do glaciers erode bedrock?
Definition
  • Plucking-Lifting of rocks
  • Abrasion-Rocks w/ in ice, smooth & polish the surface below
  • Rock Flour-Grinds rocks to slay & silt sized particles
Term
Drumlins
Definition

Streamlined hills

(Wedge shaped)

Term
Eskers
Definition
Deposited by meltwater rivers
Term
Kames
Definition
Steep-sided hills
Term
Moraines
Definition
When glaciers waste away, ridges are left over
Term
Out-Wash Plain Deposits
Definition
Formed in association with an ice sheet
Term
Kettle Lakes
Definition
Basins and depressions from the heavy ice
Term
Glacier deposits
Definition
Forms the landscape
Term
Evidence of the Ice Age?
Definition
Chemical weathering and soil formations as well as remains of plants requiring warmer temps.
Term
Main causes of ice ages?
Definition
  • Plate tectonics
  • Variaton of Earth's orbit (Milankovitch Hypothesis)
  • Axis wobbles
Term

Cross Beds

Definition

Horizontal layers

(Sand dunes & river deltas)

Term

Ripples

Definition
Small waves of sand formed from moving air or water
Supporting users have an ad free experience!