Introduction to Earth Systems and Geology
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Questions and Answers

Which mineral is NOT classified as a dark (ferromagnesian) silicate?

  • Muscovite mica (correct)
  • Olivine
  • Pyroxene
  • Biotite mica

What causes the lithospheric plates to move on the asthenosphere?

  • Wind erosion
  • Convection in the mantle (correct)
  • Melting of surface rocks
  • Gravitational pull from the moon

What is the typical silica content range for intermediate (andesitic) igneous rocks?

  • 45-55 wt%
  • 70-80 wt%
  • 65-75 wt%
  • 55-65 wt% (correct)

Which of the following describes the texture of phaneritic igneous rocks?

<p>Crystals can be seen without a microscope. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of atoms that affects mineral formation?

<p>Relative abundance of available elements (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which component is NOT part of the Earth systems as described in geology?

<p>Celestial sphere (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for the wet melting process in subduction zones?

<p>Release of H2O from the descending plate (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process best describes the formation of basalt?

<p>Eruption and cooling at the Earth's surface (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which geological location would the greatest volume of volcanic rock be produced?

<p>Oceanic ridge system (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of engineering geology?

<p>Understanding slope stability (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the rate of cooling affect crystal size in igneous rocks?

<p>Fast cooling can form glass and prevent crystal growth. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which field of geology deals with the study of fossils?

<p>Paleontology (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of volatiles in the melting process of minerals?

<p>They reduce the melting temperature of solids (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is a defining feature of felsic rocks?

<p>High viscosity due to silica content (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of igneous rock is typically associated with explosive volcanic activity?

<p>Intermediate (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What geological feature is associated with the Pacific Ocean basin and contains most of the world’s explosive volcanoes?

<p>Ring of Fire (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What describes a scientific law?

<p>A statement based on repeated observations (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which method begins with data collection without considering theoretical implications?

<p>Inductive method (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effect does a decrease in pressure have on the melting process of solid rocks?

<p>It leads to crustal decompression melting (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between mafic and felsic magma?

<p>Mafic magma contains more MgO and FeO than felsic magma. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What composition is classified as ultramafic in terms of igneous rocks?

<p>Composed primarily of mafic minerals (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of a scientific theory?

<p>Widely accepted by the scientific community (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which area of geology focuses on the movement of groundwater?

<p>Hydrogeology (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of scientific inquiry, what does parsimony refer to when forming a hypothesis?

<p>The simplicity of the explanation (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What field studies the deformation of rocks under stress?

<p>Structural geology (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which step is NOT part of the scientific inquiry process?

<p>Rejection of all data (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary reason for the increased importance of observation and description in geological studies?

<p>Large spatial scales make controlled experiments difficult. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the principle of uniformitarianism suggest about geological processes?

<p>They have operated in the same manner throughout geologic time. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which event occurred approximately 65 million years ago?

<p>Extinction of dinosaurs. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the geothermal gradient an indicator of?

<p>The increase in Earth’s temperature with depth. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does mantle convection contribute to the movement of tectonic plates?

<p>By causing seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following processes primarily facilitates heat flow in the Earth's crust?

<p>Conduction. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about rock magnetism and paleomagnetism is true?

<p>It can be used to determine the direction to magnetic poles. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the average earthquake duration?

<p>Duration varies widely but is typically brief. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does an increase in depth within the Earth generally lead to?

<p>Increased temperature and melting. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What best describes the pattern of marine magnetic anomalies?

<p>Symmetric pattern reflecting plate motion. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Environmental Geology

The study of how the Earth's materials interact with the environment and how pollutants affect the near-surface area.

Seismology

The study of how Earth's interior behaves based on the analysis of earthquake waves.

Structural Geology

The study of how mountains are formed through the deformation of rocks due to forces.

Geochemistry

The study of the chemical composition and behavior of Earth's materials and the chemical reactions that occur naturally.

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Geomorphology

The study of how landscapes evolve and form.

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Hydrogeology

The study of how the groundwater moves through rocks and soil.

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Paleontology

The study of fossils and the history of life's evolution preserved in rocks.

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Stratigraphy

The study of the arrangement and composition of sedimentary rock layers to understand Earth's history.

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Sedimentology

The study of sediments and how they are deposited.

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Volcanology

The study of volcanoes.

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Uniformitarianism

The principle that geological processes that occur today also happened in the past, operating at similar rates.

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Paleomagnetism

Study of the Earth's magnetic field as recorded in rocks.

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Marine Magnetic Anomalies

Bands of normal and reversed magnetic field signatures preserved in rocks under ocean.

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Geothermal Gradient

The gradual increase in Earth's temperature with depth.

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Mantle Convection

Circulation of hot material rising and cooler material sinking within the Earth's mantle.

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Conduction

The process of heat transfer through direct contact, like a metal spoon heating up in hot soup.

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Plate Tectonics

The theory that the Earth's outer layer is made up of large plates that move and interact.

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Seafloor Spreading

The process of new oceanic crust being formed at mid-ocean ridges.

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Magnetic Reversal

The time when Earth's magnetic field flips, reversing the poles.

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Metamorphic Rock

A type of rock that has been heated and deformed under high pressure without melting.

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Subduction Zones

When a denser, colder plate collides with a warmer plate, it is forced to sink back into the mantle at a subduction zone. This process is often accompanied by volcanic activity and earthquakes.

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Decompression Melting

The process of rocks melting due to a decrease in pressure. This occurs at mid-ocean ridges where plates are pulling apart.

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Ring of Fire

The area surrounding the Pacific Ocean basin is known as the 'Ring of Fire'. This region is marked by intense volcanic activity and earthquakes due to the convergence of multiple tectonic plates.

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Hotspot

A large, volcanic feature in the Earth's crust caused by a rising plume of hot mantle material. The plume can create a series of volcanoes as it moves through the crust.

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Basaltic Magma

Magma that is relatively rich in iron and magnesium, typically found in the oceanic crust. It is characterized by a dark color and a fine-grained texture.

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Basalt

A type of igneous rock found in oceanic crust that is rich in iron and magnesium. It has a dark color and a fine-grained texture.

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Wet Melting

This is the process of a solid melting due to the addition of fluids, like water, which lowers the melting temperature of the solid.

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Mafic Rocks

A group of igneous rocks that are rich in dark, ferromagnesian silicate minerals such as olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite mica.

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Andesitic Rocks

Igneous rocks with an intermediate composition, containing silica content between 55-65 wt%. They are less volatile than mafic rocks.

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Felsic Rocks

A type of igneous rock that is rich in light, non-ferromagnesian silicate minerals such as quartz, muscovite mica, and feldspar.

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Granite

The most common type of felsic rock, typically composed of potassium-, sodium-, and silicon-rich minerals. It is typically found on the continents.

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Igneous Texture

Refers to the overall appearance of a rock based on the size, shape, and arrangement of minerals.

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Phaneritic Rocks

Igneous rocks with large, visible crystals that can be identified without a microscope. They form when magma cools slowly.

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Aphanitic Rocks

Igneous rocks with microscopic crystals. They form when magma cools rapidly.

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Study Notes

Earth Systems Introduction

  • Geology is the science of planet Earth, examining its components (atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere) and processes.
  • Earth scientists work in the field and laboratory, studying the structure and behaviour of Earth's physical and natural world.

Different Fields in Geology

  • Engineering Geology: Studies geology's role in slope stability, building projects (tunnels, dams, mines), and foundation design.

  • Environmental Geology: Examines interactions between the environment and geologic materials, including pollution and contamination.

  • Geochemistry: Studies the chemical composition and behaviour of Earth materials and chemical reactions in natural environments.

  • Geomorphology: Studies landscape formation and evolution.

  • Hydrogeology: Focuses on groundwater movement and its interaction with rock and soil.

  • Mineralogy: Investigates physical properties, structures, and chemical behaviours of minerals.

  • Paleontology: Studies fossils and the record of life's evolution in rocks.

  • Sedimentology: Focuses on sediments and their deposition processes.

  • Seismology: Studies earthquakes and Earth's interior structures by analyzing earthquake waves.

  • Stratigraphy: Analyzes sedimentary rock layers to understand Earth's history.

  • Structural Geology: Investigates rock deformation processes related to mountain building.

  • Tectonics: Studies large-scale geologic features related to plate movements

  • Volcanology: Studies volcanoes.

Nature of Scientific Inquiry

  • Science seeks to discover predictable patterns in nature and use knowledge for predictions.
  • Hypothesis: Tentative explanations that are testable and parsimonious (simple).
  • Theory: Widely accepted explanation based on extensive testing and evidence from the scientific community.
  • Law: Observation-based statement that describes some natural phenomenon.

How is Geology Different from Other Sciences?

  • Large spatial and temporal scales, often making controlled experiments impossible.
  • Geological processes operate over immense time scales, making it difficult to observe processes in their entirety.
  • Evidence is often fragmented or incomplete, relying on observation, description, and experience-based knowledge.

Structure of Earth

  • Earth is composed of rigid layers called plates comprising the lithosphere and moving slowly.
  • Major geological activity occurs at plate boundaries
  • Earthquakes and volcanoes occur at specific locations associated with plate tectonics.

Seismic Waves and Earth's Structure

  • Seismic waves reveal the interior structure of Earth through the study of how these waves behave within it.

  • Density and chemical composition differences cause seismic waves to change.

Planet Interior

  • Seismic waves, used to 'x-ray' Earth.

  • Earth's layers exhibit chemical differentiation with different densities and compositions (crust, mantle, core).

  • Density and composition changes dictate waves' paths; Snell's Law (angle of wave refraction) and travel-time calculations to determine layer depths.

Physical and mechanical properties of Earth's layers

  • Temperature, pressure, and composition greatly affect the physical behaviour and characteristics of the layers (crust, mantle, core).

Plate Tectonics

  • Tectonic plates are large, rigid plates moving slowly on the asthenosphere.
  • Plate movement causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and the formation of mountains.
  • Processes like seafloor spreading and subduction are key to plate tectonics.

Earth Materials I & II (Minerals, Rocks)

  • Minerals: naturally occurring, solid substances with specific chemical composition and ordered atomic arrangement.
  • Igneous rocks: Form from the cooling and crystallization of magma.
  • Textures: Physical properties of rocks (e.g., mineral grain size, shape) indicate cooling history.

Types of Rocks

  • Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic rocks, including their characteristics and formation processes.

How Igneous Rocks Form

  • Magma composition, cooling rate, amount of dissolved gas affect texture and mineral composition.
  • Bowen's Reaction Series outlines the systematic crystallization sequence of minerals from magma.
  • Crystallization in a closed system results in different types of rocks from the same initial magma.

Igneous Activity along Plate Margins

  • Igneous activity often occurs at plate boundaries.
  • Subduction zones: Intense heat from subduction can melt/transform crustal materials
  • Divergent plate boundaries: Magma rises along ridges; Magma can cool at different rates leading to different rock types (coarse-grained, fine-grained).

Metamorphic Rocks

  • These rocks form from existing rocks that have been transformed by heat and/or pressure.

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Geo 1111 [A] Introduction to Earth Systems PDF

Description

Explore the fundamental concepts of geology and the different fields within the discipline. This quiz will help you understand the Earth's components, processes, and the various applications of geology in real-world scenarios. Test your knowledge on topics like engineering geology, environmental geology, and more.

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