Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which type of glacier is long and narrow, typically found in mountain valleys?
Which type of glacier is long and narrow, typically found in mountain valleys?
What process does wind use to remove loose particles from the surface?
What process does wind use to remove loose particles from the surface?
How does groundwater primarily erode rocks?
How does groundwater primarily erode rocks?
Which feature is created by wind erosion due to deflation?
Which feature is created by wind erosion due to deflation?
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What is the mechanism through which sediments like sand move in a bed load by bouncing?
What is the mechanism through which sediments like sand move in a bed load by bouncing?
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Which type of glaciers cover significant land areas and are not limited by topography?
Which type of glaciers cover significant land areas and are not limited by topography?
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What type of load consists of clay and silt-sized particles that are carried aloft by wind or water?
What type of load consists of clay and silt-sized particles that are carried aloft by wind or water?
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Which chemical process forms calcium bicarbonate from limestone when acidic water percolates through it?
Which chemical process forms calcium bicarbonate from limestone when acidic water percolates through it?
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What is the definition of streak in minerals?
What is the definition of streak in minerals?
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Which mineral exhibits a gold color but has a black or dark gray streak?
Which mineral exhibits a gold color but has a black or dark gray streak?
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What does cleavage in minerals refer to?
What does cleavage in minerals refer to?
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How is specific gravity defined?
How is specific gravity defined?
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Which property of minerals distinguishes cleavage from habit?
Which property of minerals distinguishes cleavage from habit?
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Which example is correctly paired with its distinctive property?
Which example is correctly paired with its distinctive property?
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What characterizes the specific gravity of a mineral with an SG of 10?
What characterizes the specific gravity of a mineral with an SG of 10?
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Which of the following options is not considered a property of minerals?
Which of the following options is not considered a property of minerals?
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What principle does echo sounding rely on to measure the depth of the ocean?
What principle does echo sounding rely on to measure the depth of the ocean?
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What does satellite altimetry primarily measure to profile the sea surface?
What does satellite altimetry primarily measure to profile the sea surface?
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Which type of continental margin is characterized by a wide, gently sloping continental shelf?
Which type of continental margin is characterized by a wide, gently sloping continental shelf?
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What feature of the ocean floor is a flat, sediment-covered area called?
What feature of the ocean floor is a flat, sediment-covered area called?
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What defines deep-ocean trenches?
What defines deep-ocean trenches?
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What distinguishes seamounts from volcanic islands?
What distinguishes seamounts from volcanic islands?
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What geological feature is characterized by a central rift valley and rugged topography?
What geological feature is characterized by a central rift valley and rugged topography?
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What primarily defines abyssal hills on the ocean floor?
What primarily defines abyssal hills on the ocean floor?
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What processes can change rocks into different types?
What processes can change rocks into different types?
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Which factors can accelerate the rates of weathering?
Which factors can accelerate the rates of weathering?
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What are exogenic processes primarily associated with?
What are exogenic processes primarily associated with?
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Which of the following is NOT a part of exogenic factors and processes?
Which of the following is NOT a part of exogenic factors and processes?
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Which geological features are formed by exogenic processes?
Which geological features are formed by exogenic processes?
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What is one of the main types of weathering?
What is one of the main types of weathering?
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What plays a role in the transformation of one rock type to another?
What plays a role in the transformation of one rock type to another?
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Which of the following processes contributes to denudation?
Which of the following processes contributes to denudation?
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What drives the process of seafloor spreading?
What drives the process of seafloor spreading?
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What evidence supports the seafloor spreading hypothesis?
What evidence supports the seafloor spreading hypothesis?
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How thick is the lithosphere, according to the theory of plate tectonics?
How thick is the lithosphere, according to the theory of plate tectonics?
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What happens to old oceanic crusts in the seafloor spreading process?
What happens to old oceanic crusts in the seafloor spreading process?
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What does the symmetry of seafloor age patterns across mid-ocean ridges suggest?
What does the symmetry of seafloor age patterns across mid-ocean ridges suggest?
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What is the relationship between lithospheric plates and seismic activity?
What is the relationship between lithospheric plates and seismic activity?
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Which of the following is NOT a type of movement that lithospheric plates can undergo?
Which of the following is NOT a type of movement that lithospheric plates can undergo?
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In what year did Harry Hess advance the theory of seafloor spreading?
In what year did Harry Hess advance the theory of seafloor spreading?
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Study Notes
Mineral Properties
- Streak: Color of a mineral in powdered form; more diagnostic than color alone.
- Example: Pyrite appears gold but has a black or dark gray streak.
- Cleavage: Minerals can break along specific planes, forming smooth surfaces due to weak atomic bonding in those areas.
- Cleavage is characterized by the number of directions, angles, and quality, distinguishing it from crystal habit which forms during mineral growth.
- Specific Gravity: Ratio comparing mineral density to water; indicates weight differences.
- Example: Silver has a specific gravity of 10, making it ten times heavier than an equal volume of water.
- Other Properties: Include magnetism (e.g., magnetite), odor (e.g., sulfur), taste (e.g., halite), tenacity, and reactions to acid (e.g., calcite fizzes).
Exogenic Processes
- Exogenic processes involve geological phenomena originating outside the Earth's surface, including weathering, erosion, and deposition.
- Exogenic factors may include influences from the Sun and Moon.
- Earth’s surface features are subject to change over time due to ongoing processes from its origin billions of years ago.
Glaciation
- Glaciers: Moving ice bodies that flow downhill or outward.
- Types:
- Valley (Alpine) Glaciers: Long and narrow, contained by valleys.
- Ice Sheets (Continental Glaciers): Large land-covering sheets, found in Antarctica and Greenland.
- Ice Shelves: Floating ice sheets attached to land.
Wind Erosion
- Wind erodes through:
- Deflation: Removal of loose particles, creating features like blowouts and desert pavements.
- Abrasion: Sandblasting action leading to ventifacts and yardangs.
- Wind transports sediments as:
- Bed Load: Sand that hops and bounces.
- Suspended Load: Fine particles like clay and silt held in the air.
Groundwater Erosion
- Main erosional process is the solution, dissolving soluble rocks slowly.
- Carbonic acid formation: Rainwater reacts with CO2, dissolving limestone into soluble calcium bicarbonate.
Ocean Floor Features
-
Continental Margins: Transition zones from continental to oceanic crust.
- Passive Margins: Wide, gently sloping continental shelves.
- Active Margins: Narrow shelves leading to deep ocean trenches.
- Abyssal Plains and Hills: Flat sediment-covered ocean floor with occasional volcanic features (seamounts).
- Mid-Ocean Ridges: Submarine mountain range exceeding 65,000 km, with a central rift valley.
- Deep-Ocean Trenches: Elongated seafloor depressions near volcanic island arcs.
- Seamounts/Volcanic Islands: Submerged volcanoes and those above water, respectively.
Seafloor Spreading Hypothesis
- Proposed by Harry Hess, stating that new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges, moving outward as old crust is subducted into trenches.
- Evidence includes:
- Magnetic stripes on the seafloor showing patterns of magnetic reversals.
- Age of ocean floor rocks increasing with distance from ridges, indicating dynamic crust formation.
Theory of Plate Tectonics
- Formulated in the 1960s, describing the lithosphere, a rigid outer layer about 100 km thick, overlying a moldable asthenosphere.
- Earth's lithosphere consists of seven major plates that move 5 to 10 cm per year, leading to seismic and volcanic activity at boundaries.
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Description
Explore the key properties of minerals, such as streak, cleavage, and specific gravity, alongside their unique characteristics like magnetism and reactions to acids. Additionally, learn about exogenic processes, including weathering and erosion, that shape the Earth's surface. This quiz will test your knowledge on these fundamental geological concepts.
