24 Questions
What is the term for molten rock that forms underneath the earth's surface?
Magma
What is the term used for the smooth lava flows sometimes resembling twisted ropes?
Pahoehoe
Which volcanic feature accumulates material but is not part of the central vent of a volcano?
Parasitic cone
Which term refers to the eruption of molten rock from inside the Earth to the surface?
Volcanism
What type of mass movement involves the gradual downhill movement of soil and regolith?
Creep
What is a synonym for glowing avalanches consisting of hot gases with ash and lava fragments?
Nuée ardentes
Which era is known as the age of dinosaurs?
Jurassic Era
What is the outermost layer of the atmosphere called?
Exosphere
Where does most meteors entering Earth burn?
Mesosphere
What is the study of fossils of ancient life forms and their evolution called?
Paleontology
In which layer of the atmosphere do all weather events take place?
Troposphere
What type of rock is Scorio based on the text?
Intrusive Igneous Rock
What is the driving force of mass movements?
Gravity
What is the event that initiates downslope movement?
Trigger
Which type of mass movement refers to rapid soil and regolith with high water content?
Debris flow
What occurs when soil is saturated with water and flows downslope slowly at a rate of a few millimeters or centimeters per day or year?
Solifluction
What refers to permanently frozen ground that forms in areas where deep thawing is prevented year-round?
Permafrost
What part of the hydrologic cycle involves excess rainfall flowing over the surface into lakes and streams?
Runoff
Which type of flow is characterized by a straight-line path parallel to the stream channel?
Laminar Flow
What is the maximum load of solid particles a stream can transport per unit time called?
Capacity
Which term refers to a measure of a stream's ability to transport particles based on size rather than quantity?
Competence
What type of flow occurs whenever a stream slows down, causing a reduction in competence?
Deposition Flow
Which geological feature is characterized by icicle-like pendants hanging from cave ceilings?
Stalactites
What hard mineral, close to talc, can be scratched by a fingernail?
Gypsum
Study Notes
Mass Movements
- Gravity is the driving force of mass movements
- Trigger: the event that initiates downslope movement
- Liquefaction: occurs when an intense earthquake/ground shaking causes water-saturated materials to lose their strength
- Slump: the downward sliding of a mass of rock or unconsolidated material moving as a unit along a curved surface
- Debris flow: a rapid mass movement of soil and regolith with large water content, often referred to as mudflows in fine-grained materials
- Lahars: debris flows from volcanic materials on volcano flanks, originating in Indonesia
- Solifluction: occurs when soil is saturated with water, the soggy mass may flow downslope at a rate of a few millimeters or a few centimeters per day or per year
Hydrologic Cycle
- The hydrologic cycle is a gigantic, worldwide system powered by energy from the Sun
- Precipitation: falls into the ocean, has completed its cycle and is ready to begin another
- Infiltration: portion of water that soaks into the ground
- Runoff: surplus water flows over the surface into lakes and streams
- Transpiration: some of the water that soaks into the ground is absorbed by plants, which then release it into the atmosphere
Volcanology
- Magma: molten rock that forms underneath the earth's surface
- Effusive eruption: refer to quiescent eruption, pouring out
- PAHOEHOE LAVA FLOWS: smooth surfaces that sometimes twisted braids of ropes
- Pyroduct: other term for lava tubes
- Volatiles: dissolved gases
- Tephra: other term for pyroclastic materials
- Parasitic cone: the cone-shaped accumulation of volcanic material not part of the central vent of a volcano
- Mauna Loa: earth's largest shield volcano
- Stratovolcano: other term for composite volcano
- Nuéeardentes: other term for glowing avalanches, consist of hot gases infused with incandescent ash and larger lava fragments
- Volcanism: is the eruption of molten rock from inside the Earth to the surface
Geologic Time Scale
- Pre-Cambrian Era
- Mesozoic Era: divided into three periods (Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous)
- Cenozoic Era
- Quaternary period: latest period
- 4.6 Billion yrs old: believed to be the actual age of the Earth
- Carboniferous: divided into Pennsylvanian and Mississippian
Spheres of Earth
- Lithosphere/Geosphere
- Atmosphere
- Hydrosphere
- Biosphere
Layers of the Atmosphere
- Troposphere: the lowest layer, all weather takes place (9km to 17km)
- Stratosphere: contains ozone layer, limit of jets and weather
- Mesosphere: most meteors entering earth burns here
- Thermosphere: ISS orbits the earth
- Exosphere: the outermost layer of the atmosphere
- Ionosphere: this layer is home to many satellites, plays a role in everyday communication and navigation
Paleontology
- Study of fossils of ancient life forms and their evolution
- Catastrophism: given a new prestige by Georges Cuvier based on paleontological evidence in the Paris Basin
Rocks Cycle
- Scorio: an intrusive igneous rock
- Pumice: an extrusive igneous rock
Test your knowledge of paleontology, the study of fossils and ancient life forms, along with the Geologic Time Scale. Learn about the ages of dinosaurs, the Quaternary period, and more!
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