29 Questions
Which geological process involves the movement of large masses of materials due to gravity?
Mass wasting
What is the main cause of earthquakes according to the text?
Shearing of the Earth's crust
What distinguishes exogenic processes from endogenic processes?
They originate externally to the Earth's surface
Which type of process results in the disintegration of rocks and minerals?
Weathering
What can cause a sinkhole according to the text?
Compact crust from shearing
Which process involves the movement of rock debris from one place to another?
Mass wasting
What percentage of the Earth's land surface is made up of metamorphic rocks?
12%
Which branch of geology focuses on the study of structures found in rocks?
Structural Geology
What does igneous petrology study?
Igneous rocks
Which branch of geology is closely related to igneous petrology?
Volcanology
What is the main focus of paleontology?
'The study of fossils'
'Anticline' and 'Syncline' are examples of structures found in which branch of geology?
Structural Geology
What are the 3 main types of seismic waves?
Primary, Secondary, Surface
What causes stress on Earth's crust leading to earthquakes?
Tectonic plate movement
Which type of earthquake is a result of the movement of tectonic plates at plate boundaries?
Tectonic
Where do earthquakes predominantly occur?
Tectonic plate boundaries
Which event is considered the largest and most principal in a sequence of earthquakes?
Main Shock
Which type of weathering refers to the breaking down of rocks by chemical reactions?
Chemical Weathering
What does physical weathering involve?
Formation of smaller particles without changing composition
Which factor does NOT contribute to physical weathering as mentioned in the text?
Biological Activity
What causes thermal stresses in physical weathering?
Repeated heating and cooling
How does freezing and thawing contribute to physical weathering?
By expanding when water freezes in cracks
Which of the following is an example of how pressure releases contribute to physical weathering?
When material is removed, causing underlying expansion and cracking
What is the primary focus of vertebrate paleontology?
Examining the fossil record of animals with backbones
Which group of animals does invertebrate paleontology primarily focus on?
Animals that lack backbones
What does paleobotany aim to achieve?
Recovering and identifying plant remains from geological contexts
What is the primary focus of palynology?
Identifying microscopic fragments of organisms in rocks
Which field combines economic geology and mining engineering?
Mining Geology
Which type of organisms are classified by invertebrate paleontology?
Animals without backbones
Study Notes
Geological Processes
- Mass wasting involves the movement of large masses of materials due to gravity.
Earthquakes
- The main cause of earthquakes is the movement of tectonic plates in the Earth's lithosphere.
- Interplate earthquakes occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates.
- Stress on the Earth's crust leads to earthquakes.
- Earthquakes predominantly occur at plate boundaries.
Exogenic and Endogenic Processes
- Exogenic processes involve external factors such as weathering and erosion.
- Endogenic processes involve internal factors such as plate tectonics and volcanism.
Weathering
- Mechanical weathering results in the disintegration of rocks and minerals.
- Chemical weathering involves the breaking down of rocks by chemical reactions.
- Physical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks through mechanical forces such as temperature fluctuations and pressure.
- Thermal stresses in physical weathering are caused by rapid temperature changes.
- Freezing and thawing of water in rock cracks contributes to physical weathering.
- Pressure releases contribute to physical weathering through the formation of cracks and fractures.
Geology Branches
- Structural geology focuses on the study of structures found in rocks.
- Igneous petrology studies the origin and composition of igneous rocks.
- Volcanology is closely related to igneous petrology.
- Paleontology is the study of fossils and ancient life forms.
- Vertebrate paleontology focuses on the study of vertebrate fossils.
- Invertebrate paleontology focuses on the study of invertebrate fossils.
- Paleobotany aims to reconstruct ancient plant life.
- Palynology focuses on the study of pollen and spores.
Earth's Surface
- Metamorphic rocks make up approximately 85% of the Earth's land surface.
Seismic Waves
- There are three main types of seismic waves: P-waves, S-waves, and surface waves.
Sinkholes
- Sinkholes can be caused by the collapse of underground caverns or the dissolution of rocks.
Rock Debris
- Mass movement involves the movement of rock debris from one place to another.
Geology Fields
- Economic geology combines geology and economics to study the economic potential of natural resources.
- Mining engineering is the application of geology and engineering principles to extract minerals.
- Mineral engineering is the field that combines economic geology and mining engineering.
Test your knowledge on the different types of stress in plate tectonics and their effects on the Earth's crust. Learn about shearing, confining, and exogenic processes that shape the continents and can lead to natural disasters like earthquakes and sinkholes.
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