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Geology Final Exam

Terms

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Isoclinal Fold
A very tight series of fold structures standing up side by side in a vertical orientation
Strike Slip
When the movement is lateral (side to side)
Monocline fold
A structure that bends down on one side of the axis line
Time Travel Curve
Represents the distance covered by the seismic energy
Mercalli Scale
Oldest scale used to measure earthquakes. Calculated based on relative intensity (I-XII)
Evidence of continental drift
fitting of continents, fossils, structures, climates
Continental-continental
Because the continents are not dense enough to subduct, when the two plates collide mountain ranges are formed, such as with the Himalayas
Seismometer
Detects the seismic energy
Transform
Slide horizontally, San Andreas fault
Epicenter
Point on the surface directly above the focus of the earth quake
Reverse fault
A dip slip fault where the hanging wall black moves up relative the footwall block
L Waves
(long waves) long the outer perimeter of the crust, slowest of all (surface wave)
Standard Geologic Time Scale
A scale created by geologists who have divided the whole of geologic history into units of varying magnitude
Absolute Dating
Radiometric decay rates happen at a fixed rate that does not change due to physical conditions
Dip Slip
When the movement is vertical displacement and moves up and down
Shearing stress
Deforms rock material immediately along the fault line itself.
The closer the focus is to the surface the ____ the power of the quake
Higher
Cenozoic
Recent Life
Plunging fold
Reference to the orientation of the central axis line, when it plunges into the interior of the earth
Index fossils
Fossils that are widespread geographically and are limited to a short span of geologic time so their presence provides an important method of matching rocks of the same age.
Tensional Stress
Stretching
Left lateral strike slip fault
When the movement is to the left
Core
2200 miles thick
Nonconformity
The break separate older metamorphic or intrusive igneous rocks from younger sedimentary strata
P Waves
(Primary), Compressional waves, fastest (body wave)
Syncline fold
Opposite of a anticline. A trough like structure (think of a u-shaped)
Triangulation
Used to pinpoint the epicenter of the earthquake,
Mantle
1800 miles thick
Basins
Opposite of domes, a collapse that is associated with sink holes, youngest material in center
Oldest Earth rock
3.8 B
Moho
The shortened name for the boundary that separates the crust from the underlying mantle
Continental Drift
theory that states that there was a supercontinent that split into the continents of today, founded by Wegener
Thermoluminescence
The phenomenon where certain items such as pottery that have been heated in the past will give off a light when exposed to ultraviolet light.
Benioff
the area in the subduction zone where movement creates earthquakes.
Right lateral strike slip fault
When the movement is to the right
Oceanic-continental
Where the denser ocean plate subducts under the more buoyant continental plate. The oceanic plate starts to partially melt and sometimes creates volcanic activity on the edge of the continental plate. Mt. St. Helens
Dip
Refers the direction and angle of inclination
Oceanic-Oceanic
Happens the same way as oceanic-continental and this is how volcanic islands are formed. IE: Hawaii
Paleozoic
Ancient Life
Lithosphere
the solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle
S Waves
(secondary), Causes rock to vibrate perpendicular the mode of travel, slow (body wave)
Oldest Moon rock
4.6 B
Recumbent
Extremely rare, material holds together to bend and tilt at an angle and will lay all the way over on its side so its at a horizontal orientation
Convergent plate boundaries
Where two plates move together resulting in oceanic lithosphere descending beneath an overriding plate or possible the creation of a mountain system.
Principle of Original Horizontality
Created by Nicolaus Steno; Layers of sediment are generally deposited in a horizontal position. Thus, if we observe rock layers that are flat, it means they have not been disturbed. If they are folded or inclined at a steep angle they must have moved into that position by disturbances
Disconformity
More common than angular unconformity but harder to detect because the strata on either side of the disconformity are parallel
Andrija Mohorovicic
A scientist who first presented the idea behind the earth being in layers by studying seismic records he found that the velocity of the waves increases abruptly below about 50 kilometers of depth.
Mesozoic
Middle Life
Compressive stress
Compaction
Strain
The physical response to stress
Tsunami
Japanese word for Seismic Sea Waves, Must have actual displacement of the sea floor, a series of waves
The nature of the movement of earthquakes is both ___and ___
horizontal & vertical
Seismograph
Creates "paper print outs" of the energy
Principle of Super Position
When looking at a rock formation you can see their original horizontality and determine their relative dating age.
Seismic Waves
Move outward in all directions from the focus of the quake
Angular Unconformity
Consist of tiled or folded sedimentary rocks that are overlain by younger, more flat-laying strata. Indicates that during the pause is deposition, a period of deformation and erosion occurred.
Fault
When a rock breaks and moves
Elastic strain
The material will bend and then move back
Beno Gutenberg
A scientist who that P waves diminish and eventually die out at a certain spot on the globe after an earthquake. Then the P waves would re-appear but later than expected. It was concluded from this then that the earth had a "core" that bends the waves.
Good Friday Quake
1964 in southern Alaska. 9.3 Richter.
Asthenosphere
the soft layer of the mantle that the lithosphere floats on
Focus
Actual point where movement takes place
Normal fault
A dip slip fault where the hanging wall block drops down relative to the footwall block
Paleomagnetism
Study of the earth's magnetic field through the use of magnetic minerals over time.
Joint
Where a rock breaks from stress
Anticline fold
When the material bends upward and forms a ridge like structure (think of a dome)
Hotspot
When a rising plum becomes a surface manifestation, Hawaii
Relative Dating
Sequence of events or formation
Strike
Refers to a line of compass direction formed by the intersection between and incline plane and a horizontal plane
Crust
5-40 miles thick
Domes
Round symmetrical hills that are pushed up by a plume of salt, oldest material in center
Overturned fold
If it is laid over at an angle, (leaning)
Open fold
If it is just slightly bent
Richter Scale
Created by Dr. Richter. Calculated by magnitude (0-9.3)
Shadow zone
area where the p-waves disappear
Fracture strain
When the material will bend and snap
Principle of Cross-cutting Relationships
When a fault cuts through other rocks, or when magma does, we can assume that fault or dike is younger than the original rock.
Faunal succession
That certain fossils will never be found together. You can identify a strata of rock by its fossils
Oblique Slip
When the movement is at an angle
Plastic Strain
The material will bend and stay that way it is
Thrust fault
Reverse faults with a very low dip angle to them

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