Geol 1001 exam 1

The ______ effect occurs when infrared energy from the Sun is radiated back from Earth and trapped by Earth's atmosphere, resulting in warming conditions.

greenhouse

Radioactive decay in Earth, especially in Earth's crust, creates a tremendous amount of _____

heat

The ______ cycle describes water processes that occur on land, in the atmosphere, and in the oceans

hydrologic

____ rocks are formed directly by precipitates from hot water. Some geologists consider these to be a type of metamorphic rock.

hydrothermal

Rock that has formed from cooling magma or lava is _____ rock.

igneous

The greenhouse effect is the result of ____ that becomes trapped by Earth's atmosphere, causing Earth to be warmer than it otherwise would be

infrared energy

What is the condition of equilibrium or balance in a system called? Geologists often use this term to describe crustal blocks floating on the asthenosphere.

isostacy

Understanding geology is important to everyday life because ______.

it helps us make decisions regarding the environment, we rely on it to locate raw materials for industry, we rely on it for energy resources.

Process of sediment turning into rock.

lithification

Sedimentary rocks are formed by the compaction and cementation of sediments in a process called ______

lithification

The asthenosphere is located beneath the _____

lithosphere

The solid upper portion of Earth

lithosphere

The ____ is the rigid portion of Earth composed of the ______ and uppermost part of the mantle

lithosphere, crust

Melting of rocks at great depth produces _____

magma

_____ is molten rock underground, usually in silica and containing dissolved gases

magma

Earth's three major concentric zones are the crust, the _____, and the ______

mantle, core

If rock is exposed to enough heat after metamorphism, it will eventually ______ into magma.

melt

A ______ rock type is formed when heat and pressure are applied to a preexisting metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary rock, without causing melting.

metamorphic

Changing a rock by heat, pressure, or deformation is called _____

metamorphism

There are two main types of crust on Earth: they are ____ and ___

oceanic and continental

The rock cycle was conceived by James Hutton in an attempt to explain how _______

older rocks become new sediments

Lava is molten rock that cools _______

on the surface

Sand, pebbles, and cobbles, along with slit and clay

river channels

The process in which a rock may move from one place to another or be converted into a new rock type is the ____ cycle

rock

Mostly sand shifted by wind action

sand dunes

Mud and the remains for sea creatures

seafloor

_____ are loose materials formed when large rocks in the landscape are broken down and worn away

sediments

The physical state of Earth's inner core is _____ and the outer core is _____

solid, liquid

Large, angular rocks

steep mountain fronts

_______ are geologic considerations when identifying physically safe places for human habitation

the strength of underlying geology, faults in Earth's crust that can potentially cause earthquakes, the steepness of hillsides

Earth has ____ major concentric zones of material

three

The three agents of sediment ____, which result in deposition as energy decreases, are ice, wind, and water.

transport

Moving pieces of rock by wind, ice, or water

transportation

Upward movement of underground rocks to the surface

uplift

What are the three primary agents that act to deposit sediments, which may eventually become sedimentary rocks?

water, wind, ice

Breaking down of rocks either mechanically or chemically

weathering

Twenty-eight thousand years ago, Earth was ____ than it is today, and continental ice sheets covered large areas of land as a result

colder

Which type of crust is thicker?

continental

Metamorphism involves what three processes?

deformation, pressure, heat

Differences in which physical property allow rocks to move from deep within Earth toward the surface?

density

Two factors that affect regional elevations are _____

density of the rock, temperature of the lithosphere

Occurs when the energy of the transported materials decreases

deposition

The most important agent for sculpting the landscape is ______

flowing water

The Sun creates heat and light through the process of joining together hydrogen atoms in nuclear ______

fusion

What is the primary control on the location of mineral resources?

geology

_____are huge flowing fields or tongues of compressed snow and ice

glaciers

The gravity of the ______ and the _____ causes the tides in the oceans of Earth

Moon, Sun

Rocky fragments left over from the formation of the solar system are called ______. They are found in orbit between Mars and Jupiter

asteroids

Mixture of gases that extends out about 100 km from Earth

atmosphere

What is the continental shelf?

A fringe of shallow seafloor surrounding the land

Includes all of the water in all of its expressions on Earth

Hydrosphere

Three factors that directly shape the surface of Earth by creating diverse landscape

Impact of diverse lifeforms, atmosphere and its movement, water and its movement

List the outer planets from top to bottom, from the Sun outward

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

What describes the eastern part of North America compared to the Western part?

The coast is surrounded by broad shelf, the mountains are more subdued

Describe the primary differences between continents and ocean basins

The continents and ocean basins have different rock types, the continents and ocean basins have different rock thicknesses

Includes life and all the places life can be found on Earth

biosphere