Geology 1st Long Exam: Reviewer

7/30/2012 2:29:00 AM

Geology Geo (earth) ; logos (discourse) Study of the Earth and the materials in it (minerals/rocks), the processes that act on them (weathering/erosion) and the product of these processes (soil) History of the planet and its life forms (4.5 4.6 B) Study of the Earth and other solid bodies in space Its beginning is lost in antiquity Modern Geology was born in 1788 Eclectic science and a power tool (geologic mapping) Branches of Geology Historical Geology history and life forms o Stratigraphy (strata/stratum: layers of rocks) - study of layers of rocks using tools Lithostratigraphy (lithology rocks): relation of rock units Biostratigraphy relation of rock units using biological content o Paleontology study of fossils Micropaleontology: study of fossils under a microscope Microfossils: Foraminifers: hydrochloric acid (HCl), calcatious (carbonate skeleton), calcite Radiolarians: hydrofluoric acid (HF), silicious (silica skeleton), quartz o Geochronology timing/sequencing of events Physical Geology materials, processes, products o o o o o o Crystallography crystals Mineralogy minerals Petrology (petros) rocks Geomorphology land forms Seismology earthquakes Structural Geology structures

**Geology + Physics = Geophysics

**Geology + Chemistry = Geochemistry **Geology + Biology = Paleontology Topographic Map contains symbols for rivers, churches, etc.. Contour lines represent areas of equal elevation Contour number determine the elevation of an area Applications of Geology Has demonstrated the immensity of time (millions of years) & serves as background for biology Mitigation of natural disasters (to lessen the effect/find solutions) Environmental impact assessment (foundation of stability) Preservation of the environment Utilization of water, energy and other natural resources To unravel the history of life and of the earth

Uniformitarianism The physical and biological features of the earth were produced by the same processes acting today The physical, chemical and biological laws that operate today have also operated in the geologic past Proposed by James Hutton o Father of Modern geology o Edinburgh physician, geologist and farmer o History of the Earth is composed of geologic cycles which are long and numerous o Evidence: Siccar Point and Berwickshire Outcrop: exposure of rock; sandstone: rock composed of sandsized grains (can be flat or tilted); unconformity: a surface of erosion or non-deposition Delta: a river that enters another body of water; tuff (adobe): volcanic deposit The present is the key to the past The Earth changes but only in accordance with unchanging physical laws Uniformity of process but not of rate, time and place of occurrence

Catastrophism Earths history as a series of catastrophes Each catastrophe exterminated the existing life Proposed by Baron Georges Cuvier o Six major catastrophes Paris Basin Great Deluge

1st Long Exam Reviewer

7/30/2012 2:29:00 AM

Universe consists of all matter and all light and other forms of radiation and energy Theory # 1: Steady State No initiating event in time and space Maintains that the universe is in the process of continual creation Matter is being continually replenished

Theory # 2: Big Bang (Evolving Universe) A specific event at the beginning of a progressive evolution Faint waves coming from all directions of space o Remnants of the radiation from the primordial fireball Red shift is an evidence that the universe is expanding

Solar System Swerve Theory Titus Lucretius Carus o Free falling of bodies in an orderly arrangement, a body swerved causing collision and chaos Encounter Theories Based on the accidental intervention of another celestial object beside the sun o Buffon comet o Chamberlain and Moutton rapidly moving star o Jeans and Jeffreys arms of hot gases pulled from the sun by the gravity of a passing star Double Star Theory Lyttleton o Sun + twin companion star o The explosion of the twin companion star produced a cloud of gas that was captured by the suns gravity Nebular Theory

Kant, 1755; Laplace, 1796, von Weisacker and Kuiper o Solar system formed a giant, rotating cloud of gas and dust (nebula) o Earth was first a gas, then a liquid and finally cooled enough to have a solid crust o According to Weisacker and Kuiper: globule (small, dark, round, nebulae) Observations o Nebula rotates, started to collapse gravitationally o Nebula contracted and from rotating disk causing heat o Cooled of resulted to metallic and rocky materials o Collision form asteroid-sized bodies o Accretion into planets

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7/30/2012 2:29:00 AM Minerals can be an element or compound naturally occurring, homogenous solid that possesses ordered atomic arrangement (crystalline structure) that is inorganic (no living organism involved in production) and has definite chemical composition (expressed in chemical formula) that may vary within specified limits. Diamond formed with high temperature 4 Cs: carat (size), color, cut (show of brilliance), clarity (no sand/bubbles) Kimberlite pipes: mantle rock, source of diamonds

Crystalline Structure atomic arrangement (orderly patterns that atoms of elements form in a mineral) Opal (not a mineral) SiO2 no atomic arrangement *Luzonite mineral found in Benguet; Labradonite Labrador Islands Mineraloid naturally occurring amorphous (no crystalline structure) substance Opal, quartz, glass ALL MINERALS ARE CRYSTALS BUT NOT ALL CRYSTALS ARE MINERALS Crystals regularly shaped objects that reflect orderly arrangement of atoms Polymorphism poly (many); morphi (form) Minerals having same composition or elements but different crystalline structures

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