Shared Flashcard Set

Details

ES 104
Science Terms
101
Science
Undergraduate 2
12/04/2008

Additional Science Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
A’a
Definition
A type of lava flow that has a jagged, blocky surface
Term
Accretionary wedge
Definition
A large wedge-shaped mass of sediment that accumulates in subduction zones.
Term
Active continental margin
Definition
Occur where oceanic lithosphere is being subducted beneath the margin of a continent.
Term
Andesite, Andesitic composition
Definition
The composition of igneous rocks lying between felsic and mafic
Term
Anticline
Definition
A fold in sedimentary strata resembling an arch
Term
Basalt
Definition
A fine grained igneous rock of mafic composition
Term
Basaltic composition
Definition
A compositional group of igneous rocks indicating that the rock contains substantial dark silicate minerals and calcium-rich plagioclase feldspar
Term
Basin
Definition
A circular downfolded structure
Term
Batholith
Definition
A large mass of igneous rock that formed when magma was emplaced at depth, crystallized, and subsequently exposed by erosion
Term
Bowen’s reaction series
Definition
The relationships between magma and the minerals crystallizing from it during the formation of igneous rocks
Term
Brittle failure
Definition
Deformation that involves the fracturing of rock. Associated with rocks near the surface.
Term
Caldera
Definition
A large depression typically caused by collapse or ejection of the summit area of a volcano.
Term
Cinder cone
Definition
A small volcano built primarily of pyroclastics ejected from a single vent
Term
Cleavage
Definition
The tendency of a mineral to break along planes of weak bonding
Term
Columnar joint
Definition
A pattern of cracks that form during cooling of molten rock to generate columns that are generally six-sided
Term
Composite cone
Definition
A volcano composed of both lava flows and pyroclastic material
Term
Continental volcanic arc
Definition
Mountains formed in part by igneous activity associated with the subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath a continent
Term
Crater
Definition
The depression at the summit of a volcano, or that which is produced by a meteorite impact.
Term
Crust
Definition
The very thin outermost layer of Earth
Term
Crystal
Definition
An orderly arrangement of atoms
Term
Crystal settling
Definition
During the crystallization of magma, the earlier-formed minerals are denser than the liquid portion and settle to the bottom of the magma chamber
Term
Crystallization
Definition
The formation and growth of a crystalline solid from a liquid or gas
Term
Decompression melting
Definition
Melting that occurs as rock ascends due to a drop in confining pressure.
Term
Deformation
Definition
General term for the processes of folding, faulting, shearing, compression, or extension of rocks as the result of various natural forces
Term
Dike
Definition
A tabular-shaped intrusive igneous feature that cuts through the surrounding rock
Term
Dip-slip fault
Definition
A fault in which the movement is parallel to the dip of the fault
Term
Dome
Definition
A roughly circular upfolded structure similar to an anticline
Term
Ductile deformation
Definition
A type of solid state flow that produces a change in the size and shape of a rock body without fracturing. Beneath Surface
Term
Electron
Definition
A negatively charged subatomic particle that has a negligible mass and is found outside an atom’s nucleus
Term
Element
Definition
A substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical or physical means
Term
Fault
Definition
break in a rock mass along which movement has occurred
Term
Fault scarp
Definition
A cliff created by movement along a fault
Term
Fault-block Mountains
Definition
A mountain formed by the displacement of rock along a fault
Term
Felsic
Definition
The group of igneous rocks composed primarily of feldspar and quartz
Term
Fine-grained texture
Definition
A texture of igneous rocks in which the crystals are too small for individual minerals to be distinguished w/ the unaided eye.
Term
Fissure eruption
Definition
An eruption in which lava is extruded from narrow fractures or cracks in the crust.
Term
Flood basalt
Definition
Flows of basaltic lava that issue from numerous cracks or fissures and commonly cover extensive areas to thicknesses of hundreds of meters
Term
Fold
Definition
A bent rock layer or series of layers that were originally horizontal and subsequently deformed
Term
Fracture
Definition
Any break or rupture in rock along which no appreciable movement has taken place.
Term
Geothermal gradient
Definition
The gradual increase in temperature with depth in the crust
Term
Glassy texture
Definition
Certain igneous rock, such as obsidian, that contain no crystals
Term
Graben
Definition
A valley formed by the downward displacement of a fault-bounded block
Term
Granitic composition
Definition
A compositional group of igneous rocks that indicates a rock is composed almost entirely of light-colored silicates
Term
Hardness
Definition
The resistance a mineral offers to scratching
Term
Horst
Definition
An elongated, uplifted block of crust bounded by faults
Term
Igneous rock
Definition
A rock formed by the crystallization of molten magma
Term
Intermediate composition
Definition
The composition of igneous rocks lying between felsic and mafic.
Term
Intrusive
Definition
Igneous rock that formed below earth’s surface
Term
Ion
Definition
An atom or molecule that possesses an electrical charged
Term
Island arc
Definition
A chain of volcanic islands generally located a few hundred kilometers from a trench where active subduction of one oceanic slab beneath another is occurring
Term
Isostasy
Definition
The concept that earth’s crust is floating in gravitational balance upon the material of the mantle
Term
Joint
Definition
A fracture in rock along which there has been no movement
Term
Laccolith
Definition
A massive igneous body intruded between preexisting strata
Term
Lahar
Definition
Mudflows on the slopes of volcanoes that result when unstable layers of ash and debris become saturated and flow down slope, usually following stream channels
Term
Lava
Definition
Magma that reaches earth’s surface
Term
Lithosphere
Definition
The rigid outer layer of Earth, including the crust and upper mantle
Term
Luster
Definition
The appearance or quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral
Term
Mafic
Definition
Igneous rocks with low silica content and a high iron-magnesium content
Term
Magma
Definition
A body of molten rock found at depth, including any dissolved gases and crystals.
Term
Mantle
Definition
Thick layer of Earth located below the crust
Term
Mantle plume
Definition
A mass of hotter-than-normal mantle material that ascends toward the surface, where it may lead to igneous activity
Term
Mineral
Definition
A naturally occurring, inorganic crystalline material with a unique chemical composition.
Term
Mohs hardness scale
Definition
A series of 10 minerals used as a standard in determining hardness
Term
Monocline
Definition
A one-limbed flexure in strata
Term
Neutron
Definition
A subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom
Term
Normal fault
Definition
A fault in which the rock above the fault plane has moved down relative to the rock below
Term
Nucleus
Definition
The small heavy core of an atom that contains all of its positive charge and most of its mass
Term
Orogenesis
Definition
The processes that collectively result in the formation of mountains
Term
Pahoehoe
Definition
A lava flow with smooth-to-ropey surface
Term
Partial melting
Definition
The process by which most igneous rocks melt
Term
Passive continental margin
Definition
Margins that consist of a continental shelf, continental slope, and continental rise.
Term
Pluton
Definition
A structure that results from the emplacement and crystallization of magma beneath the surface of Earth
Term
Porphyritic texture
Definition
Large crystals embedded in a matrix of much smaller crystals
Term
Proton
Definition
A positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom
Term
Pyroclastic flow
Definition
A highly heated mixture, largely of ash and pumice fragments, traveling down the flanks of a volcano or along the surface of the ground
Term
Pyroclastic materials
Definition
The volcanic rock ejected during an eruption, including ash, bombs, and blocks
Term
Reverse fault
Definition
A fault in which the material above the fault plane moves up in relation to the material below.
Term
Reverse fault
Definition
A fault in which the material above the fault plane moves up in relation to the material below.
Term
Rock
Definition
A consolidated mixture of minerals
Term
Rock cycle
Definition
A model that illustrates the origin of the three basic rock types and the interrelatedness
Term
Scoria
Definition
Hardened lava that has retained the vesicles produced by escaping gases
Term
Shield volcano
Definition
A broad, gently sloping volcano built from fluid basaltic lavas
Term
Silicate
Definition
Any one of numerous minerals that have the oxygen and silicon tetrahedron as their basic structure
Term
Silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
Definition
A structure composed of four oxygen atoms surrounding a silicon atom that constitutes the basic building block of silicate minerals
Term
Sill
Definition
A tabular igneous body that was intruded parallel to the layering of preexisting rock
Term
Specific gravity
Definition
The ratio of a substance’s weight to the weight of an equal volume of water.
Term
Stratovolcano
Definition
A volcano composed of both lava flows and pyroclastic material
Term
Streak
Definition
The color of a mineral in powdered form
Term
Strike-slip fault
Definition
A fault along which the movement is horizontal
Term
Syncline
Definition
A linear down fold in sedimentary strata
Term
Terrane
Definition
A crustal block bounded by faults, whose geologic history is distinct from the histories of adjoining crustal blocks
Term
Texture
Definition
The size, shape, and distribution of the particles that collectively constitute a rock.
Term
Thrust fault
Definition
A low angle reverse fault
Term
Transform fault
Definition
A major strike-slip fault that cuts through the lithosphere and accommodates motion between two plates
Term
Ultramafic composition
Definition
Mainly of iron and magnesium-rich minerals
Term
Vein deposit
Definition
A mineral filling a fracture or fault in a host rock
Term
Viscosity
Definition
A measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow
Term
Volatiles
Definition
Gaseous components of magma dissolved in the melt
Term
Volcanic island arc
Definition
A chain of volcanic islands generally located a few hundred kilometers from a trench where active subduction of one oceanic slab beneath another is occurring.
Term
Volcanic neck
Definition
An isolated, steep-sided, erosional remnant consisting of lava that once occupied the vent of a volcano
Term
Volcano
Definition
A mountain formed of lava and/or pyroclastics
Supporting users have an ad free experience!