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Geology 100
Test 1 Ch. 1,2,3,5,8
57
Geology
Undergraduate 1
04/15/2009

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Term
Examines the materials composing Earth and seeks to understand processes that operate beneath and up on its surface
Definition
Physical geology
Term
The study of the Earth's origin and its development through time. 
Definition
Historical Geology
Term
Strives to establish a chronological arrangement of the physical and biological changes that have occurred in the past
Definition
Historical Geography
Term
Logical beginning to studying geology.
Definition
Physical Geology
Term
Common geological belief in the 17th and 18th centuries, that the Earth's landscape was carved by great catastrophes.
Definition
catastrophism
Term
"The present is key to the past" would be along what line of geological thinking?
Definition
Uniformaitarianism
Term
Writer of "Theory of the Earth". Founded uniformitarianism (geological processes of today happened in the past).
Definition
James Hutton
Term
Placing things in there proper order with no  timeframe.
Definition
Relative Dating
Term
States that in layers of sedimentary rock or lava flows the bottom layer is the oldest
Definition
Law of superposition
Term
Remains or traces of prehistoric life
Definition
Fossil
Term
fossil organisms succeed each other in a definite and determinable order, therefore any time period can be recognized by its fossil content
Definition
principle of fossil succession
Term
Based on the assumption that the natural world behaves in a consistent and predictable manner that is comprehensible through careful, systematic study
Definition
Science
Term

An explanation of of how or why things happened that have been observed

 

Definition
Hypothesis
Term
A well tested and widely accepted view that the scientific community agrees best explains certain observable facts
Definition
Theory
Term
Theories that are broad in scope, extensively documented and virtually universally accepted
Definition
Paradigms
Term
gaseous layer above the earths crust
Definition
Atmosphere
Term
A dynamic mass of liquid that is continually on the move, evaporating from the oceans to the atmosphere, precipitating back to the land, and running back to the ocean again
Definition
Hydrosphere
Term
sphere that includes all life on earth
Definition
Biosphere
Term
extends from the surface to the center of the planet
Definition
geosphere
Term
the thickest of the earths spheres
Definition
geosphere
Term
Aims to study the Earth as a system composed of numerous interacting parts, or subsystems.
Definition
Earth system science
Term
Any size group of interacting pats that form a complex whole
Definition
system
Term
A system that no matter enters or leaves
Definition
Closed system
Term
a system that both energy and matter flow in and out
Definition
open system
Term
works to maintain the system as it is
Definition
negative feedback mechanism
Term
mechanisms that enhance or drive change
Definition
positive feedback system
Term
represents the unending circulation of earths water among the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere
Definition
Hydrologic cycle
Term
A common boundary where different parts of a system come in contact and interact
Definition
interface
Term
The process of rocks changing from lava to igneous to sedimentary to metamorphic back to lava
Definition
rock cycle
Term
Rocks formed by cooling magma or lava
Definition
igneous rocks
Term
Rocks formed through great pressures and intense heat
Definition
Metamorphic
Term
Rock and biological material lithified through pressure
Definition
sedimentary rock
Term
Proposes that the bodies of our solar system evolved from an enormous rotating cloud
Definition
Nebular Hypothesis
Term
enormous rotating cloud that formed the solar system
Definition
Solar nebula
Term
Earths relative thin rocky skin
Definition
crust
Term
82% of the earth, a solid rocky shell that extends to depths of 2600 kilometers
Definition
mantle
Term
layer of upper mantle, weaker part of mantle
Definition
asthenosphere
Term
upper, stronger portion of the mantle
Definition
lithosphere
Term
because of pressure the mantle ______ at depth
Definition
Strengthens
Term
Center of the earth iron and nickel rich 
Definition
core
Term
expansive flat regions that are composed of deformed crystalline rock
Definition
shields
Term
portion of sea floor adjacent to major landmasses
Definition
continental margin
Term
a gently sloping platform along most coasts
Definition
continental shelf
Term
relatively steep drop off that extends from the outer edge of the continental shelf to the floor of the deep ocean
Definition
continental slope
Term
theory that states the earths rigid outer shell (lithosphere) is broken into numerous slabs
Definition
Theory of plate techtonics
Term
slabs in the in the lithosphere
Definition
plates
Term
the study of minerals
Definition
mineralogy
Term
any naturally occurring inorganic solid that posesses and orderly crystalline structure and a well-defined chemical composition
Definition
mineral
Term
substance that cannot be broken down into a simpler substances
Definition
Element
Term
mineral with two or more elements 
Definition
chemical compound
Term
smallest particle of matter that maintains essential characteristics of an element
Definition
atom
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