Term
| What is a Sedimentary Rock? |
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Definition
| -Rock formed from some type of weathering |
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Term
| Sedimentary rocks carry information about their travels. True or False and Why? |
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Definition
-True!
-They can carry fossils and information about how they were trnasported |
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Term
| Why are sedimentary socks economically important? |
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Definition
-Coal, petroleum/natural gas are/were sedimentary rocks
- also sources of construction materials (iron,mg, fertilizer, ect.) |
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Term
| Two Main Types of Weathering? What is the difference? |
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Definition
Mechanical and Chemical
-Mechanical is physically breaking a rock into smaller pieces (surface area
increases)
-Chemical is transformation of a rock into new compound/s |
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Term
| What are the three processes that lead to fragmentation of rock? |
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Definition
| Frost wedging,sheeting, biological activity |
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Term
| What is Frost Wedging? What are the broken pieces of rock resulting from this called? |
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Definition
water gets in rock cracks, freezes, expands and makes crack in rock bigger. Eventually breaks rock pieces off.
-Broken pieces are TALUS SLOPES |
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Term
| What is Sheeting? How is it caused |
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Definition
-When exposed igneous rock erodes and slabs of rock break off in "sheets" (like onion layers)
-the cause of sheeting is known as 'UNLOADING'. When pressure is taken off the rock and it rises up. |
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Term
| How is rock fragmented by biological activity? |
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Definition
-weathering by plants, animals, and humans
- ex) plant roots grow in rock fractures and expand them |
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Term
| What are the 3 major processes of chemical weatheringÉ |
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Definition
| -Dissolution, Oxidation, and Hydrolysis |
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Term
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Definition
-rock being dissolved by solution (water, acid, etc.)
-ex) halite is dissolved by water and limestone and marble are dissolved by acid |
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Term
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Definition
-Any chem. rxn where element looses electrons
-ex) iron/steel rusting
ex) olivine, pyroxene, amphibole decomposed by oxidation |
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Term
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Definition
-Reaction of any substance with water
-silicates primarily decomposed by hydrolysis
-H+ and OH- from water attack and replace ions in crystal lattice |
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Term
| What is Spheroidal Weathering? |
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Definition
-Gives weathered rock more rounded shape
-caused by water flowing through joints, attacking corers of rock |
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Term
Which rock class is most prone to weathering?
Which Class is least prone to weathering? |
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Definition
-most prone is calcite rocks (marble, limestone)
-silicates are least prone and more resistant because of Silicate Oxygen bonds |
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Term
| When and where does most weathering happen? |
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Definition
-warm temp. with lots of moisture
-temp and moisture are crucial factors |
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Term
| What factors influence a rocks rate of weathering? |
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Definition
| -number of spacing joints, composition, size of particles |
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Term
| What are the three types of sedimentary environments? |
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Definition
| -continental, transitional, maratime |
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Term
| What are Continental Environments Dominated by? |
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Definition
| erosion and deposition associated with streams |
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Term
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Definition
| fan or cone-shaped deposit of sediment crossed and built up by streams. At bottom/end of mountain. |
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Term
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Definition
| area of land adjacent to a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge |
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Term
| Aeolian sediments are well sorted. True or False? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Mountain of sand formed by sediment deposits carried by wind. Common in desert area |
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Term
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Definition
| Temporary lakes that form after heavy rain. rapidly dry leaving mudflats, evaporates, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
- coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers.
-quiet water conditions
-fined grained sediment (mud) |
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Term
| What are mudrocks? What are they made of? |
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Definition
-group of sedimentary rocks that includes shale, mudstone, silstone
-made of clay-silt sized particles |
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Term
| What is shale? What does it look like? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| -if the rock breads into chunks or rocks it is classified as mudtsone |
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Term
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Definition
-contains less clay-sized material than shale and mudstone
-contains more silt-sized particles |
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Term
| What is the difference between Conglomerate and Breccia? |
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Definition
Conglomerate - rounded pebbles (indicates a lot of travel before deposition)
Breccia - Angular Particles (indicates little travel before deposition) |
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Term
| What are chemical sedimentary rocks? |
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Definition
-derived from material carried in solution to lakes and seas where some precipitate to form chemical sediments.
-become rocks such as limestone, rock salt, and potash |
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Term
| What is the difference between inorganic and organic precipitation? |
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Definition
Inorganic - ex) dripstone (in caves)
-evaporation/chemical activity
Organic ex)shells/skeletons become bio chemical sediment
-when biological organisms form chemical sediments |
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Term
| What is Limestone? What are the different organic and non-inorganic limestone? |
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Definition
-Most abundant chemical sedimentary rock
-calcite
Organic limestone
-coral reefs, coquina (broken shells), fossiliferous limestone and chalk (microscopic organisms)
Inorganic Limestones
-Include travertine (caves) and oolitic limestone (with spherical grains) |
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Term
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Definition
| -calcium-magnesium carbonate |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
-When a salt solution evaporates leaving the sale behind
-white crystalline
-Like you see on your boots in the winter |
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Term
| What is the order of formation of coal? (order of increasing temp. and pressure) |
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Definition
Peat (partially altered)
lignite (brown soft coal)
bitumnious (soft black coal)
anthracite (hard black coal) |
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Term
| What are the common Detrial Sedimentary Rocks we have talked about? |
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Definition
Conglomerate
Breccia
Sandstone
Siltstone
Shale or mudstone |
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Term
| What are the common Chemical Sedimentary Rocks we have talked about? |
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Definition
| Limestone, dolostone, chert, rock gypsum, rocksalt |
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Term
What is the sedimentary structure Strata?
What seperates this strata? |
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Definition
-Horizontal Layers of sedimentary rock piled on top of each other
-oldest on the bottom, newest on the top
-bedding planes (flat surfaces where rocks separate or break)separate the strata |
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Term
| What is the sedimentary structure cross bedding? |
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Definition
-When sediments do not accumulate in horizontal beds
-seen in sand dunes, river deltas, certain stream channel deposits |
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Term
| What is the sedimentary structure Graded Beds? |
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Definition
- particles within a single sedimentary layer gradually change from coarse at the bottom to fine at the top
-associated with turbidity current
- |
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Term
| What is the sedimentary structure Mud Cracks? |
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Definition
| -wet mud dries and shrinks on exposure to air forming mud cracks |
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Term
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Definition
| - small waves of sand develop on the surface of the sediment layer by the action of moving water or air |
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Term
| Oscillation ripple marks vs curret ripple marks |
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Definition
Oscillation Ripple Marks
-Symetrical form
Current Ripple Marks
-asymmetrical, steeper sides in down current direction |
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Term
| What are Body Fossils and what are Trace Fossils? |
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Definition
Body Fossils
-perserve evidence of the tissues of an organisim
Trace Fossils
-perserve evidence of an organisims activities |
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Term
| What is the Hydrologic Cycle? |
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Definition
-Circulation of earth's water supply
-powered by solar radiation |
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Term
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Definition
| -when a portion of the water soaks into the ground |
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Term
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Definition
| -rains more than land is able to absorb, additional water flows over surface of land and into lakes and streams. |
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Term
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Definition
| -water absorbed by plants which later release into the atmosphere |
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Term
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Definition
| -Amount of water that runs off instead of sinking into the ground depends on infiltration capacity |
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Term
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Definition
| -thin sheet of water flowing over ground for short distance before threads of current develop |
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Term
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Definition
| -Rills direct water flow to more prominent gullies, that feed larger and more stable channels of streams. |
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Term
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Definition
- streams flow in a channel regardless of size
-rivers are streams that carry large amounts of water and have numerous tributaries |
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Term
| Head,Mouth, and Reach of Stream |
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Definition
-head is the source area
-mouth is where it empties into another water body
-Any given segment of a stream along its course is reach |
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Term
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Definition
-tributaries are smaller streams feeding of the larger stream
-Meanders are snake like bent loops of the stream |
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Term
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Definition
-bed of stream is the bottom
-banks of stream are the sides |
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Term
| Laminar Flow vs Turbulent Flow |
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Definition
-Laminar flow water flows in a straight path parallel to the channel. only when water moves very slowly through smooth channel
-Turbulent flow water moves in a chaotic fashion as swirling, whirlpools. When velocity increases water changes from laminar to turbulent |
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Term
| Shape of Streams Influences Velocity |
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Definition
-wide shallow streams move slower due to frictional drag
-narrow deep streams move faster because less frictional drag |
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Term
The Steeper the gradient, the higher velocity the stream is going to have.
True or False? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| -Depressions created by abrasive action of particles swirling in fast moving eddies |
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Term
| Streams Transport their Loads in Three ways. |
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Definition
(1) In solution (dissolved load)
(2) In suspension (suspended load)
(3) along the bottom of the channel (bed load) |
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Term
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Definition
-Transporting sediment in solution.
-supplied by groundwater
-Velocity has no effect on it because its in the water |
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Term
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Definition
-largest part of load is carried this way
-consists of fine sand, silt, clay particles
-amount of material carried this way depend on velocity of water and settling veolicty |
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Term
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Definition
-the speed at which a particle falls through a stationary fluid
-The slower the settling velocity the higher the flow velocity
-the longer a sediment will stay suspended the farther it will be carried downstream |
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Term
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Definition
-coarses particles too heavy to be suspended in water
-roll, slide and saltation (moves up the stream bed and propelled by)
-Particles too heavy to move by saltation roll or slide along bottom
-only moves when enough power to move bigger pieves accros the bottom (floods) |
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Term
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Definition
Capacity- The maximum load of solid particles that a stream can transport per unit of time
Competence
-max. particle size stream can transport (based on velocity)
ex) fast streams > competence than slow streams |
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Term
Greatest erosion and transportation in rivers occurs during floods
True or False? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Sediment deposited by streams including channel deposits, floodplain deposits,or deposits near the mouth |
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Term
| Channel Deposits of Sediment |
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Definition
-sand and gravel
-called bars
-locally accumulated sediment on the channel bed are called intrachannel bars
-crescent shaped build ups are crescent bars |
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Term
Floodplain Deposits of Sediment
(Natural Levees) |
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Definition
- subtle snake like features that flank the channels of some streams
-typically develop in streams with large suspended load of sand, silt, and clay
-Built by reoccurring floods over many years |
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Term
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Definition
| -able to maintain just the amount of energy required to transport load, experiences no net erosion or deposition |
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Term
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Definition
| -The lowest elevation a stream can erode its bed |
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Term
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Definition
-nearly vertical walls
-slow weathering and resistant rocks
-primary work is downcutting |
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Term
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Definition
-energy expended in lateral erosion
-channel widens the valley as it erodes first one bank and then the other |
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Term
| Three types of Stream Systems |
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Definition
-braided
-meandering
-anastomosed |
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Term
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Definition
-split the flow into multiple paths
-complex network converging/diverging
-form when load supplied to stream exceeds competence or capacity
-dominated by coarse sediment |
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Term
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Definition
-occupy broad flood plains
-single channel with sweeping meanders
-areas of low gradient
-carry fined grained and coarse grained material
-erodes outside bank where velocity is fastest (cut bank) |
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Term
| Meander Streams turning into Oxbow lakes |
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Definition
-neck of meander gradually narrows
-when close enough, or during flood river was erode through narrow neck of land to the next loop
-new shorter channel segement called cut off
-abandoned bend is called an oxbow |
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Term
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Definition
-meandering streams have natural levees
-area behind natural levee is back swamp
-water is trapped by levee and is poorly drained from this area and doesnt go back into the river |
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Term
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Definition
| -flat remains of former floodplain |
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Term
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Definition
-look like braided streams but are actually deep interwoven channels separated by stable islands
-dominated by fine grained suspension
-extremely low gradient
-little energy to carve banks |
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Term
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Definition
-form where the gradient of a stream changes abruptly from steep to flat
-deposited on land in a fan/cone shape
-coarse material dropped near apex of fan
-finer material carried towards base |
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Term
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Definition
-a delta forms when a stream enters an ocean or a lake
-main channel leading into ocean/lake divides into many smaller ones called distributaries
-vary in shape |
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Term
| Tributaries vs. Distributaries |
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Definition
Tributaries- Carry water into the main channel
Distributaries - carry water away from the main channel in varying paths |
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Term
| The Four Types of Drainage Patterns |
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Definition
| Dendritic, Radial, Rectangular, Trellis |
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Term
| Dendrite Drainage Pattern |
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Definition
-Most common pattern
-irregular branching of tributaries
-underlying bedrock is uniform in rock type and resistant to erosion |
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Term
|
Definition
-streams diverge from a central area
-developes on isolated volcanoe cones |
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Term
| Rectangular Drainage Pattern |
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Definition
| -many right angle bends where bedrock is crisscrossed by faults and joints |
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Term
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Definition
-tributarry streams nearly parallel to one another and resemble garden trellis
-forms in areas with alternating belts of resistance (canadain rockies) |
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Term
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Definition
| extending the head of the streams valley upsloap |
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Term
| Stream Piracy (steaking streams) |
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Definition
| divergence of the drainage of one stream because of the headward erosion of another stream. |
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Term
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Definition
| When the discharge of a stream exceeds the capacity of this channel, it overflows its banks as a flood |
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Term
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Definition
| Regional Floods, Flash Floods, Ice jam Floods, Dam-Failure Floods |
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Term
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Definition
-melting of snow/ heavy rains in spring
-seasonal |
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Term
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Definition
-occur without warning and devastating
-due to rainfall intensity, duration, etc.
-urban areas are susceptible |
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Term
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Definition
-frozen rivers
- water rises breaking up ice and creates ice floats that block the channel causing water to rise rapidly |
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Term
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Definition
| -dam or levee is destroyed and flash flooding occurs |
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Term
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Definition
| Artificial levees, flood-control dam, channelization, and a non- structural approach |
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Term
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Definition
| -earthy mounds built on banks of river to increase volume of water river can hold |
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Term
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Definition
| -built to store water and let it out slowly |
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Term
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Definition
-altering a stream channel to speed flow of water an dprevent it from reaching flood height
-can be done by clearing a channel of obstructions or making a channel wider/deeper |
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Term
Rank the largest to smallest distribution of Fresh water by Volume.
Hint - Glaciers and Groundwater |
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Definition
-Glaciers (most)
-Ground water |
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Term
| How do Sinkholes Create Caves? |
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Definition
-dissolving actions of groundwater slowly removing soluble rock and allowing surface depressions become sinkholes
-sinkholes create caves |
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Term
| What is the Volume in Km^3 of ground water, lakes and reservoirs, and river water? |
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Definition
- Ground = 4,000,000
-Lakes and Rivers = 155,000
-River Water = 1,200 |
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Term
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Definition
-water held by molecular atraction on soil particles near surface
- used by plants and for life functions
-criss crossed by roots, voids left by decayed roots and animal burrows enhance infiltration into the soil |
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Term
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Definition
| -all open spaces in the sediment are completely filled with ground water |
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Term
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Definition
| -Upper limit of the zone of saturation |
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Term
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Definition
-continous upward of the watertable
-ground water held y surface tension in tiny passages between grains of sediment |
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Term
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Definition
-area above water table that includes capillary fringe and belt of soil moisture
-water in this area cannot be pumped by wells because of its molecular attraction the the particles of sediment
-only below the water table is the pressure great enough to have wells |
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Term
| Two Factors Influencing Groundwater Movement and Storage |
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Definition
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Term
| Porosity vs. Permeability |
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Definition
-porosity is the number of poles/holes in the sediment
-permeability is the rocks ability to transmit the water |
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Term
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Definition
-aquitards hinder/prevent water movement
ex) clay
-Aquifers transmit groundwater freely
ex)sands or gravels |
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Term
| What is the Hydrolic Gradient and the Hydrolic Conductivity? |
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Definition
-Hydrolic Gradient is The water table slope
-Hydrolic conductivity is the factor that velocity varies with permeability (groundwater flows more rapidly through sediments with greater permeability) |
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Term
|
Definition
-water table intersects earths surface and natural outflow of groundwater results
-form when Aquitard blocks the downward movement of groundwater and forces it to move laterally |
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Term
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Definition
| - a small shallow water table above the prominent water table that sits above an aquitard and water cant escape |
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Term
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Definition
-Hot springs are springs which are heated by geothermal gradient
-water is 6-9 degrees warmer than mean annual air temp.
-when groundwater circulates at great depths it becomes heated
-Geysers are intermittened hot springs/fountains where water is ejected at great force.
-great pressure increases the boiling point of water, heated water expands and is forced out at surface |
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Term
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Definition
-Most common method for removing ground water
-well screen must be below water table for continuous supply
-pumping can cause drawdown and cone of depression |
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Term
| Draw down vs cone of depression |
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Definition
-drawdown is lowering of the water table
-Cone of depression is the shape of the drawdown (problem when it comes to agriculture and pumping excessive water) |
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Term
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Definition
-water flows at surface freely due to pressure underground
-must be confined to an aquifer and have aquitards above and below the aquifer to confine the water |
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Term
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Definition
-Needs pumping, not enough pressure to freely flow at surface
-When pressure surface is below the ground level |
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Term
| The Environmental Problem of Mining Ground Water |
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Definition
-If more water is taken out than put back in the water table is going to drop significantly
-In some places water is considered a non-renewable resource |
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Term
| The Enviromental Issue of Subsidence |
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Definition
-Ground surface can litteraly sink when water is pumped out from wells faster than natural recharge proccess can replace it
-Water pressure drops, weight of over burdern is transfered to the sediment |
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Term
| The Environmental Issue of Ground water Contamination |
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Definition
-caused by leaky septic tanks, road salt, fertilizers, pesticides and dangerous chemicals from industries
-Bacteria can be mechnaically filtered through sediment, though for purification to occur the aquifer must of the correct composition
-water is more purified with less permeable sediment in the ground |
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Term
Cave Features are Called Speleotherms.
True or False? |
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Definition
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Term
| Cave Speleotherms include: |
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Definition
| Stalactites, stalagmites, and columns |
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Term
| Stalacites vs Stalagmites Vs Coloums |
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Definition
-Stalacites hang from the ceiling
-Stalagmites grow up from the floor
-Coloums are formed when the two meet |
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Term
|
Definition
-Landscapes that have been shaped by the dissolution of ground water
-areas typically have irregular terrain with many sinkholes
-disappearing streams |
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Term
|
Definition
-Mass of Glacial Land Ice
-North poles and south pole
-exist on continental scale |
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Term
|
Definition
- thousands of smaller glaciers in lofty mountain areas
-because of their setting they are called valley glaciers (they are in valleys) |
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