Below, is a list of material that will be emphasized on
the upcoming exam. (In preparation for the exam, it might very helpful
to visit the relevant modules on the WW2010 web site and to view
the relevant sections of the GEODE CDROM.)
I. Atmospheric Stability
II. Atmospheric Circulations, Pressure, and Wind
III. Air Masses, Fronts, Midlatitude Cyclones, Tornadoes, and
Hurricanes
IV. Fundamental Geological Principles and Earth’s Interior
Fundamental geologic principles
uniformatarianism
superposition
geologic time;
dating (relative & absolute dating)
Earth's structure
core, mantle,
crust
endogenic &
exogenic processes
isostasy
discontinuities
(Moho & Gutenberg)
Geologic cycle
Seismology - seismic waves
V. Plate Tectonics
continental drift
Alfred Wegner
Evolution of Pangaea
evidence for
continental drift:
fossil, rock structures & type, fit of continents, paleoclimates, paleomagnetism,
magnetic reversals and
sea-floor spreading
plate tectonics - what is it?
sea-floor spreading, subduction zones
Earth's lithospheric plates
plate boundaries
convergent,
divergerent, lateral (faults)
hot spots & Hawaiian Islands
VI. Matter and Nature of Minerals
Rocks vs. Minerals - what makes a rock a rock,
and a mineral a mineral?
Mineral Composition
atomic structure
bond types -
ionic (e.g., NaCl), covalent, and metallic
isotopes
Mineral Structure
Physical Properties of Minerals - crystal
form, luster, color, streak, hardness, clevage, fracture, specific gravity
Mineral Groups
8 common elements
in Earth's crust that comprise the "rock-forming" minerals
silicate mineral
group - the most common mineral group
carbonate mineral
group - 2nd most common mineral group
Silicate Structures - silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
(SiO4)4-
single chain
structure, double chain structure, sheet structure
most common
ions in in rock-forming minerals
Common Silicate Minerals
Ferromagnsian
(Iron & Magnesium) Silicates - are dark in color and have a high specific
gravity - olivine,
pyroxenes, amphiboles,
biotite (mica)
Light Silicates
- "lower" specifc gravity than dark silicates, light in color - muscovite
(mica), feldspars (the most
common mineral
group) [K feldspar (pink in color sometimes) & plagioclase fleldspar
(has striations)]
Nonsilicate Minerals
carbonates -
basic structure is the carbonate ion (CO3)2-
calcite (CaCO3)
dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2
halides
halite (NaCl) table salt
sulfates
VII. Igneous Rocks
Magma vs. Lava
Mama Crystallization
Igneous Rock Composition
Bowen's Reaction
Series
Igneous Rock Textures - aphanitic, phaneritic,
porphyritic, glass
Classification of Igneous Rocks & Igneous
Rock Types
Granitic, Andesitic,
Basaltic, Ultramafic, Pyroclastic
granite,rhyolite,
diorite, andesite, gabbro, basalt, peridotite - know which are intrusive
and which are extrusive;
also felsic
vs. mafic
obsidian, pumice
pyroclastic
rocks
Plutonic Igneous Rocks
tabular, massive,
discordant, concordant
Dikes, Sills,
Laccoliths, and Batholiths
VIII. Sedimentary Rocks
weathering and erosion produce material, which
is deposited as "sediment", and is then lithified (via compaction and
cementation) to form sedimentary rocks
sedimentary rocks account for 5% (by volume)
of Earth's outer 10 miles; and 75% of all rock outcrops - they thus
comprise a relatively thin and discontinuous
layer in the uppermost portion of the crust
Detrital Sedimentary Rocks - formed from material
derived from both physical and chemical weathering - originates
and is transported in solid form
particle size,
shape, texture, and composition provides information about the deposition
environment and the
transport mechanism
(e.g., wind, water, ice)
sorting
shale (mudstone
& siltstone) - accounts for over 1/2 of all sedimentary rocks - shales,
because of their small pore
space act as
a barrier to the movement of groundwater, petroleum, and natural gas
sandstone -
2nd most abundant sedimentary rock (~20%)
conglomerate
& breccia
classification
-
Chemical Sedimentary Rocks - derive from material
carried in solution
precipitation
of material occurs via inorganic processes (evaporation & chemical
activity), & organic
(biochemical)
processes (e.g., marine animals and plants extract dissolved calcite or
silica to build their shells or
other hard parts)
limestone - represents about 10% of all sedimentary
rocks - it is composed of calcite (CaCO3)
both inorganic
and organic limestones exist
coquina
chalk
dolostone - comprised of dolomite
chert - comprise of silica
evaporties - e.g., halite (NaCl) - salt flats
coal - comprised of organic matter (dead plants)
- forms in an oxygen-poor swamp environment -
peat>lignite>bituminous coal>anthracite
Sedimentary Environments
Sedimentary Structures
strata (beds),
bedding planes, graded beds, cross bedding
Lithification = compaction & cementation
cements: silica,
calcite, iron oxide
IX. Metamorphic Rocks
Locations of Metamorphic Rocks on the Earth's
Surface
Regional Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Metamorphic Agents
Heat
(1) baking from nearby magma & (2) heating due to burial at depth -
associated with convergent plate
boundaries (subduction zones)
Pressure
confining pressure - asssociated with depositional environments - rocks
deform by decreasing in volume
directed pressures - rock is shortened - associated with mountain building
Chemically Active
Fluids
water containing ions in solution enhance the metamorphic process - the
water acts as a catalyst by aiding
ion migration
minerals sometimes recrystallize to form more stable structures
or, ion exchange results in the formation of completely new minerals
Textural Changes
the degree of
metamorphism is reflected in the mineralogy (composition) and texture of
metamorphic rocks
Foliation - results when the minerals and structrural
features of a rock are brought into alignment - the rock takes on a
banded or layered appearance
the orientation
is perpendicular to the direction of the compressional force
there are many
types - platy clevage, schistosity
Nonfoliated Texture - metamorphic rocks composed
of only one mineral which form equidimensional crystals are not
visibly foliated
Common Metamorphic Rocks
Slate, Phyllite,
Schist, Gneiss (all are foliated) Marble, Quartzite (are nonfoliated)