Study Guide Mid –Term 2014-2015
























Folded mountains create deformed rock in a collision of 2 continental tectonic plates
Compressional forces cause rock to move upward
Fossil fuels are non-renewable meaning they will run out in the future
Salinity levels are higher in the subtropics due to high evaporation rates and low precipitation
rates
Activities of Microorganisms do NOT help in the fossilization process.
Hurricanes form in areas with high surface temperatures. This occurs in the summer time in
the northern hemisphere
Superposition states. The oldest layers are found at the bottom. Crosscutting states that any
intrusion or faults are always younger then the layers they cut across
Non-foliated metamorphic rocks show no banding and look uniform(1 color) throughout the
rock
El Nino causes down welling instead of upwelling this causes reduced fish populations
The important minerals resources of VA are: Coal, Titanium, Silica, Granite and Limestone
Metamorphic rocks are created by extreme Heat, Pressure and hot fluids deep inside of Earth
The focus is the point below the Earth’s surface where an Earthquake originates. The
epicenter is the point on the surface above the focus
Hematite is an ore because it contains Iron oxide
A minerals hardness is unique because of the arrangement of its atoms.
Magma rises to the surface because it is less dense then the surrounding material. This is an
example of heat transfer called convection
Earthquakes are caused by ruptures or slippages along faults(cracks) below the surface of
Earth
Overfishing can cause an extinction of an important fish causing disruption to the food web
and loss of fishing jobs
Relative dating compares the ages of layers of rock to determine which one is older. The
principle of Superpostion is applied to this. That is the oldest layers are at the bottom
An abyssal plain is the seafloor feature found adjacent to the Mid-Ocean ridge.
Signs are posted many miles from The Chesapeake Bay to allow people to know that where
they are and what they do can have an impact on the Bay
Fossils are found in the Valley and Ridge, Coastal plain and Appalachian Plateau because the
Piedmont and Blue Ridge do not contain sedimentary rock which is the type of rock most
fossils are found in.
The Atlantic ocean is widening due to seafloor spreading.
Subduction is when 1 plate is forced down into the mantle at a convergent boundary. Not only
will you find volcanoes here but also many earthquakes
Global warming could cause melting Ice caps which increase the temperature of the ocean and
since ocean currents are temperature driven this would stop ocean circulation



















Determining the age of a sedimentary rock layer can be done by using relative dating
techniques with index fossils
Most of the oxygen in our atmosphere comes from photosynthetic algae in the world’s oceans
The first effect we would notice from melting polar ice is a rise in sea level
A mold is a hollowed out impression left in sedimentary rock because ground water has
dissolved away the original fossil.
The order from the continent to the Mid-ocean ridge is: Continental shelf, Continental slope,
abyssal plain and the Mid-Ocean ridge
Relative dating uses comparison to determine the age of fossil/events in a rock layer
In the carbon cycle the respiration of animals leaves carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Wavy patterns can appear in rocks that are created by wind or water
Too much fertilizer in the Chesapeake Bay can lead to algae blooms which can cause a
depletion of oxygen in the water
The Appalachian Mountains were once below water because we find fossils of organisms who
lived in water in the rocks of the mountains.
Igneous rocks Created by the crystallization lava or magma
Metamorphic rocks created by extreme heat and pressure without melting
Sedimentary rocks created by weathering, erosion and deposition of sediments or The
evaporation of liquids leaving precipitates behind
When the Sun, Moon and Earth are all-in a straight line the tidal range is greatest
On a topographic map the steepest parts are going to have very close lines
Primary (p) waves arrive at a seismometer first because they travel faster than Secondary (s)
waves.
Because oceans have a high heat capacity this causes the climates of the areas closest to the
oceans to become moderate. The climates will generally be warmer in winter and cooler in
summer
A trench is a unique feature found only at subduction zones
An oceanic to oceanic convergent plate boundary creates Island Arcs (Volcanic Islands)