Name _____________________________________________________ Block _______
Geology of Virginia
Directions: Use the website listed below to learn about the Provinces of
Virginia.
http://web.wm.edu/geology/virginia/?svr=www
To get started, click here on
the Appalachian Plateau.
PROVINCES OF VIRGINIA – LABEL THE PROVINCES ON THE MAP
BELOW.
Important Note: Once you click on a province page, be sure to
scroll down to the bottom and select SIMPLIFIED F0R
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
APPALACHIAN PLATEAU
1.
Where is the Appalachian Plateau located?
2.
What happens to the folds of rocks of the Valley and Ridge when
you reach the Allegheny Front (the boundary between the Appalachian
Plateau and the Valley and Ridge)?
3.
Although portions of the Plateau are flat, or plateau-like, other
areas are not. Describe the topography of the Appalachian Plateau.
4.
What type of faults made the huge folds in the Plateau?
5.
How old are the upper layers of the Plateau?
6.
What mineral resources come from the Plateau?
To continue, click VALLEY & RIDGE. Be sure to select Simplified for
Teachers and Students.
VALLEY AND RIDGE
7.
How did the Valley and Ridge get its name?
8.
How did the Valley and Ridge form?
9.
What evidence do we find that Virginia was once covered by
water?
10.
What is the Great American Carbonate Bank?
11. What is the Great Valley more popularly called in central and
northern Virginia?
12.
When did Africa “run into” North America?
13.
What was the result of this collision?
To continue, click BLUE RIDGE. Be sure to select Simplified for
Teachers and Students.
BLUE RIDGE
14.
What types of rock are found in the Blue Ridge and how old are
these rocks?
15.
Why would the rocks on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge be
younger? (hint: think about what is happening to the Appalachian
Mountains)
16.
What was forming 750 –700 million years ago?
17.
18.
What formed when Africa and North America pulled apart?
What is greenstone?
19.
How high are the Blue Ridge Mountains?
To continue, click PIEDMONT. Be sure to select Simplified for Teachers
and Students.
PIEDMONT
20. How does the size of the Piedmont compare to the other Virginia
provinces?
21.
Click on the words Fall Zone in the first paragraph. Why is the
Fall Zone called the Fall Zone?
22.
Describe the topography of the Piedmont?
23.
What happens to the topography of the Piedmont as you move
toward the Blue Ridge?
24.
The igneous rocks in the Piedmont are evidence of ancient what?
25.
What is believed to be the origin of the Cambrian-Ordovician
igneous rocks found on the eastern edge of the Piedmont?
26.
What economically valuable resource comes from this province?
To continue, click COASTAL PLAIN. There is no Simplified version of
this page.
COASTAL PLAIN
27. What major rivers cross the Coastal Plain on their way to the
Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean?
28.
Describe the topography of the Coastal Plain.
29.
What formed the risers and treads in this province?
30. What is the age of the current coastline (the younger, terrace
treads)?
31. How much additional continent was exposed during the glacial
maxima?
32. In geologic terms, is the Chesapeake Bay young or old? How old
is it?
33. What is the age of the bedrock on which sediments rest in the
Coastal Plain?
34. Jurassic and Cretaceous clay sand and gravel rest on the
bedrock. Where did these sediments come from?
35. Marine sediments were deposited over repeated transgressions.
Define transgressions. (hint: go to the bottom of the page for
definitions of bold terms)
36. What interrupted these transgressions? When and where did this
occur?
To continue, click the The Geology of Virginia logo at the bottom of the
screen. This will take you back to the homepage.
Click Rock Cycle on the left side of the screen.
ROCK CYCLE
37. List the provinces that are composed of sedimentary rocks. (3 of
them)
38.
List the provinces that are composed of igneous rocks. (1 of
them)
39.
List the provinces that are composed of metamorphic rocks. (1
of them)
To continue, return to the homepage once again. Click on Rivers and
Watersheds on the right side of the screen.
RIVERS AND WATERSHEDS
40.
In what direction do most Virginia rivers flow?
41.
Why do streams and rivers drop swiftly as they cross the Fall
Zone between the Piedmont and Coastal Plain?