Study Guide for Geology 1010 test on chapters 6-8.
Definitions:
Weathering- Physical breakdown and chemical alteration of rock at or near earths surface.
Sedimentary Rock- any rock that’s formed by the lithification of unconsolidated rock material.
Metamorphic Rock- any rock that’s been changed by the combination of heat, pressure, and/or chemically
active fluids.
Confining Pressure- Pressure is the same in all directions.
Soil- a combination of mineral and organic matter, water, and air. Portion of regolith that supports the growth of
plants.
Lithification- changes unconsolidated rock into solid rock
Oxidation- the removal of one or more electrons from an atom or ion. So named because elements commonly
combine with oxygen.
Differential Stress- pressure is not the same in all directions.
Regolith- all unconsolidated rock material sitting on top of bedrock.
Fossil- any evidence of previous life found in rock material.
Hydrolysis- a chemical weathering process in which minerals are altered by chemically reacting with water and
acids.
Foliation- a term for a linear arrangement of textural features often exhibited by metamorphic rocks.
Know:
Examples of Mechanical Weathering
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Abrasion
Frost wedging
Plant growth
Salt crystal growth
Exfoliation, sheeting, sheet jointing
Thermal expansion/contraction
(see notes)
Examples of Chemical Weathering
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Dissolution
Oxidation
Hydrolysis
(see notes)
The Ultimate Product of Weathering- soil
Type of Climate that most speeds chemical weathering- Wet climates
2 most important factors that influence the type of soil that will form- Parent Material and climate
Factors that influence the thickness of soil
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Parent material
Climate
Steepness of slope
Time
(see notes)
Main effect of mechanical weathering that promotes chemical weathering- Mechanical weathering
promotes chemical weathering by increasing surface area for chemical weathering to attack.
Why rocks weather- rocks weather because they’re trying to reach equilibrium w/ their environment.
Why rocks metamorphose- to reach equilibrium with their environment.
Examples of Detrital sed. Rx
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Conglomerate
Breccia
Sandstone
Siltstone
Mudstone
Shale
(see notes)
Examples of Chemical sed. Rx
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Limestone
Rocksalt
Rockgypsum
Some chert (flint, jasper, agate, petrified wood)
(see notes)
Examples of Organic sed. Rx
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Coal
Most limestone
Some chert
(see notes)
3 most abundant rocks on the surface of the earth
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Shale
Sandstone
Limestone
Relative sizes of detrital sediments
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Boulders
Cobbles
Gravel
Pebbles
Granules
Sand
Silt
Clay
(see notes)
3 most common lithification processes
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Cementation
Compaction
Recrystallization
(see notes)
3 most common cementing materials in sed. Rx
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Calcite
Silica
Iron Oxide
3 common minerals that dissolve in water
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Halite
Gypsum
Calcite
Common acids in acid rain
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Nitric acid
Carbonic acid
Sulfuric acid
Hydrochloric acid
Relative acidity of any 2 Ph values-
Detrital sediment
Detrital sed. Rx- see notes
4 changes that take place in a rock as a result of that rock being transported by water
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Relocated
Further water transports=smaller pieces become
Further water transports=rounder pieces become
Sorted by size
3 agents of metamorphism
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Heat
Pressure
Chemically active fluids (steam mostly)
Examples of foliated meta. Rx.
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Slate
Phyllite
Schist
Gneiss
Examples of non-foliated meta. Rx.
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Quartzite
Marble
Metaconglomerate
Parent rock
Metamorphic rock-
How to draw and label the rock cycle-
2 ways to heat up a rock
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Regional heating (bringing the rock to the heat)
Contact metamorphosis (bringing heat to the rock)
Relationship between a mineral’s melting temperature and it’s resistance to weatheringThe lower a mineral’s meting temperature is, the greater the resistance it has to weathering.
Anything else ever mentioned in lecture or text