Geology
The study of the solid Earth, like rocks and minerals, and the processes that shape it
Catastrophic
The idea that states geologic changes happen suddenly like a volcanic eruption, ice age, asteroid or comet impact.
Uniformitarianism
The idea that geologic processes of the past like erosion can be explained by looking at present geologic processes
Paleontology
The study of prehistoric life and their interaction with their environment including fossils
Geologic Time Scale
Divisions include eons, eras, periods and epochs. Divisions are based on extinctions of organisms and the rise of new organisms so fossil and rock layers have helped us develop this time scale.
Index Fossils
Fossils that lived during a specific time period all over the world. Used to date rock layers. Trilobites are a good example. Most early fossils are gone as their bodies were too soft to be preserved.
Law of Superposition
States in an undisturbed rock layer, the youngest layer will be deposited last and the oldest layer will be deposited first. Rock layers can move due to Earth's movement.
Unconformity
A disturbance in a rock layer like a fault, fold, erosion. Rock layers that are undisturbed are called conformity
Climate Change
Periods of warming and cooling throughout the Earth's 4.5 billion year history. Gases like CO2 from thousands of years ago can be trapped an analyzed.
Extinction
Caused when a species dies out. Most massive ones was the K/T boundary or dinosaur extinction, 65 million years ago caused by a believed meteorite hitting the Yucatan Peninsula below Mexico causing global climate/temp change
Biological Evolution
A gradual change in a living organism. Diversity of species happens over generations.
Geologic Evolution
A gradual change in the shape of the continents. An example is tropical plant fossils are found in the Artic.
Technological Evolution
A gradual change in the way we use tools, machines, and automation
Mechanical Weathering
Erosion of a layer due to wind, rain, trees, etc. Rounded mountain tops are an example.
Chemical Weathering
Erosion of a rock layer due to acid or other chemicals. Acid rain affecting old tombstones is an example.
Spectral Analysis
Using the light spectrum to analyze changes in the earth. An example might be studying the changes in tree population of a given area over time.
Reflectance Curves
Using satellite images to bounce light waves off an area. An example might be monitoring snow drifts since snow, ice, and water have high reflectance rates.
Land Use Maps
Maps that show us what land is being used for. Land use maps show us areas of crops, tilled fields, deforestation, brush, paved roads, etc
Urban Sprawl
The expanding city into rural areas due to population growth
Resource Management
Ensuring natural resources like farm land and water and being beneficial and not being irresponsibly
Remote Sensing
Process of using satellites to gather information
Relative Dating
Determining if a rock layer or fossil is younger or older than rock layers and fossils that are above or below it.
Radiometric Dating aka Absolute Dating
Using radioactive decay (or electrons/isotopes that fizz away from an element like Carbon-14) determine the age of something
Ice Cores
Each layer of snow represents a season. Ash, volcanic dust, chemicals from atmosphere, gases, etc can get trapped in each layer. Climate change can be studied by analyzing ice cores and the gases like CO2 trapped in them
Fault
A crack in a rock layer due to movement in the earth's crust like an earthquake
Fold
Usually caused by two tectonic plates coming together
Intrusion
Usually the youngest layer in a disturbed rock layer. Intrusions are lava
Pangaea
When all the continents we connected as one
Alfred Wegener
Proposed the continental drift theory and saw the continents fit like a puzzle; found similar fossils and rock layers on widely separated continents. Africa and S. America have same fossils.
Darwin
Scientist who proposed theories of evolution, natural selection, and adaptation
Natural Selection
The strongest species will survive
Adaptation
Living organisms must undergo biological adaptations, or changes, to their environment or they will die out. This process explains how organisms acquire unique characteristics to enhance survival.
Continental Drift
Plates are in constant motion and move at about 1 cm per yr. Some results from movement are earthquakes and mountain building.
Sea Floor Spreading
Cracks in the ocean plates where new crust is being formed due to the lava being cooled by sea water
Mid Atlantic Ridge
Point in middle Atlantic where new crust is being for. Site on Marianas Trench, or deepest point on Earth
Magnetic Reversal
Has happened many times throughout Earth's history. Rocks are magnetized currently to orient towards the North Pole. This was discovered during WWII while looking for enemy subs
Lithosphere
100 km thick and is the solid part of the Earth's crust
Asthenosphere
Lies beneath the lithosphere and is the liquid part of the Earth's core. Tectonic plates float on this layer
Tectonic Plates aka Lithosphere plates
Massive pieces of the Earth's crust. Can include continental and oceanic crust. Fossils provide evidence they were once all connected.
Plate Boundaries
Where plates interact
Transform
A boundary where plates slides past one another. This is where earthquakes happen
Convergent
A boundary where plates come together. This is also mountain building
Divergent
A boundary where plates move apart. This is called a spreading center or a ridge
Analogous Structures
Structures that are similar in two organisms. Evidence to prove 2 animals have a common ancestor. Like the wings of dinosaurs and the wings of today's birds, one evolved from another.