Earth Science

• Mineral


  A naturally occurring inorganic solid that possesses a definite chemical structure
• Rock


  An aggregate or combination of one or more minerals
• Soil


  Made up of tiny bits of rocks and organic materials from plants and animals
• Properties of Minerals


  • Crystal form
  • Odor
  • Luster
  • Color
  • Streak
  • Cleavage
  • Fracture
  • Hardness
• Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness


  Relative scale where 10 is the hardest (diamond) and 1 is the softest (talc)<|>An object can only scratch those below it on the scale
• Rock Types

  • Igneous
  • Sedimentary
  • Metamorphic
• Rock Cycle

  1. Weathering

  2. Erosion

  3. Deposition

  4. Compacting

  5. Metamorphism

  6. Melting

  7. Cooling and solidifying
• Earthquake


  Shaking of the ground caused by the breaking and shifting of the subterranean rock under immense pressure
• Seismology


  The study of earthquakes
• Seismograph


  An instrument that records earthquake waves
• Earthquake Waves


  • Surface Waves/Long (L) Waves
  • Primary (P) Waves
  • Secondary (S) Waves
• Magnitude


  An index of the quake's energy at its source, measured on the Richter Scale
• Intensity


  Measures the strength of shaking produced by an earthquake at a particular location, measured on the Mercalli Intensity Scale
• Continental Drift Theory


  • The present seven continents originated from a big landmass called Pangea
  • Proofs: fit of South America and Africa, fossil evidences, rock structures, ancient climate
• Plate Tectonics Theory


  The lithosphere consists of plates that are in motion relative to each other<|>Types of plate boundaries: Convergence, Divergence, Transform fault
• Eruptive Patterns and Characteristic Forms of Volcanoes

  • Shield
  • Cinder
  • Composite
• Relative Dating Principles

  • Law of Superposition
  • Principle of Original Horizontality
  • Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships
• Tides


  Daily changes in the elevation of the ocean surface caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon, and to a lesser extent, by the sun
• Tidal Phenomena


  • Spring tides
  • Neap tides
  • Unusually high and low tides
  • Daily tidal range
  • New moon and full moon
  • First and third quarters of the moon
  • The sun and the moon are aligned
  • The gravitational force of the sun and the moon are at right angles
• Older crust


  Denser than younger crust
• East-Pacific Ridge or Rise


  Considered to be a divergent boundary
• Mariana Trench


  Created by the divergence of the Pacific and Philippine Plates
• Part of Earth's interior with convection currents that cause tectonic plates to move

  Asthenosphere
• Primary (P) Seismic Waves


  Can pass through solids, gases, and liquids
• Secondary (S) Seismic Waves

  Can pass through solids only
• 1. Waves

  Push-pull waves
• Minimum number of seismic stations needed to find earthquake epicenter

  3
• Seismic station closest to earthquake epicenter

  Records P-Waves first
• Tsunami formation


  Occurs when earthquake epicenter is on the oceanic floor
• LASER

  Light Amplification by Simplified Emission of Radiation
• Ring of Fire


  Located around the Pacific Plate
• Formation of Hawaiian Islands

  Result of a hot spot
• Meteorologist who helped bring forth the theory of Continental Drift

  Alfred Wegener
• Fit between east coast of South America and west coast of Africa

  Supports Continental Drift theory
• Mineral, petroleum, and gem deposits


  Best found in convergent zones
• Continental Drift Theory


  Asserts that continents have been moving for millions of years
• Most dangerous plate boundary to human life

  Convergent
• Plate boundary most known for producing precious metals

  Convergent
• Common feature of Mt. Pinatubo, Mt. St. Helen's, and Redoubt Volcano

  All are on the Ring of Fire
• Location of diamond formation

  Mantle