Physical Geology

Chapter one: Earth systems

o Earth < Solar system
Revolution/ Rotation
23.5 degree tilt on axis
70% water 30% Land
Spherical
Flattened at poles and bulging at equator
o Topography
Elevations from sea level
Positive Elevations
o Anticlines/Mountains
Negative Elevations
o Abyssal Plains/deep sea trenches
Atmosphere
78% nitrogen 21% oxygen
o 2 principal Subsystems
Geodynamo
Energizes the earth from the interior that was
inherited from the big bang.
o Lithosphere
o Asthenosphere
o Deep Mantle
o Outer Core
o Inner Core
Climate
Exterior energizer
o Atmosphere
o Lithosphere
o Hydrosphere
o Cryosphere
o Biosphere
o Geology
The study of planet Earth, moons, solar system
2 broad systems
o Physical Geology
Earth Materials
Minerals/Rock
Processes of the Earth
o

Historical Geology
Origin
Evolution
Continents
Oceans

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Atmosphere
Life
Every aspect involves economic/environmental
relevance

Scientific Method
o Ask Questions
o Form Hypothesis
o Gather Materials
o Setting an experiment
o Analyze data
o Conclude
Global geological environmental issues
o Overpopulation
Greatest environmental Challenge
9 billion people on earth by 2045
Most population growth in areas with:
o Volcanic eruptions
o Land slides
o Earthquakes
o Floods
o Other Challenges
Solid/Hazardous waste
Water/air pollution
From fossil fuels as main energy
o Leads to
Greenhouse gas release
Global warming
Origin of the Universe
o Big Bang
Evol. Of universe
Goes from a dense hot state to an expansion, cooling,
and less dense state
Galaxies are spreading from each other at a very high
speed
o Earth in the solar system
Proto-earth (4.6 billion years)
Early earth
o Uniform Composition
Silicon
Oxygen
Iron
Magnesium
o Homogenous Density
Change in Earth due to
o Meteorite +
o Gravitational compression+
o Radioactive decay

Results in
Disappearance of homogenous
composition
Layers with different densities

Earth
o Dynamic Planet
Continuous Change
Shape, size, distribution of continents/oceans have
changed
Atmosphere has evolved
Mountains and hills worn away by erosion
Volcanic eruptions revealed and active interior
o Interior
Layers
Seismic wave travel is used to explore the interior
The Crust
Outermost Layer
o Continental Crust
Thick/ less dense
Made up of silicon and aluminum
2.7 g/cm^3
o Oceanic crust
Thinner/ More dense
Made up of dark igneous rock, basalt,
gabbro
3 g/cm^3
The Mantle
Volume 83% of earth
More dense than crust
3.3-5.7 g/cm^3
Made up of
o Peridodite
o Igneous
o Magnesium
Lower mantle
o Soft Plastic like material
The core
Lowermost
Most dense
Iron/nickel makeup
10-13 g/cm^3
16% volume
o Lithosphere
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Moho discontinuity

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o Asthenosphere
Plate tectonics
o Unifying theory
Alfred Wegner
o Continental drift theory
Gracial deposits
Greenland/antartica
Fossil evidence
Glossopteris flora
Remains of messosaurus
Similarity of sediment
Adjoining mountain ranges should closely match
Continental fit
Fit of coastlines
o

o
o

Seafloor
Continental shelf
Between seashore and continental slope
Gentle slope
10s to 1000s km wide
Continental slope
Extends beyond shelf
Steep slope
Continental rise
Gentle slope
Descends directly into ocean trenches
The abyss
Plate tectonic theory
Separate mostly at oceanic ridges
Divergent boundaries
Oceanic divergence
Midocean ridges
Seafloor spreading
Continental divergence
Rift valley/no lava
Convergent boundaries
O-O
Denser subduction
Volcanic activity
O-C
Ocean trenches form
C-C
Collision
Mountains form(Himalayas)

Transform
Occur along fractures in seafloor
Earthquakes
Petrol distribution in the middle east
o Most of ME was broad marine shelf
o Plate collisions in iran/Arabia folded rocks and created traps for
pretrol
Mineral Deposits
Minerals
o Naturally occurring
o Inorganic
o Crystalline solid
3D framework/orderly composition
o Spec. chem. Comp.
Isotopes
o Atoms of elements having an equal number of protons but a
different number of neutrons
o Elements combined by electron
Bonding and compounds
o Covalent=strongest bond
o Ionic bond
Transfer ions with opposite electron charges
Rock forming minerals
o Aggregates of minerals
SIO4= silicate
Ex. Olivine
o Carbonates
CO2
Calcite
o Oxides
O2
Hermamite
o Sulfides
S2 Pyrite
o Sulfates
SO42 Gypsum
o