GEOL 107 GENERAL GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE PART 1 This guide contains in an outline question format the important points that we have covered in the lecture portion of the course you will be expected to have an understanding of this material for an exam If you learn only one thing in the course let it be this the Earth is a dynamic planet it is constantly evolving in terms of a human lifetime say 100 years it is hard to observe any differences however if we switch to a geologic time scale thousands to millions of years we see that the Earth has changed dramatically Minerals Chapter 5 in Earth Portrait of a Planet What is a mineral What are the eight most abundant elements in the earth s crust What is an ion a cation an anion Understand the various types of chemical bonds 1 ionic bonds 2 covalent bonds 3 metallic bonds 3 van der Waals bonds Which bond is strongest weakest Which bond is associated with the hardest minerals What is the silicon oxygen tetrahedron What is the net charge of an individual silicon oxygen tetrahedron Understand the various structures for the silicate minerals mainly concentrate on how many oxygen anions are shared with other tetrahedra and the complexity of the structure 1 isolated tetrahedra structure e g mineral olivine 2 single chain structure e g mineral pyroxene 3 double chain structure e g mineral amphibole 4 two dimensional sheet structure e g mica minerals 5 three dimensional framework structure e g quartz feldspars What are halides Halite is an example of a halide mineral What are oxides Hematite is an example of an oxide mineral What are sulfides Pyrite is an example of a sulfide mineral What are carbonates Calcite is an example of a carbonate mineral What are native elements Sulfur is an example of a native element What are sulfates Gypsum is an example of a sulfate mineral Know that minerals can be distinguished by their characterstic physical and chemical properties 1 crystal form 2 hardness know Mohs scale of hardness 3 cleavage 4 specific gravity density 5 color 6 streak 7 luster 8 fracture Igneous Rocks and Volcanoes Interlude A Chapters 6 and 9 in Earth Portrait of a Planet What is a rock On what basis are the three major rock groups subdivided What is the origin of an igneous rock What is magma What are the general characteristics of mafic basaltic magmas What are the general characteristics of silicic felsic magmas What are the principal gases dissolved in magma What is viscosity Know that the higher the viscosity the more violent the eruptive style What two factors do we use to subdivide the igneous rocks What does the texture of an igneous rock tell you about it s cooling history What do the terms phaneritic aphanitic porphyritic vesicular and glassy mean Understand the classification chart for the igneous rocks see Figure 6 13 in text In terms of the chart what is a granite a rhyolite a gabbro a basalt an andesite a diorite a peridotite What are vesicles What are pyroclasts What type of magma produces pyroclasts What is pahoehoe aa What type of magma are they associated with What is a shield volcano a cinder cone a composite volcano stratovolcano Which of these types of volcanoes are characterized by lava flows pyroclasts or both Moana Loa in Hawaii is an example of a shield volcano Mt Paracutin in Mexico is an example of a cinder cone Mt St Helens in Washington is an example of a composite volcano What is the difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks What is the difference between a discordant and a concordant intrusive igneous rock body What is the difference between a tabular and a massive igneous rock body What is a batholith a sill a dike a laccolith What are the major factors that determine when and where a rock will begin to partially melt What is fractional crystallization What is Bowen s reaction series Which common igneous rock forming minerals will crystallize at high temperatures intermediate temperatures low temperatures Sedimentary Rocks Chapter 7 in Earth Portrait of a Planet What are the origins for the sedimentary rocks What are clastic sedimentary rocks chemical sedimentary rocks organic sedimentary rocks How are the clastic sedimentary rocks subdivided or classified What is a breccia a conglomerate a sandstone a siltstone a shale What are the three dominant sedimentary rock types found in the Earth s crust What is limestone an evaporite chert coal How are limestones formed How are evaporites formed How is coal formed What are the major sedimentary depositional environments What general types of sedimentary deposits rocks are found at each of the major sedimentary depositional environments Metamorphic Rocks Chapter 8 and Interlude C in Earth Portrait of a Planet What is the origin of metamorphic rocks What causes metamorphism What is foliation How are the metamorphic rocks subdivided What is a slate a phyllite a schist a gneiss a migmatite a marble a quartzite an amphibolite a hornfels a mylonite a metaconglomerate Know that the metamorphic grade is determined by the temperature and pressure at which rocks are metamorphosed As an example of metamorphic facies know the different pressures and temperatures under which the following metamorphic facies are found 1 zeolites lowest temperatures and pressures 2 greenschist lower moderate temperatures lower to moderate pressures 3 amphibolites higher moderate temperatures moderate to higher pressures 4 granulites highest temperatures moderate to high pressures 5 blueschist lower to moderate temperatures high pressures 6 eclogites moderate temperatures high pressures Weathering Interlude B in Earth Portrait of a Planet What is weathering Understand the types of mechanical weathering 1 frost wedging 2 jointing and thermal expansion contraction 3 effect of plants and animals Understand the general reactions of chemical weathering you should be able to give examples of what minerals weather by each of the reactions 1 dissolution 2 hydrolysis 3 oxidation What is the most important factor in chemical weathering What is the importance of particle size in weathering Know the relative stability resistance to weathering of the common minerals found at the Earth s surface Understand the relationships between climate and weathering What is a soil What are soil horizons and how are they distinguished How are soils classified What are the major soil orders that are found in the Mid Atlantic region of the U S Mass Movements Chapter 16 in Earth Portrait of a Planet Know the