GEOG M107 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Uniformitarianism, Alluvial Fan, Distributary
Document Summary
Earth is 4. 543 billion years old, originally molten and slowly solidified. Many cycles of uplift, erosion, and sedimentation. Any rock type over time after erosion/sedimentation become any other type of rock. Type of bedrock on earth"s surface can determine how erodible the surface is. Extrusive: fast cooling, above ground, small crystals. Transport material deposited and solidified or cemented over time. Classified by clast size and cementation process. Rock changed by high heat and/or pressure. Classified based on former rock type and level of metamorphism (low to high) Deposition: sediments fills basin, creating flat land. Lava flows: deposition/solidification of molten rock & other volcanic fragments. Layers of other materials in between layers. Basalt covers ocean basins because of spreading centers (and hotspots) Uplift: slow, persistent movement from plate tectonics. Isostasy: equilibrium between earth"s crust and underlying mantle. Uplift in some areas, downward movement in some. Basalt sinks, much denser than other rocks.
