GEOL 1340 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Uniformitarianism, Asthenosphere, Chemical Formula
16 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
Geomorphology: subfield of physical geography and geology. Exogenic system: the pace of change. Uniformitarianism: now active processes happened in past. Geologic time scale: full scope of history. 6 major extinctions of life as boundaries. Relative age: age of one feature with respect to another. Stratigraphy: study of rock formations and layers. Numerical age/absolute age: determined using isotopic dating techniques. Radiometric dating: uses rate of decay for different unstable isotopes. Fossils: earth"s structure and internal e. Heat e migrates out from center by conduction and convection in plastic (fluid) layers. Core: 3rd of mass, 6th of volume, dense. Transition zone separates it from outer core. Gutenberg discontinuity: uneven, with ragged peak and valley like formations. Lower and upper mantles rep 80% of volume. Broad transition zone btwn upper and lower mantle. Buoyancy force isostasy: balance btwn buoyancy and gravitational forces. Isostatic rebound: uplift after removal of surface load. Magnetosphere protects earth from solar wind and cosmic radiation.
