Continents Adrift
What is another name for The Theory of Continental Drift?
The Theory of Plate Tectonics
What is the name of the highest mountain range in the world?
The Himalayas
What are the 3 main types of rocks?
Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic
Erosion occurs when what two processes take place in an area?
weathering and transport
What are the two types of glaciers? Briefly explain the difference.
Continental = form over a large area i.e. antarctica, the last ice age
Alpine = smaller scale at high elevations i.e. the Rockies, the Himalayas
How does the mid-oceanic ridge connect to the theory of plate tectonics?
The mid-oceanic ridge is where continental plates split apart. Magma comes to the surface to fill in the gap created in the crust.
What is isostasy?
The process of slowly elevating land, rebounding after a heavy weight has been lifted from it. (i.e. glaciers)
What's the difference between an element and a mineral? Give an example for each.
Elements can not be broken apart by chemical or physical means - ex) carbon, oxygen
Minerals are inorganic compounds of one or more elements found in the lithosphere - ex) gold, copper
What is base level?
The point where a river does not deepen a valley anymore but diverts its energy to widening it.
The process by which loose material is swallowed up by glaciers and then scrapes the surface of the land is called...what?
Abrasion
What 300 million-year-old type of fossils have been found on all continents, thus providing evidence for the theory of continental drift?
worm fossils
What are the 4 types of faults?
subduction fault
extension fault
collision fault
strike-slip fault
How are igneous rocks created?
Igneous rocks are created from molten rock or magma deep within the crust and upper mantle.
What are the two types of weathering? Briefly explain each.
Mechanical weathering = water, ice, wind
Chemical Weathering = chemical reactions brought on by warm, wet environments, that eat away at the rock
Glacial deposits that form into hills are called...what?
Moraines
What causes the semi-liquid rock of the asthenosphere to flow from regions of high temperature to cooler regions?
Convection Currents
What's the difference between intrusive and extrusive volcanism?
Intrusive means within the rock, ex) magma chamber
Extrusive means outside the rock, ex) volcanoes
How are sedimentary rocks created?
From deposits of broken up material that accumulate in oceans and lakes.
What are landscapes shaped by wind called?
aeolian landscapes
What is a cirque?
a horseshoe shaped depression caused by a retreating glacier
What three waves do seismographs record?
L Waves - travel along earth's surface
P Waves - primary waves
S Waves - secondary waves
* measuring time between P and S waves can determine how far away the earthquake is from the seismograph station
What's a Strato Volcano?
What do the suffixes "meta" and "morph" mean?
meta = change
morph = shape
What are Karst regions? List two features of a Karst region.
Karst Region = underground river landscape
features include: caverns, sinkholes, stalactites, stalagmites
Roughly how many years ago did the continental ice sheets leave Canada?
12,000 years ago