Geology 101 Notes
Geology 101
Universal Knowledge
Zoology
Political Science
Astronomy
History
Biology
Geology
Geography
|
Examples of Time & Geology * Sphinx
Precambrian Era: (4.5 billion) * Ended 542 million years ago * Started with no life and evolved bacteria & algae
Paleozoic Era: (542 – 251 MYBP) * Fish, amphibians, etc. were early years * Ended with the Greatest Extinction of all time
Mesozoic Era: (251 – 65 MYBP * Dinosaurs ruled and small animals developed in end * Ended with asteroid in Yucatan
Cenozoic Era: (65 – now MYBP) * Rise of mammals and Great Glaciations * Holocene = Rise of Man (last 15k years) Natural Resources * Most resources are: limited in quantity and non-renewable
Earth’s Systems * Atmosphere * Hydrosphere * Biosphere * Geosphere
Earth’s Heat Engines * External * Energy form the sun * Internal * Energy from radioactive decay
Earth’s Interior * Crust * Thin outer rocky shell (solid) * Variable thickness * Mantle * Hot solid * Special “plastic” zone * Fe, Mg, and Si rich minerals * Core * Outer Core * Liquid, mostly iron * Inner Core * Solid, mostly iron
Rock vs. Minerals * A mineral is a crystalline solid and is formed by natural geological processes * Has a specific chemical composition * Has consistent physical and chemical properties * A crystal is a mineral with shape properties * A rock is a composite of one or more minerals
Atoms and Elements * Elements * Substances not divided by chemical reactions * “Periodic Table” listing * Atoms * Smallest unit with properties of element * Composed of 3 types of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons * Molecules * Combination of atom’s Atomic structure * Nucleus * Most of the atom’s mass * Electrons * Tiny fraction of atom’s mass * Chemical vs. Nuclear reactions *
Universal Knowledge
Zoology
Political Science
Astronomy
History
Biology
Geology
Geography
|
Examples of Time & Geology * Sphinx
Precambrian Era: (4.5 billion) * Ended 542 million years ago * Started with no life and evolved bacteria & algae
Paleozoic Era: (542 – 251 MYBP) * Fish, amphibians, etc. were early years * Ended with the Greatest Extinction of all time
Mesozoic Era: (251 – 65 MYBP * Dinosaurs ruled and small animals developed in end * Ended with asteroid in Yucatan
Cenozoic Era: (65 – now MYBP) * Rise of mammals and Great Glaciations * Holocene = Rise of Man (last 15k years) Natural Resources * Most resources are: limited in quantity and non-renewable
Earth’s Systems * Atmosphere * Hydrosphere * Biosphere * Geosphere
Earth’s Heat Engines * External * Energy form the sun * Internal * Energy from radioactive decay
Earth’s Interior * Crust * Thin outer rocky shell (solid) * Variable thickness * Mantle * Hot solid * Special “plastic” zone * Fe, Mg, and Si rich minerals * Core * Outer Core * Liquid, mostly iron * Inner Core * Solid, mostly iron
Rock vs. Minerals * A mineral is a crystalline solid and is formed by natural geological processes * Has a specific chemical composition * Has consistent physical and chemical properties * A crystal is a mineral with shape properties * A rock is a composite of one or more minerals
Atoms and Elements * Elements * Substances not divided by chemical reactions * “Periodic Table” listing * Atoms * Smallest unit with properties of element * Composed of 3 types of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons * Molecules * Combination of atom’s Atomic structure * Nucleus * Most of the atom’s mass * Electrons * Tiny fraction of atom’s mass * Chemical vs. Nuclear reactions *