Test # 2

Political Science 101000 with Braile at Southern Methodist University

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By: Sam Parrillo
Created: 2011-03-29
Size: 62 flashcards
Views: 15

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Groundwater

- represents the largest volume of freshwater available to humans

- 14% of freshwater is groundwater

- dissolving action of groundwater produces caves, caverns, and sinkholes

- serves as an equalizer of streamflow; dissolves rock

Porosity

- the percentage of the total volume of rock that consists of power spaces

- openings called pore spaces

- sediment is usually porous

Aquifer

- permeable rock sediments that transmit groundwater

- "water carriers"; water bearing layers

ex. sand, gravel

aquitards- impermeable layers that hinder/ prevent water movement

ex. clay

What is the importance of groundwater as a resource and as a geologic agent?

- Provides freshwater for drinking etc.

What is groundwater, and how does it move?

- groundwater movement is usually slow

What are some environmental problems associated with groundwater?

- overuse by intense irrigation

- land subsidence caused by groundwater withdrawal

- contamination by pollutants (pesticides, etc)

What percentage of freshwater is groundwater? (p.94)

About 14%

Geysers

- intermittent hot springs (warmer than avg air temp)

Wells

a hole bored into the zone of saturation to remove groundwater

artesian

- applied to any situation in which groundwater rises in a well above the level where it was initially encountered

karst topography

- landscapes that have been shaped by groundwater

stalactites

hang from caverns

stalagmites

formations that develop from floor to ceiling in caves

What primary factors determine the nature of volcanic eruptions? How do these factors affect a magma's viscosity?

- Primary factors include magma's temperature, composition, and amount of dissolved gases it contains.

- The viscosity of magma is relate to its silica content.

What materials are associated w/ a volcanic eruption?

- Lava flows (pahoehoe and aa flows); gases (water vapor); pyroclastic material (pulverized rock fragments)

What are the eruptive patterns and characteristic shapes of the three groups of volcanoes generally recognized by volcanologists?

- Shield cones: domed volcanoes built primarily of fluid

- Cinder cones: steep slopes composed of pyroclastic material

- Composite cones (stratovolcanoes): large, interbedded lavas and pyroclastic deposits.

What criteria are used to classify intrusive igneous bodies? What are some of these features?

- Classified according to their shape, their orientation w/ respect to the host rock

can be shaped either discordant or concordant

What is the relation between volcanic activity and plate tectonics?

- MOST VOLCANOES ARE ASSOCIATED W/ PLATE BOUNDARIES. ACTIVE AREAS OF VOLCANISM ARE FOUND ALONG OCEANIC RIDGES WHERE SEAFLOOR SPREADING IS OCCURING (DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES) OR IN THE VICINITY OF OCEAN TREANCHES WHERE ONE PLATE IS SUBDUCTED BENEATH ANOTHER (CONVERGENT).

Mid Ocean Ridge

- linear swell of elevated seafloor

- here we find faulting, earthquakes, high heat flow, and volcanism

Abyssal Plains

- deep flat features consisting of thick accumulations of sediment buried on the ocean floor

- atlantic ocean has more than pacific

Continental Slope

- steep zone that marks the boundary between continental crust and oceanic crust

Continental Rise- slope merges into a more gradual incline

Continental Shelf

- submerged sloping surface extending from shoreline toward deep ocean basin

- contain important mineral deposits, reservoirs of natural gas

- source of food; fishing

What is the extent and distribution of the world's oceans?

- 71% of earth's ruface is dominated by oeans

- souther hemisphere (water hemisphere) 81% water

- pacific ocean has greatest depth

What are the principal elements that contribute to the ocean's salinity? What are the sources of these elements?

- salinity proportion of dissolved slats to pure water; usually between 35-37%

- principal elements: chlorine, sodium.

- primary sources: chemical weathering of rocks and volcanic outgassing

What techniques are used to map the ocean floor? (Ocean Bathymetry)

- echo sounders and multi beam sonars which bounce sonic signals off the ocean floor and can take pictures and determine depth

- satellite measurements too

How does a passive continental margin differ from an active continental margin?

- passive continental margins are NOT areas of convergence

- active continental margins are areas of convergence (where 1 plate moves beneath another)

What are the major features of the deep ocean basin? How are mid-ocean ridges related to seafloor spreading?

- deep ocean trenches (deepest parts of ocean)

- abyssal plains (level regions of sediment)

- seamounts (volcanic peaks underwater)

- oceanic plateaus

Atolls

island of coral that encircles a lagoon partically or completely

Coriolis Effect

- moves currents to the right in N. hemisphere and to the left in S. hemisphere as a result of earth's rotation

- influences the movement of ocean waters

Upwelling

- vertical water movements

- rising of cold water rom deeper layers to replace warmer surface water

- brings concentrations of dissolved nutrients, (nitrates and phosphates) to the ocean surface

- coastal upwelling- along west coasts of continents

** coastal winds and coriolis effect cause water to move away from shore

Waves

- derive their enegy and motion from wind

- influenced by wind speed, length of time wind has blown, and fetch (distance wind has traveled across open water)

Longshore currents

- ocean drift that moves parallel to the shore

-move fine suspended sand and roll larger sand and gravel to oceans bottom.

- created by breaking waves

Tides

- daily changes in elevation of ocean surface

- result from gravitational forces exerted on earth by the moon and sun

- most places experiences 2 high and 2 low tides / day

- can be used to generate electrical power by constructing a dam

Spring Tides

- occur when the sun and the moon are aligned together

- produces "higher" high tides and "lower" low tides

occur twice a month during times when earth-moon-sun system is aligned

Tidal Currents

- describes the horizontal flow of water accompanying the rise and fall of tides

What forces create and influence surface ocean currents?

- the pattern of earth's major wind belts

- the positions of the continents

- the coriolis effect

What is the basic pattern of surface ocean currents in each major ocean basin?

- waves travel in a circular orbital motion

- they reach the coast and crash or break- creating surf

How do ocean currents influence climate?

-poleward moving warm ocean currents moderate winter temps (middle lat)

- cold currents are greatest during summer in tropical climates

What 2 factors are most significant in creating a dense mass of ocean water?

- gravity

- density differences

What factors determine the height, length, and period of a wave?

- wind speed, length wind has blown, and fetch

What is the difference between a submergent and an emergent coast?

emergent coasts- exhibit wave-cut cliffs and marine terraces

submergent coasts- display drowned river mouths (estuaries

How are tides produced?

- caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun

- 3 main patterns:

`. diurnal tidal pattern (1 high 1 low tide daily)

semidiurnal tidal pattern (2 high and 2 low tides daily)

mixed tidal pattern (usually 2 high and low tides of different heights daily)

What is weather? How is it different from climate?

- weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular place/ time

- climate is a generalization of weather conditions for a particular area

What are the basic elements of weather and climate?

- air temperature

- humidity

- type and amount of cloudiness

- type and amount of precipitation

- air pressure

- speed and direction of the wind

What are the major components of clean, dry air?

- clean air composed of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%)

- air is diluted by water vapor, dust, co2, etc.

What is ozone and why is it important to life on earth? In what atmospheic layer is it concentrated?

- form of oxygen

- concentrated w/in a 30 mile range of the atmosphere

- important to life b/c of its ability to absorb uv radiation from the sun

How do pressure and temperature change from Earth's surface to the top of the atmosphere?

trophosphere- temp usually increases w/ increasing altitude; all important weather phenomena occur here

stratosphere- exhibits warming b/c of absorption of UV radiation by ozone

meosphere- lower temps

thermosphere- no well defined temp limit

What causes seasons?

- The earth's orientation in relation to the sun causes changes

- fluctuations in the sun angle and length of daylight brought by earth's orientation cause seasons

How is the atmosphere heated?

- By the sun which brings rays to earth's surface, some are bounced back into the atmosphere, and some remains to warm the earth

- ozone also bounces back suns rays

What causes temperature to vary from place to place?

- differences in the receipt of solar radiation due to latitude

- the unequal heating & cooling of land & water

- altitude,

- geographic location

- ocean currents

Weather

- refers to the state of the atmosphere at a given time/ place

- the "right now" weather

Climate

-Aggregate weather conditions based on observations or specific time periods;

- Accumulated over many years

Factors influencing climate & weather

- air temp

- humidity

- type and amount of cloudiness

- type and amount of precipitation

- air pressure

- speed and direction of wind

Air

- mixture of many gases

COMPOSED OF

- 20% oxygen

- 78% nitrogen

- .9% argon

- .03% co2

Ozone

- form of oxygen (0₃)

- created when a single oxygen atom colides w/ an O2 atom

- absorbs potentially harmful UV radiation from sun

- located in the stratosphere

Rotation

the spinning of earth about its axis

rotates once every 24 hrs

Revolution

movement of earth in its orbit around the sun

Heat

- energy possessed by a material arising from the internal motions of atoms or molecules

- when something is heated, its atoms move faster, which leads to an increase in heat content

- refers to quantity of energy present

Temperature

- average kinetic energy of a materials atoms or molecules

- refers to intensity or degree of hotness

3 mechanisms of heat transfer

Conduction

-the transfer of heat through matter by molecular activity; heat flows from higher temp to lower temp (metal good conductor, air, bad)

Convection

- transfer of heat by mass movement or circulation within a substance; water will turn over producing convective circulation (even distribution of heat)

Radiation

- radiant energy readily travels through the vacuum of space; requires no medium to transfer

Greenhouse Effect

- rise in temp that earth experiences b/c certain gases remain trapped in the atmosphere; reradiated to earth

- can heat earth too much

About this deck

By: Sam Parrillo
Created: 2011-03-29
Size: 62 flashcards
Views: 15

About StudyBlue

“Simply amazing. The flash cards are smooth, there are many different types of studying tools, and there is a great search engine. I praise you on the awesomeness.”
Dennis