Geography 1Physical Geography
Exam 3 Study Guide

Chapter 8: The Earth from the Inside Out
geomorphology

Uniformitarianism (James Hutton) vs. Catastrophism

Geologic timescale

Eon, era, period: Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Quaternary

Endogenic and exogenic processes

Initial and sequential landforms

Core, mantle, crust, asthenosphere, lithosphere, Moho

Isostasy, isostatic adjustment

Mafic and felsic rock

Lithospheric plates

Minerals and rocks: oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium

Igneous: intrusive, extrusive, felsic, mafic (silica content: color and grain size)

Plutons, batholiths, dikes, laccoliths, sills, exposed batholith, granite

Sedimentary rock: strata, clastic (shale, sandstone), chemically precipitated (limestone, dolomite), Organic sediment (coal, petroleum).

Metamorphic rock: schist, quartzite, marble

Rock cycle of change

Relief features of continents: alpine chains and continental shields, six types of continental landforms (widely spaced mountains, plains, mountains, ice sheets, depressions, high plateaus, hills and low plateaus).

Relief features of ocean basins: midoceanic ridge, deep ocean trenches

Wegener’s theory of Continental Drift

Pangea

Seafloor spreading (conveyor belt), Harry Hess

Chapter 9: Volcanic and Tectonic Landforms

Plate tectonics

Pacific Rim of Fire

Convergent boundaries: subduction: deep ocean trenches, volcanism, mountain ranges, volcanic island arcs, earthquakes, Mariana Trench, Japan Islands, Andes Mountains

Convergent boundaries: collision zones (continental collision): folding, anticlines, synclines, orogeny, overthrust faults, differential erosion of folds

Continental suture

Spreading/Divergent boundaries: sea-floor spreading, midoceanic ridge, deep faults, oceanic volcanism (Iceland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

Spreading/Divergent boundaries: continental rifting, East African rift valley, continental volcanism, shield volcanoes,

Transform boundaries: lateral movement, faulting, Dead Sea, San Andreas, Transverse Ranges

Types of faults: strike-slip (lateral), normal (down and away), reverse (down and under), overthrust

Fault scarp/scarp face, Sag pond

Graben, horst

Basin and range topography

Epicenter and focus of earthquakes

Earthquake maginute, Richter scale

Subduction zone earthquakes(Japan, Indonesia, Alaska, Seattle, tsunami risk)

Transform boundary earthquakes (San Andreas fault, Northridge quake, Landers quake, Loma Prieta quake)

Divergent boundary earthquakes (Imperial Valley of CA, New Madrid fault)

What are the factors impacting severity of earthquake: magnitude, depth of slippage, soil type, population density, building codes, time of day

Magma, lava

Hotspots

Volcano types: stratovolcano (composite), shield volcano, Caldera, Cinder cones, Lava domes; know type of expected eruption and composition (silica content and type of lava) of each

Crater Lake & Wizard Island

Volcanic hazards: gases, lava flows, pyroclastics, mud flows (lahar)

Chapter 10: Weathering and Mass Wasting

Weathering, mass wasting, erosion

Bedrock, regolith, soil

Joint, pores; joint-block disintegration; granular disintegration

Physical weathering: frost action (frost wedging, frost cracking); Salt-crystal growth (salt wedging); Exfoliation; Thermal action (heat); Biological action (plant roots, some animals)

Chemical weathering: oxidation, hydrolysis, carbonation

Factors that impact the amount of weathering: rock type (differential rates of weathering depending on rock resistance) and climate (areas with greater thermal inputs and water inputs will have more weathering).

Slopes: angle of repose, colluvium, sorted colluvium. Where are slopes less stable?

Mass wasting: creep, solifluction, rockfall, talus, landslide, rotational slide/translational slide, earthflows, mudflows, lahars, debris flows

Induced mass wasting: human activities scarification, strip mining, fire (removal of vegetation).

La Concita, CA

Chapters 11 & 12: Fresh Water of the Continents & Erosion, Transportation & Deposition

Hydrologic cycle, ground water, infiltration, evapotranspiration, overland flow, soil-water belt.

Percolation, saturated zone, aquicludes, artesian well, the water table, stalactites, stalagmites, sinkholes, karst topography

Drawdown, subsidence, groundwater contamination

Drainage systems—drainage basin, watershed

Stream channels, discharge, stream gradient, stream velocity, base flow

Floodplain, flash floods, urbanization and flooding

Fluvial erosion, stream capacity, hydraulic action

Alluvium, braided streams, graded streams, meanders, nickpoints, downcutting, base level, rejuvenated streams, entrenched meanders, alluvial terraces, cut bank, point bar, meander scar, ox-bow lake, backswamp, natural levee

Mesa, butte, plateau, plain, badlands, canyon, alluvial fans, bajada

Deltas