Earth Science Notes: Matter, Feedback, Minerals, Rocks & Volcanoes

1/12/2024 Earth Science notes Matter is never created nor destroyed Do Not Walk On Dunes; caution sign towards the plants whose roots hold the sand dunes in place Feedback: when a small initial perturbation affects another component of a system negative – dampens the initial perturbation positive – amplifies the initial perturbation CO2 is a greenhouse gas (traps heat) SEEI method State Elaborate Exemplify Illustrate 1/17/2024 Chapter 2: Minerals Minerals – the building blocks of rocks – – Silicates account for 90% of the minerals in the crust Minerals are grouped according to their common elements 1. 2. 3. 4. Geosphere – minerals Hydrosphere – dissolved ions Biosphere – organic compounds Atmosphere – gases Some elements are found throughout every one of these four spheres. Element – fundamental component of matter that cannot be further broken down Atom – the smallest portion of a single element Ion – an atom with a charge (either missing electrons or possessing extra ones) Atomic number – the number of protons in the core of an atom (EX: atomic number of carbon is 6 because there are 6 protons in its core) Neutrons – the parts of an atomic core with no charge; they add mass Isotopes – atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons (EX: carbon-12, carbon-13, carbon-14) There are 20 important elements. 8 Most Common Elements in the Earth’s Crust 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) Oxygen Aluminum Iron Silicon Calcium Magnesium Sodium Potassium Major Element Groups – – – – Metals Nonmetals Halides Noble gases 1/24/2024 Rock formation terms to look up – Erosion (physical movement of sediment particles) – Weathering – Foliation – Deposition – Lithification Sediment – consists of detrital particles (sand, gravel) and chemical particles (ions such as Na+ and Ca2+) Any uncovered rock is being eroded as we speak. Igneous rock formation: magma/lava cools & solidifies Sedimentary rock formation: accumulation of weathered materials Metamorphic rock formation: when other rocks are altered by heat, pressure, & chemical reactions 2/26/2024 Vog – volcanic ash mixed with fog Tephra – airborn solid material (includes volcanic ash) Signs of a Possible Volcanic Eruption – – – – Earthquakes Gas emissions Ground swelling Hot spring activity Plutons (intrusive igneous bodies) – – – – Batholith Dike Laccolith Sill Types of Volcanic Landforms – – – – Caldera Composite Shield Cinder cone Products and Hazards of Volcanic Eruptions – – – – Ash Lahar Lava flow Pyroclastic flow Magma could possibly come out of a volcano through a fissure 2/28/2024 Mountains Fault – when rock fractures Fold – rocks bend Elastic deformation – rocks bend, then snap back to their original shape Plastic deformation – rocks are bent and do not return to their original shape Rate of stress: slow plastic deformation Pressure – Depth can cause more pressure Types of stress – – – Tension (creates normal faults) Compression (creates reverse faults) Shear (creates strike-slip fault) Foot wall hanging wall