foxsciencecentre.weebly.comfoxsciencecentre.weebly.com/.../introduction_to_geology.docx · Web...

Geology 12: Introduction to Geology

Text: Chapter 1, pages 2-12, 19-31

Part A: What is Geology?

-Geology: ______________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

-We will break up the discipline to two sections:

a) Physical Geology: ______________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

b) Historical Geology: ________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________


Part B: Collecting Geologic Data

-Geologic information can be collected through two broad methods:

a) Direct Observation-Geophysical surveys: Variety of sensory instruments collect geologic data about a particular region (e.g. GPS sensors on Vancouver Island).

b) Indirect Observation (Remote Sensing)-Satellite imaging. -True Colour vs. False Colour images (Lena River)-Electromagnetic spectrum (Curiosity Rover)

-ChemCham is a Chemistry and Camera instrument that fires laser pulses at Martian rocks to determine their chemical composition.

-The energy from the laser excites the atoms in the rock into an ionized, glowing plasma and the ChemCam captures the light from that spark and analyzes it with three spectrometers to determine what elements are present.

-For instance, the spectrum for Coronation (the first rock sampled) below reveals:

a) Hydrogen and magnesium on the surface of the rock (only present in the initil pulse).b) Minor traces of titanium and manganese.c) The carbon peak was from the carbon dioxide in Mars’ atmosphere


Lena River, Russia.Green: Plant Life Pink: Sand Blue: Water















-What does all of this mean? Coronation is basalt!Part C: A Quick Review of Some Fundamental Ideas1. Bang Big Theory (Text 11-12)

- Universe was created about 14 billion years ago

- All matter and energy was compressed in a high density, high pressure state that collapsed in on itself and then expanded and cooled into a less dense state.

- Observations supporting the Big Band Theory include:-The universe continues to expand today in all directions and is at a temperature consistent with predictions.-Cosmic background radiation is present that must have originated from a large release of energy (Fun Fact: Approximately 1% of the static on your T.V. is from CBR!).- A galaxy moves away from Earth at a rate proportional to its distance (ie. the farther away the galaxy, the faster it is moving). We can measure this rate of expansion and calculate how long ago Earth and the galaxy were together and so calculate the date of the Big Bang.


2. Nebular Hypothesis -Basic Principles of the Nebular Theory are:

-Solar nebula in an arm of the Milky Way

Galaxy gravitationally contracted to form a

counterclockwise rotating disc with a proto-

star at its centre.

-The Sun was created through the conversion

of gravitational energy into thermal energy.

-Protoplanets were created by materials with

high melting points coalescing together and

through repeated collisions became our Solar

System’s planets.

-The further away a Protoplanet was from

the Sun, the more volatile elements (low

melting point) it contained, whereas the

closer to the Sun it was the more refractory

elements (high melting point) formed.

-This theory best accounts for the following facts:

-The inner and outer planets have different structures and compositions

-The slow rotations of the sun in the centre of our solar system

-The presence of the asteroid belt in your solar system


3. Earth’s Structure (Text 12, 19-22)-The Nebular Hypothesis states that early Earth’s internal structure was uniform, but that its characteristics were changed by the addition of heat from:a) Meteorite impactsb) Weight of layers compressing Earth’s interiorc) Decay of radioactive isotopes

-Since its formation, Earth’s surface has also been altered by a variety of processes. In the 1700’s geologists considered two explanations for the formation of geologic structures:

a) Catastrophism: _______________

______________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

b) Uniformitarianism: ___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

*Assignment: Cross Section of Earth


4. Earth as a System (Text 28-31)-Is Earth an open or closed system? Why?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

-A system is a group of interacting parts. Earth’s system consists of four interacting spheres:

-In this course we will be looking at each of

the spheres individually, but also consider

the interactions between them. It is

important to keep these connections in

mind so that we do not continue to think of

Earth as a collection of independent

systems!

-We will begin by looking at the

Geosphere, with minerals and the rock

cycle being our first areas of study.


5. Rock Cycle (29-31)

*Take your own brief notes to familiarize yourself with the different rock types and ways in which they can be transformed in to other rocks.

i) Sedimentary Rocks-Formed through:a) _______________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

b) _______________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

c) ___________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

-What can sedimentary rocks reveal about Earth? Why?______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________________

ii) Igneous Rocks

-Magma/lava cools and crystallizes to form two types of igneous rock:

a) Intrusive (Plutonic): _______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

b) Extrusive (Volcanic): __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

iii) Metamorphic Rocks-Produced by one of the following agents of change acting on an existing rock:a) Heatb) Pressurec) Chemical fluid activity-There are two types of metamorphic rock:a) Foliated: ___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

b) Non-Foliated: ________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________________

Part D: Careers in Geology-So, by now some of you might be thinking what can be done with a geology degree….Explore www.earthsciencescanada.com/careers and write down a few interesting jobs and what aspects of them appeal to you. ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


foxsciencecentre.weebly.comfoxsciencecentre.weebly.com/.../introduction_to_geology.docx · Web...

Documents

Transcript of foxsciencecentre.weebly.comfoxsciencecentre.weebly.com/.../introduction_to_geology.docx · Web...