Glossary of Geology Terms, Quizzes of Geology

Download Glossary of Geology Terms and more Quizzes Geology in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 Geomorphology DEFINITION 1 The study of landforms and how they are formed and changed TERM 2 Sedimentology DEFINITION 2 The study of sediments and how they are deposited. TERM 3 Structural Geology DEFINITION 3 The study of how sediments and rocks are deformed. TERM 4 Metamorphic petrology DEFINITION 4 The study of how rocks are altered through significant changes in temperature and pressure. TERM 5 Magmatic Petrology DEFINITION 5 The study of how molten rock (magma) solidifies into granites and other intrusive rocks, or to lavas and related extrusive rocks. TERM 6 Historical geology DEFINITION 6 The study of the history of the Earth and its inhabitants. TERM 7 Paleontology DEFINITION 7 The study of fossils and ancient life. TERM 8 Geophysics DEFINITION 8 The study of the Earth's physical properties, including earthquakes, the Earth's magnetic field etc.. TERM 9 Economic Geology DEFINITION 9 Geology applied to exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, hydrocarbons, and water resources. TERM 10 Petroleum Geology DEFINITION 10 The study of hydrocarbon formation and how oil and gas flow is influenced by various geologic structures and rock properties. TERM 21 Convergent plate boundaries DEFINITION 21 Where the plates approach each other and crust is consumed. TERM 22 Transform Plate Boundaries DEFINITION 22 Where the plates can slip past each other side to side (crust preserved) TERM 23 Astenosphere DEFINITION 23 A soft, more easy-flowing layer on which lithosperic plates move. TERM 24 Mesosphere DEFINITION 24 Inner and thickest part of the mantle. TERM 25 Xenoliths DEFINITION 25 Pieces of rock that are brought to the surface or near surface by ascending magma. TERM 26 Ophiolites DEFINITION 26 Fragments of oceanic crust that have ended up on continental crust, stranded during convergent plate motions. TERM 27 Paleomagnetism DEFINITION 27 is about the record and history of the magnetic field through geologic time. TERM 28 Rift Basins DEFINITION 28 Form in response to stretching of continental crust and lithosphere. TERM 29 Back-arc basins DEFINITION 29 Long and narrow basins between a passive continental margin and an island arc. TERM 30 Forearc Basins DEFINITION 30 basins on the oceanic side of an island arc associated with the subduction zone. TERM 31 Foreland basin DEFINITION 31 forms on the foreland (away from the collision zone) side of a mountain belt. TERM 32 Magnetite (Fe3O4) DEFINITION 32 is by far the most magnetic mineral, and only one that really affects a mechanical compass. TERM 33 Cleavage DEFINITION 33 Minerals tend to break along certain direction into planar surfaces TERM 34 Streak DEFINITION 34 is the color of a mineral when it is powdered TERM 35 Luster DEFINITION 35 is the way a mineral's surface reflects light.