Geology Course Notes

January 09, 2013 Discussion Notes
Scientific Method 1. Observation 2. Formulate a question 3. Hypothesis (educated guess) 4. Test the Hypothesis
How to test for cause/type of volcano? 1. Meteor impact will cause movement and depth of rocks.
Meteor impact will cause movement and depth of rocks.
Test for rocks around the volcano * Meteor Craters form a hole in the ground test for rocks around the volcano

* * * * * Salt Dome and Salt GlaciersSalt is Ductile

* Caldera
Caldera
Caldera (huge pits in the ground caused by volcanic eruptions) * Check for lava rocks near the happening * Magma Chamber
Magma Chamber

January 10, 2013 Lecture Notes

Tectonic Plates * They float (lower density * They move at a rate of cm/ year * Plate tectonics deform continents when they collide with other continents

Continental Crust: 2.7 g/cm cubed
Oceanic Crust: 3.3 g/cm cubed
Convergent Boundary: When the arrows are pointed towards the other direction, make sure to draw the subduction zone on your cross section towards the other direction as well.
Convergent Boundary: When the arrows are pointed towards the other direction, make sure to draw the subduction zone on your cross section towards the other direction as well.

What are the different types of plate boundaries?

Convergent Boundary * ocean to continent collision
-oceanic crust is denser because it’s thinner

Divergent Boundary * Gets thinner and turns into oceanic crust * seafloor spreading--> related to MOR

Transform Boundary

Passive Margin –Continental Crust (part of the same oceanic crust)
(When the ocean continental and oceanic crust collide)
Passive Margin—Cross Section Picture
Passive Margin—Cross Section Picture

Volcanic Arc
Volcanic Arc
MOR
MOR
Passive Margin
Passive Margin
Cross Section Activity #3
Subduction Zone
Subduction Zone

Plate Tectonics

-mantle convection