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The planet we live on: The beginnings of the Earth Sciences

The planet we live on: The beginnings of the Earth Sciences

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Relative age Sequenced events, from <strong>the</strong> oldest to <strong>the</strong> youngestRemediati<strong>on</strong> (site) <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> cleaning up <strong>of</strong> formerly polluted sitesReserves <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> amount <strong>of</strong> a natural resource available for extracti<strong>on</strong>Reservoir rock (hydrocarb<strong>on</strong>) Rock with enough pore space and permeability to holdhydrocarb<strong>on</strong>s and to allow <strong>the</strong>m to flow outResistivity (electrical) A geophysical method measuring <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>ductivity <strong>of</strong> rock; rockswith high c<strong>on</strong>ductivity (low resistivity) may c<strong>on</strong>tain metal ores or waterReverse fault Compressi<strong>on</strong>al fault that usually dips at around 45°(bet<str<strong>on</strong>g>we</str<strong>on</strong>g>en 30 and 60°)“Reversed” magnetism When <strong>the</strong> remnant magnetisati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> rock, such as found in<strong>the</strong> magnetic stripes <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> ocean floors, is in <strong>the</strong> opposite directi<strong>on</strong> to that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><strong>Earth</strong> todayRidge Caused by tough rocks that normally dip at more than 10°, with steep slopes <strong>on</strong>ei<strong>the</strong>r sideRift valley <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> valley formed when <strong>the</strong> <strong>Earth</strong>’s crust is in tensi<strong>on</strong>, as at c<strong>on</strong>structiveplate margins; as <strong>the</strong> rock is pulled apart, <strong>the</strong> central block slides down al<strong>on</strong>g normalfaults, creating a l<strong>on</strong>g valleyRipple marks (asymmetrical) N<strong>on</strong>-symmetrical ripple marks formed by flowing wateror wind; <strong>the</strong> steeper slope is in <strong>the</strong> down-current directi<strong>on</strong>Ripple marks (symmetrical) Ripple marks with equal slopes, formed by oscillatingwaves in shallow waterRock A naturally-occurring material composed <strong>of</strong> a mixture <strong>of</strong> minerals, fragments <strong>of</strong>rock, and/or fossilsRock bolt Large bolts used to tie potentially hazardous loose rock sheets and fragmentsto a rock faceRock cycle Cycle <strong>of</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>we</str<strong>on</strong>g>a<strong>the</strong>ring and erosi<strong>on</strong>, transportati<strong>on</strong>, depositi<strong>on</strong>, sedimentaryrock formati<strong>on</strong>, metamorphism and igneous processes through which all rocks areformedRock texture <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> ways in which <strong>the</strong> grains <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rock fit toge<strong>the</strong>r; linked to <strong>the</strong> shapes,sizes and orientati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> grainsRodinia An early ‘superc<strong>on</strong>tinent’ <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> early landmasses about 1000 milli<strong>on</strong> yearsagoRounding <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> removal <strong>of</strong> sharp corners <strong>of</strong> angular grains and <strong>the</strong> smoothing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>surface during sediment transportati<strong>on</strong>; caused by attriti<strong>on</strong>165

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