on April 16, 2022
What does a glacial moraine look like?
GeologyIf a glacier melts, supraglacial moraine is evenly distributed across a valley. Ground moraines often show up as rolling, strangely shaped land covered in grass or other vegetation. They don’t have the sharp ridges of other moraines. What is the shape of a moraine? Moraines are landforms composed of glacial till deposited primarily by glacial
on April 16, 2022
How are artifacts dated?
GeologyVery few artifacts recovered from an archeological site can be absolutely dated. Archeologists use several methods to establish absolute chronology including radiocarbon dating, obsidian hydration, thermoluminescence, dendrochronology, historical records, mean ceramic dating, and pipe stem dating. What dating methods do archaeologists use? Archaeologists use two kinds of dating methods: relative dating and absolute dating. In
on April 16, 2022
What is the difference between differential stress and confining pressure?
GeologyUnder confining pressures, the stresses on the sides are greater than the force of gravity. Stresses are the same on all sides for differential stress. b. In differential stress, the stresses on the sides are greater than the force of gravity. What is the difference between differential stress and compressional stress? Stress – the term
on April 16, 2022
How common are ammonite fossils?
GeologyWhile ammonite shells are abundant in the fossil record, it was only recently that scientists have found a very rare fossil of the soft parts of an ammonite. However, fossilised evidence of ammonite arms is yet to be found. Are ammonite fossils rare? Ammonites are one of the most common and popular fossils collected by
on April 16, 2022
How do tectonic plates cause earthquakes and volcanoes?
GeologyBecause the tectonic plates don’t go well together, it creates earthquakes and volcanic activity when two plates collide, diverge or slide past each other. There are three types of boundaries caused by tectonic plates on Earth: first, transform boundaries when two plates slide or grind past each other. How do the tectonic plates cause volcanoes?
on April 16, 2022
What are three topographic features found on the ocean floor?
GeologyThree topographic features: mid-ocean ridges, trenches, abyssal plains. What types of technology are used to study the ocean floor? What are the three major topographic features on the ocean floor? The ocean floor or seabed can be divided into three major regions: the continental margins, abyssal plains, and mid-ocean ridges. These regions are easily distinguished
on April 16, 2022
Does the Mississippi River flow into the ocean?
GeologyDoes the Mississippi River flow to the ocean? The Mississippi River has the world’s fourth-largest drainage basin (“watershed” or “catchment”). The basin covers more than 1,245,000 square miles (3,220,000 km2), including all or parts of 32 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. The drainage basin empties into the Gulf of Mexico, part of the Atlantic
on April 16, 2022
How does heat flow vary over Earth’s surface?
GeologySo at the top of the asthenosphere, the hot rock flows along the bottom of the lithosphere, transferring its heat to the cold rocks by conduction. The heat then flows through to the surface, again by conduction. What does heat flow depend on? The rate of heat transfer depends on the material through which heat
on April 16, 2022
How does radioactive decay determine the age of rocks?
GeologyThe age of rocks is determined by radiometric dating, which looks at the proportion of two different isotopes in a sample. Radioactive isotopes break down in a predictable amount of time, enabling geologists to determine the age of a sample using equipment like this thermal ionization mass spectrometer. How is radioactive decay used to date
on April 16, 2022
Why is a divergent boundary also called a constructive boundary?
GeologyAt a divergent plate boundary – also known as a constructive plate boundary, the plates move apart from one another. When this happens the magma from the mantle rises up to make (or construct) new crust. The movement of the plates over the mantle can cause earthquakes. Rising magma can also create shield volcanoes .