What geologic feature is shown off the west coast of North America?
GeologyOn the West coast of North America, the coast ranges and the coastal plain form the margin, which is partially bounded by the San Andreas Fault, a transform boundary of the Pacific Plate. Most of the land is made of terranes that have been accreted onto the margin. What are the geological features of North
How many years ago were the Galapagos Islands formed?
Geologybetween 3 million and 5 million years agobetween 3 million and 5 million years ago, the islands are “young” in geologic time. Not unlike Hawaii, the islands are located over an area of particularly hot mantle that in essence burns through earth’s crust, creating volcanic activity. How long did it take for the Galapagos Islands
How does climate change affect the Rocky Mountains?
GeologyIn the Rocky Mountain Region and elsewhere, climate change can affect a wide range of environmental conditions, including precipitation levels, drought and flooding frequency, soil moisture, invasive species, beetle and disease infestations and other factors. How does climate affect mountains? The temperature gets colder the higher up the mountain you go. This is because as
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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