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Geophysics
The study of Earth using the combination of Geology and Physics, it lets us understand what is going on under the Earth's surface. Find questions on different types of seismic activities such as earthquakes and volcano eruptions here.
1,480 Questions
Who first proposed the idea of continental drift?
The idea of continental drift was first proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912. He suggested that the continents were once joined together in a single supercontinent called Pangaea and have since drifted apart.
A geothermal source is a natural heat energy derived from the Earth's internal heat. It can be harnessed for power generation, heating, and cooling purposes. Geothermal sources include hot springs, geysers, and underground reservoirs of hot water or steam.
Aurora Borealis which is also known as "Northern Lights" because it is seen mainly and clearly in the Northern Hemisphere, is a band of light of red and green, seen in the sky at night or by sun set near the North Pole.
The Aurora is caused when winds of electrically charged solar particles and flares from sun spots erupts from the suns surface and sends out billions of tons of electrified gas and radiations into the the solar system which on meeting the Earths upper atmosphere and penetrating mostly through the polar skies causes beautiful displays when the sun is below the horizon.
This green and yellow-green light and sometimes including shades of red mingling with the soft color of twilight are observed most during the winter when a long polar night is observed where the sun refuses to rise above the horizon for some time.
Plate tectonics is the science and study of the causes of, and relative motions of, Earth's lithospheric plates.
The lithospheric plates are composed of the rocky crust and outermost rocky layer of the mantle which are fused together. The entire outer surface of the planet is divided into these plate formations, roughly 30 in total, which vary in size from over 100,000,000 square miles (Pacific Plate) to the Galapagos microplate at 12,000 square miles. The individual plates are separated by fault lines which extend from the surface all the way to the asthenosphere, at which point the fault disappear yay
The plates are constantly in relative motion to each other, but this motion is extremely slow due to the incredible amount of mass being moved, friction, and the high viscosity of the asthenosphere.
The boundaries between plates can be convergent (where they are colliding from opposite directions), divergent (where they are moving away from each other), or transform (where they are grinding past each other). Due to differences in density between oceanic and continental lithospheres, collisions will either result in subduction, where the denser plate dives beneath the less dense plate, and becomes part of the asthenosphere, or in mountain building, where neither plate subducts but is thrust upward. This happens in continental to continental lithospheric plate collision. At divergent plate boundaries, the lithosphere is hot and thin and the fault between plates acts as a conduit for heated and molten rock to reach the surface where it forms into new crust. The bulk of divergent boundaries are under the oceans, forming the mid-ocean ridge system, the world's longest continuous mountain range. At transform boundaries, the plates grind past each other (ex: San Andreas Fault), and can result in earthquakes as the grinding rocks suddenly snap into new positions.
Plate movements occur because the layer of Earth directly below the lithosphere, the asthenosphere, is hot enough, and under enough lithostatic pressure to prevent its melting, that it can deform without fracture. And although convection of heat does play a role in the movement of lithospheric plates, the convection currents themselves may be caused by gravity, which induces the sinking of older dense slabs of oceanic crust at subduction zones (also called slab pull).
Plate tectonics is responsible for most of Earth's geologic features. As plates collide, the crust crumples and mountain ranges form. The shape and position of the oceans and continents is also the result of plate movement. Of course, these processes are extremely slow and take millions of years to produce noticeable or significant change. At one point about 200 million years ago, all seven continents were joined as one landmass known as Pangea. This supercontinent began to rift and break apart through plate tectonics, which explains why the continents (especially Africa and South America) seem to fit together like a puzzle.
Plate tectonics is the unifying theory of geology. It was established in the 1960s, making it one of the most recent revolutions in all of science. The theory describes the lithosphere (the outer rocky layer of the earth) as a collection of rigid plates that move sideways above a less rigid layer called the asthenosphere. The asthenosphere is made up of rock that is under tremendous pressure, which softens it and allows it to move and circulate slowly. Plate tectonics is useful in the field of geology because it can be used to explain a variety of geologic processes, including volcanic activity, earthquakes, and mountain building. Plate tectonics are what creates some of the worlds natural diasters. E.g: Tsunami's, Earthquakes, ect. Plates rub together to causes these diasters. There are many different plates in our world: * Major plates, * Minor plates, * Ancient plates and * Plates within orogens. They can move towards eachother, away from eachother or side by side.
Plate tectonics is the moving of the lithosphere layer of the Earth's crust. This layer is the outer layer of the Earth's crust.
it's the moving of the tectonic plates which are 7 or 8 plates that make up the earths crust.
The Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago from a cloud of gas and dust in space. Gravitational forces pulled these materials together over time, creating a hot, molten planet that eventually cooled and solidified to form the Earth we know today.
Can a geyser become inactive because of a lack of hot water?
Yes, a geyser can become inactive if there is a decrease in the supply of hot water reaching it from below. This can be caused by changes in the underground geothermal activity or shifts in the subsurface plumbing system that channels hot water to the geyser's vent.
Why is cynognathus a good candidate for providing evidence for the continental drift theory?
Cynognathus is a good candidate for providing evidence for the continental drift theory because its fossil has been found in both South America and Africa, which were once connected in the supercontinent Gondwana. This distribution pattern supports the idea of continental drift, as it suggests that these continents were once joined together and later drifted apart.
Are geologic forces still acting on earth today?
Yes, geologic forces are still actively shaping the Earth's surface today. Processes such as plate tectonics, erosion, earthquakes, and volcanic activity all contribute to ongoing changes in the Earth's geology. These forces play a crucial role in shaping the landscape and impacting the environment.
What is meant by 3-D 4-D seismic survey in oil and gas exploration?
3-D mapping is a computer generated map that shows not only latitude and longitude but depth as well. It is used to find rock formations that are likely to contain oil. 4-D mapping is similar to 3-D but uses many surveys over time to monitor movements of gas and fluid underground.
Who came up with the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener is credited with developing the theory of continental drift in the early 20th century. He proposed that the Earth's continents were once all joined together in a single supercontinent called Pangaea, which later broke apart and drifted to their current positions.
What does finding a six leaf clover mean...that u found a six leaf clover?
Finding a six-leaf clover is extremely rare and considered to bring a great deal of luck and good fortune. It is believed to bring even more luck than finding a four-leaf clover, which is already considered lucky. People often see it as a symbol of extraordinary luck and a positive change in one's life.
Earths magnetic field can make a magnet out of an iron bar by causing the magnetic domains to?
align in the same direction, creating a magnetic field within the iron bar. This alignment occurs due to the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and the magnetic properties of the iron, resulting in the iron bar becoming magnetized.
What are two typyes of glacial deposits?
Two types of glacial deposits are moraines, which are formations of mixed sediment pushed by and deposited from a glacier, and drumlins, which are elongated hills made of glacial till that form parallel to the direction of ice flow.
What is the scale to measure earthquakes called?
M=log _{10}A-log _{10}A{0}} or
M = log-{10}A/A{0}
where A is the maximum excursion of the Wood-Anderson seismograph, the empirical function A0 depends only on the epicentral distance of the station,
1.0–1.9 Micro I Microearthquakes, not felt. Recorded by seismographs.[1 Continual/several million per year
2.0–2.9 Minor I Felt slightly by some people. No damage to buildings. Over one million per year
3.0–3.9 Slight II to III Often felt by people, but very rarely causes damage. Shaking of indoor objects can be noticeable. Over 100,000 per year
4.0–4.9 Light IV to V Noticeable shaking of indoor objects and rattling noises. Felt by most people in the affected area. Slightly felt outside. Generally causes zero to minimal damage. Moderate to significant damage is very unlikely. Some objects may fall off shelves or be knocked over. 10,000 to 15,000 per year
5.0–5.9 Moderate VI to VII Can cause damage of varying severity to poorly constructed buildings. Zero to slight damage to all other buildings. Felt by everyone. 1,000 to 1,500 per year
6.0–6.9 Strong VII to IX Damage to a moderate number of well-built structures in populated areas. Earthquake-resistant structures survive with slight to moderate damage. Poorly designed structures receive moderate to severe damage. Felt in wider areas; up to hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter. Strong to violent shaking in the epicentral area. 100 to 150 per year
7.0–7.9 Major VIII or higher Causes damage to most buildings, some to partially or completely collapse or receive severe damage. Well-designed structures are likely to receive damage. Felt across great distances with major damage mostly limited to 250 km from the epicenter. 10 to 20 per year
8.0–8.9 Great Major damage to buildings, and structures likely to be destroyed. Will cause moderate to heavy damage to sturdy or earthquake-resistant buildings. Damaging in large areas. Felt in extremely large regions. One per year
9.0–9.9 Extreme Near total destruction – severe damage or collapse to all buildings. Heavy damage and shaking extend to distant locations. Permanent changes in ground topography.
Hope that helps!!!!
What consists of all earth's water?
All the water on Earth comprises the hydrosphere, which includes water in the form of rivers, lakes, reservoirs, groundwater, and glaciers. It also includes water vapor in the atmosphere and water in living organisms. The hydrosphere is vital for supporting life on Earth and plays a crucial role in regulating the planet's climate.
Where can frozen water be found on earth?
- At either of the poles
- On the top of high mountain ranges such as the Himalayas
- In cold countries such as Canada and Siberia
- In glaciers found around valleys, mountain ranges and high-rise landforms
Is it true that a hot spring is hot water and steam that erupts from the ground?
Yes, usually in areas where there has been a volcanic eruption in the past. Rainwater seeps down to hot rocks deep underground and rises, (hot water rises as well as air), bringing minerals with it which coat the area around the spring as it cools.
What Best Describes longitudinal Waves?
Imagine a long spring or slinky (the toy). Now if you give a jerk to the spring from one side, while keeping the other end fixed, you will be able to see a compressions travelling from your end to the fixed end of the spring. Congrats, you just saw a longitudinal wave!
It has rich history, but at the moment living in Serbia is not great.
Where does most seismic activity occur?
Most seismic activities are associated with areas of active tectonism. So earthquakes occurs principally in such areas.
Mass wasting is caused when there are loose rocks and soil on a mountain, then somthing moves it. Then it all falls down the mountain causing a landslide.
Denver Simmons
