ASTR 5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Continental Crust, Pacific Plate, Geologic Time Scale
Document Summary
Over a long time scale, geology and life are deeply intertwined, example: earth"s geology that has made our planet habitable, allowing for long-term evolution of life into complex forms. Volcanism: releases gases that were the original source of earth"s atmosphere and oceans. Also, release of heat and creates chemical environments suspected to lead to the origin of life in our planet. Plate tectonics: largely responsible for long-term climate stability allowing life to evolve and thrive for some 4billion years. Geological record: rocks and fossils used to learn about earth"s history. It tells us earth"s long history before human recorded history a few thousand years ago: describe (3) basic types of rocks. Igneous rock: made from molten rock that cools and solidifies. Metamorphic rock: rock structurally or chemically transformed by high pressure or heat that was not high enough to melt it. Sedimentary rock: made by gradual compression of sediments at the bottom of seas and swamps.
