Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
36 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
What is the Grand Staircase? |
Immense sequence of sedimentary rock layers stretching from Bryce Canyon NP through Zion NP and into Grand Canyon NP. |
|
|
What is the order of the canyons in the Grand Staircase from oldest to youngest? |
Grand Canyon NP, Zion Canyon NP, and Bryce Canyon NP. |
|
|
What are the names of the formations that comprises the Grand Canyon (oldest to youngest)? |
Vishnu Schist, Zoroaster Granite, Unkar Group, Tapeats Sandstone, Bright Angel Shale, Muav Limestone, Redwall Sandstone, Supai Group, Hermit Shale, Coconino Sandstone, Toroweap Formation, and Kaiban Formation. |
|
|
What are the names of the formations that comprises the Grand Canyon (youngest to oldest)? |
Kaibab Formation, Toroweap Formation, Coconino Sandstone, Hermit Shale, Supai Group, Redwall Sandstone, Mauv Limestone, Bright Angel Shale, Tapeats Sandstone, Unkar Group, Zoroaster Granite, Vishnu Schist. |
Know The Canyon's History, Study Rocks Made By Time, Unless Zorro Vanishes |
|
How did the Grand Canyon form? |
Colorado River eroded rocks along fault zone as Colorado Plateau uplifted. |
|
|
When did the Grand Canyon form? |
Speculated to be 5-6 million years ago according to recent reports. |
|
|
How old is the Vishnu Schist? |
Precambarian in age; 2 billion years old. |
|
|
What is the age of Zoroaster Granite? |
Precambarian; 1.4 billion years old |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Vishnu Schist? |
Shallow marine basin indicated by sand, mud, silt, and volcanic ash. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Zoroaster Granite? |
Shallow marine basin indicated by Pluton intrusion in Vishnu Schist. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for the Unkar Group? |
Offshore marine environment indicated by sedimentary beds. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Tapeats Sandstone? |
Submarine environment indicated by deposition of pebbles, cobbles, and boulders; conglomerates. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Bright Angel Shale? |
Offshore marine environment indicated by muds with brachiopods and trilobites. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Muav Limestone? |
Offshore marine environment indicated by calcium carbonate precipitates. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Redwall limestone? |
Shallow tropical sea indicated by fossilized crinoids, brachiopods, bryozoans, and nautiloids. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Supai Group? |
Swampy environment indicated by sand dunes, fossil plants, footprints of amphibians. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Hermit Shale? |
Fluvial, lagoonal environment indicated by floodplains, ripple marks, mud cracks, footprints, plant fossils. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Coconino Sandstone? |
Desert environment indicated by sand dunes and sandstone. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Toroweap Formation? |
Marine environment indicated by fossilized brachiopods, mollusks, and corals. |
|
|
What is the depositional environment and indicators for Kaibab Formation? |
Shallow marine environment indicated by fossilized crinoids and brachiopods. |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Vishnu Schist? |
Dark-colored rocks; 3000' below the rim |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Zoroaster Granite? |
Light-colored, irregular bands |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of the Unkar Group? |
Presence of the Great Unconformity |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Tapeats Sandstone? |
Cliff-former; 400' thick |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Bright Angel Shale? |
Slope-former; 400' thick |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Muav Limestone? |
Cliff-former; 400' thick |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Redwall Limestone? |
Bluish-gray color; Shades of red from oxidation of iron and manganese (from Supai and Hermit); 500' thick |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Supai Group? |
Ledge and cliff-former; 600-700' thick |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Hermit Shale? |
Red color from shale; Slope-former; 300-800' thick |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Coconino Sandstone? |
Tan to white color; Cliff-former; 400' thick |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Toroweap Formation? |
Gray color from sandstone; Ledge and cliff-former; 200' thick |
|
|
What are the distinguishing characteristics of Kaibab Formation? |
Gray color with chert nodules; Cliff-former; 300' thick |
|
|
Why does the Grand Canyon has a terraced appearance when looked upon from above? |
Alterations of cliffs and slopes from the rock formations gave the terraced appearance. |
|
|
What caused the sides of the canyon to look jagged and terraced? |
Periods of stream downcutting and erosion coupled with uplifting and tilting of plateaus, and marine transgression and regression. |
|
|
What are some formations straight while other are sloping? |
Some are made of more resistant rock material (hence the cliffs) compared to the othets, which are less resistant (giving slopes). |
|
|
What is the concern of spring water in the Grand Canyon? |
Contamination of spring water as a result of uranium mining. |
|