Geology of NY and NJ
ObjectivesEarth Science Review
Structure of the EarthMinerals vs. Rocks
What are the three rock types?How does the rock cycle work? New York and New Jersey
Geologic ConnectionNortheast Geologic History
Impacts on Society
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Wrap-upExhibit Questions Answered
Incorporating Earth Science in the Classroom
Minerals1. Naturally Occuring2. Solid3. Specific Chemical Composition4. Characteristic Crystal Structure5. Inorganic
*Not made in a laboratory
Atoms are arranged in geometric patterns that persist throughout the
mineral.
RocksNaturally occurring aggregates of minerals
The Earth’s crust (lithosphere) is made of ROCK.
3 Major Rock TypesSedimentary
IgneousMetamorphic
Sedimentary Rocks form from deposition and consolidation of mineral and organic
material
Igneous Rocks form by the
solidification and cooling of molten
material.Metamorphic Rocks
form from pre-existing rocks. Heat and pressure are the catalysts in this transformation.
Grenville Orogeny and Rodinia
End of Proterozoic Eon approximately 1 billion years ago
Rodinia RiftedIapetus Ocean existed
600 – 400 million years ago
Pangea Forms250 million years ago
180 million years ago Pangea starts to separate
Glaciers Shaped Topography
New Jersey has FOUR:Valley and Ridge
HighlandsPiedmont
Coastal Plain
What is a Geologic Province?An area containing common geologic or geomorphic
characteristics.
New YorkApproximately
10 Distinct ProvincesNiagra
Finger LakesMohawk Valley-Catskill
SoutheasternHudson Valley – Taconic
Taconic RegionChamplain Valley
St. Lawrence ValleyAdirondacks
Hudson Highlands
Hadrosaurus foulkii • New Jersey’s State Dinosaur• Discovered in 1858 by William
Parker Foulke (Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA)
• Haddonfield, Camden County• 25 feet• 18 tons• Duck-billed herbivorous reptile