How Do You Spell CATACLASIS?

Pronunciation: [kˈatɐklˌasiz] (IPA)

Cataclasis is a geological term that refers to the fracturing and crushing of rocks due to stress or pressure. The word comes from the Greek kataklasis, which means "breaking into pieces." Its IPA phonetic transcription is /kætəkleɪsɪs/, with the stress on the second syllable. The first syllable is pronounced as "kat" with a short "a" sound, while the second syllable is pronounced as "uh" followed by "klei-sis" with a long "a" and a hard "s" sound.

CATACLASIS Meaning and Definition

1. Cataclasis is a geological term that refers to a deformation process involving the fracturing and reorientation of rocks under pressure, typically occurring in brittle materials. The word originates from the Greek roots "kata," meaning "down," and "klasis," meaning "breaking." In essence, cataclasis involves the breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments due to intense stress or strain.

   During cataclasis, the rock material experiences a series of micro-fractures, resulting in the formation of new grain boundaries and the rotation and realignment of individual mineral grains. This process tends to occur along fault zones and shear zones, where rocks are subjected to significant pressure, often associated with tectonic activity or seismic events. The deformation caused by cataclasis can lead to the development of fine-grained rock fabrics, such as cataclastic rocks.

   Cataclasis is an important process for understanding the mechanics of how rocks respond to stress and strain in the Earth's crust. It plays a significant role in the formation and evolution of fault systems, as well as in the overall understanding of rock deformation and tectonic processes. By studying the microstructures and fabrics produced by cataclasis, geologists can gain insights into the conditions and forces that shaped the Earth's crust throughout history.

Common Misspellings for CATACLASIS

• cataklysis
• xataclasis
• vataclasis
• fataclasis
• dataclasis
• cztaclasis
• cstaclasis
• cwtaclasis
• cqtaclasis
• caraclasis
• cafaclasis
• cagaclasis
• cayaclasis
• ca6aclasis
• ca5aclasis
• catzclasis
• catsclasis
• catwclasis
• catqclasis
• cataxlasis

Etymology of CATACLASIS

The word "cataclasis" is derived from the Greek word "κατάκλασις" (katakálasis), which is a combination of two Greek roots: "κατά" (kata), meaning "down" or "against", and "κλάσις" (klasis), meaning "a breaking" or "a fracture". Therefore, the etymology of "cataclasis" can be understood as meaning "a downward breaking" or "a fracture caused by pressure or tension". In geology, cataclasis refers to the process of rock fragmentation through mechanical stress, usually occurring along fault lines.

Plural form of CATACLASIS is CATACLASES