1) Concepts Of Environmental Geology

Question 0

Describe human population growth

Answer 0

has an effect on environment

-the number one environmental problem is the increase in human population

Question 1

Describe earth as a system

Answer 1

Earths is an integrated and multicomponent system, understanding the system and changes is critical to solving environmental problems

• Hydrosphere (water)
• Magnetosphere (magnetic)
• Biosphere (life)
• Atmosphere (air)
• Geosphere (rocks)

Question 2

Describe sustainability

Answer 2

It is the environmental objective

• earths resources are finite
• future generations must have available natural resources
• future generations should not be negatively impacted by current circumstances

Question 3

Describe geological hazards

Answer 3

Always have and will occur, must be recognized and avoided when possible

Question 4

Describe scientific knowledge and values

Answer 4

The results of scientific inquiry to solve a problem often provide a series of potential solutions consistent with scientific findings. The chosen solution is a reflection of out value system

Question 5

What is a Scientific law?

Answer 5

Natural phenomena and processes that are know to occur throughout the universe
EX: newtons law of gravity and motion

Question 6

What is a scientific hypothesis?

Answer 6

A hypothesis is an explanation for a natural phenomena that is based on very little and mostly untested evidence

Question 7

What is a scientific theory?

Answer 7

A generally accepted explanation for a natural process of phenomena that is supported by reproducible and measurable evidence
-a theory is subject to refinement because how a process occurs may not be completely understood
EX: plate tectonics, photosynthesis, evolution, Bohr’s model of an atom

Question 8

What is the scientific method?

Answer 8

• involves repeatable observations, measurements, and mathematical & experimental confirmations of natural phenomena
• prediction of phenomena & processes that are later confirmed by experiments and observations

Question 9

What is the process of the scientific method?

Answer 9

1) observation -> 2) preliminary explanation (hypothesis) -> 3) test of hypothesis by experiments, data or math -> 4) revise hypothesis -> 5) propose theory -> 6) test/refine theory

Question 10

James Hutton (Scottish 1726-1797)

Answer 10

Demonstrated that most rocks must be ancient and that many dramatic processes have occurred over Earth’s history

Question 11

George Cuvier (French paleontologist 1769-1797)

Answer 11

Recognized in the fossil record that many species have become extinct many times and new species replaced them

• argued catastrophic events have lead to extinction of species
• we not recognize species have appeared & disappeared in history due to events as: larger meteorite or asteroid impacts, sharp changes in climate due to milankovitch cycles

Question 12

Charles Darwin’s contributions

Answer 12

• recognized species have changed over time (evolved)
• species adapt to the environment
• natural selection: heritable traits that make it more likely for an organism to survive & successfully reproduce become more common in a population over successive generations

Question 13

Ptolemy (90-168 AD)

Answer 13

Earth is the center of the universe

• this view fit well with religion and man being center of universe
• was prevailing view prior to the 1500’s

Question 14

Nicolai Copernicus (polish astronomer and priest 1473-1543)

Answer 14

Proposed heliocentric system for our system

-sun is center of universe

Question 15

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

Answer 15

With his telescopes, he confirmed the heliocentric system and has shown other planet have their own moon & they were not perfect shapes as previously thought

Question 16

Clair Patterson (american geochemist 1922-1995)

Answer 16

Used radiometic dating (decay of radioactive isotopes to daughter lead isotopes), that meteorites are 4.55 billion years old

• that is accepted age of Earth & solar system
• he influenced having lead banned as additive to gasoline

Question 17

Duration of geological processes

Answer 17

-Some occur on scales of hundreds of millions of years old
EX: plate tectonics, mountain building
-Some occur nearly instantly
EX: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
-Some short-term processes are related to long-term processes
EX: earthquakes occur because of plate tectonics

Question 18

What are the fundamental concepts of geology?

Answer 18

• human population growth
• sustainability
• hazardous earth processes
• earth as a system
• scientific knowledge and values