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GEOS1001 > Exam Revision > Flashcards

Exam Revision Flashcards

1
Q

What is Fermi’s paradox?

A

The high probability that extra terrestrial life exists and the lack of contact humans have had with such life.
Why haven’t other planets with much older solar systems in ours developed life, and life that is intelligent enough to travel throughout space

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2
Q

Oceanic crust is denser/lighter than continental crust

A

Denser

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3
Q

The lithosphere is:

A

The mantle and the crust

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4
Q

Asthenosphere:

A

Upper mantle

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5
Q

Mesosphere:

A

Lower mantle

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6
Q

Hydrosphere

A

Water layer and the hydrologic cycle

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7
Q

As a result of lots of pressure, the mantle is:

A

Almost solid

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8
Q

Where did water on earth come from?

A

Most of it came from the mantle, but some did come from icy asteroids

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9
Q

Describe the earths magnetic field and outline the advantages of it

A

It is dipole: convection with the outer core and super rotation of inner core
Protected from the solar wind, including coronal mass ejections

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10
Q

List some life support mechanisms of the earth:

A

Gravity: keeps gases and water close to surface
Magnetosphere: solar wind protection
Plate tectonics: renews surface water, gases and minerals
Orbit: the Goldilocks zone

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11
Q

Exogenous hazards may include:

A

Comets asteroids solar flares

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12
Q

Endogenous hazards may include:

A 
Divided into the topographic layers: 
Lithosphere- earthquakes volcanoes
Atmosphere storms bushfires 
Hydrosphere floods
Biosphere disease and animal attacks
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13
Q

The severity of a disaster on a population depends upon:

A 
Quality of living
Vulnerability: the ability to mitigate and adapt to changes
Infrastructure
Economy
Government 
Culture 
Society
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14
Q

Vulnerability due to climate change:

A

The susceptibility and inability to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change

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15
Q

Describe the susceptibility of the worlds population to hazards

A

Most mega cities lie near coastlines, fault lines, volcanoes and are within +/- 20 degrees of equator so they’re in the tropical cyclone belt

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16
Q

Disaster protection plan:

A 
Recognise the hazard
Assess the assets ie people, infrastructure exposed to the hazards and their vulnerability
Assess the loss
Manage the problem: risk mitigation 
Adapt to the hazard
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17
Q

Effects of climate change

A

Higher average temperature, higher night minimums, temp spikes, uncertain precipitation, more extreme weather events, sea level rise, salt water inundation of coastal areas

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18
Q

Effects of climate change on agriculture

A

Decrease crop yield.

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19
Q

What are the ways we could adapt to changes in climate for agriculture

A

New crop varieties, diversifying farming practices, investment in technology, education and insurance systems

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20
Q

Who are the possible people/ organisations that will implement changes in the way that food is produced?

A

NGOs, corporations, local/non local drivers.

Many social/political factors come into play

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21
Q

Social/political effects on threats to global food security

A

Net reduction in food, greater food prices.

Many people can’t grow their food, will be impacted the most

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22
Q

How is the war in Syria an example of how food security threatens national and international relations

A

Massive drought for a few years. Large scale migration to the cities. Over population, poverty, social conflict, political conflict

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23
Q

Minerals are

Give an example

A

Chemically homogenous. Exist as crystal lattices, usually inorganic
Diamond, graphite, quartz

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24
Q

Igneous rocks can be both

A

Intrusive (plutonic) large grain. Formed beneath the earths surface
Extrusive (volcanic) small grain. Formed in volcanoes

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25
Q

List the two types of metamorphic rocks

A

Contact: physically touching the heat source like magma. Allows minerals to recrystallise in the solid state. NO MELTING
Regional: formed through pressure

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26
Q

Sedimentary rocks are formed by:

An example of a Sedimentary rock is

A

Erosion

Sandstone

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27
Q

List the seven principles of geology

A 
Uniformitarianism 
Superposition
Original horizontally
Lateral continuity 
Cross cutting relationships
Inclusion 
Faunal succession
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28
Q

Uniformitarianism is

A

The present is the key to the past. Geological processes have barely changed over time. Can do relative dating

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29
Q

Superposition is

A

Sedimentary rocks are deposited sequentially. Youngest at the top

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30
Q

Original horizontality

A

Layers of sediment are deposited horizontally by gravity

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31
Q

Lateral continuity

A

Rocks that are similar but have been separated or eroded are assumed to be the same

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32
Q

Cross cutting relationships

A

Rocks being cut are older

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33
Q

Principle of inclusion is

A

Inclusions are older

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34
Q

Faunal succession principle is

A

Strata can be dated by the fossils they contain

Eg a dinosaur bone won’t be found in the same strata as a Neanderthal bone

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35
Q

Describe some absolute dating processes

A

Carbon dating
Tree rings tell you about climate and seasons
Lead isotope dating: told us age of the earth
Zircons are tough minerals, oldest preserved rocks

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36
Q

What is the age of the earth

A

4.55 Ga

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37
Q

A divergent plate boundary is

A

A mid ocean ridge

A continental rift

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38
Q

A convergent plate boundary is

A

A subduction zone

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39
Q

A conservative plate boundary is

A

A horizontal plate displacement

Lateral movement

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40
Q 
Plate tectonics explains: 
 the motion of the ...
... Of the lithosphere
... Formation and dispersal
... Isolation which supports ...
Oceanic ... And changes in ...
Bi modal ...
A 
Continents
Recycling
Geographic, evolution
Circulation. Climate
Hypsometry (measurement of land elevation relative to sea level)
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41
Q

Why does the earth’s core remain hot?

A

Remnant kinetic energy from accretion (when meteors crashed together to form earth)

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42
Q

Define isostatic equilibrium

A

When objects of different densities force each other into equilibrium.
For instance: glaciers press into the earth. When they disappear, the lithosphere depresses

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43
Q

How do glaciers form

A

Continents drift over the poles
Snow remains in the same area year round
More and more snow accumulates
Pressure builds, snow compresses into small sugar like crystals

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44
Q

Milankovic orbital cycles are

A

Mid term climatic changes that result from the non uniform of the earth about the sun. Climates last for roughly 23 000 years.
Also called astronomical cycles

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45
Q

A decrease in sea level rise may be due to

A

The formation of glaciers on land

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46
Q

If glaciers form in the ocean, what change is there to sea level elevation?

A

No change

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47
Q

What are the impacts of glaciers that form on land?

A

Unique migrations across land bridges as a result of lower sea level

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48
Q

What were the implications of the break up of Antarctica from Australia?

A

Tethyan oceanic gateway disappeared, warm ocean currents that kept Antarctica warm disappeared. Brought PNG and Australia close to Asia

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49
Q

What is El Niño?

A

Brings hot dry temperatures in Australasia and unseasonal heavy rain in South America

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50
Q

What is La Niña?

A

Cooling of the waters in the pacific. Brings cooler wetter climate to Australia

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51
Q

What is Wallace’s line

A

A line that separates the flora and fauna of Australia and PNG from Asia

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52
Q

Describe the Cambrian

A

Predation meant the development of exoskeletons eg Trilobites, horseshoe crabs. First land visits by sea scorpions

53
Q

Define rheology

A

Involves the strength of a material. The ductility and brittleness

54
Q

The focal point of an earth quake is the

A

Hypo centre

55
Q

The distance from the surface crust to the hypo centre is the

A

Focal depth

56
Q

The epicentre of an earthquake

A

The point on the surface crust directly above the hypocentre

57
Q

Dynamic or long wave topography does what?

A

Examines the mantle processes beneath the crust. Measures over several hundred kilometres

58
Q

Short wavelength topography does what?

A

Measures distances of only a few kilometres

59
Q

Modelling used to be what?

A

Analogue using clay and sand models

60
Q

Describe a compressional continental fault

A

Continents are compressed together resulting in brittle failure, or syncline and anticline patterns. Also called reverse faulting

61
Q

A fault line that has only lateral displacement is called a

Give an example

A

Strike slip

San Andreas fault

62
Q

What is an extensional continental fault?

A

Mantle convection pulls continental crust apart, also called normal faulting. Leads to thinner crust, formation of basins

63
Q

Name the three types of oceanic faults

A

Extension
Strike slip
Convergent

64
Q

Describe a convergent plate boundary and name an implication of this

A

Also called a subduction zone. Oceanic crust subducts beneath the lighter continental crust
Mantle plumes cause volcanoes

65
Q

Are oceanic strike slips a tsunami hazard?

A

No, only lateral movement

66
Q

Another name for an abandoned or inactive fault line is …

And why is it inactive?

A

Fracture zone

Both plates now move in the same direction

67
Q

Why does the age/depth relationship fall apart near continents?

A

Sediments and erosion

68
Q

Medium term topography and climate is forced by

A

Orbital cycles, and atmosphere and hydrosphere feedback mechanisms

69
Q

Long term topography and climate is forced by

A

Tectonics and mantle convection

70
Q

Describe the Hadean period

A

Molten crust, moon was much closer, few rocks like zircon are preserved

71
Q

Describe the Archean period

A

Onset of first continents

Vigorous convection due to greater heat flow. More radioactivity that has decayed now.

72
Q

Which period in time had the earliest forms of life? Describe this life

A

Archean. Prokaryote bacteria and stromatolites

73
Q

When did the ozone layer develop?

A

Proterozoic, however very thin, little UV protection

74
Q

What is an extremophile?

A

An organism living in harsh conditions ie high temperatures, toxic atmospheres.

75
Q

What is the fundamental requirement for life?

A

Self replicating DNA

76
Q

Describe the Proterozoic period

A

Oxygen in the atmosphere. Cyanobacteria able to photosynthesis. Evidence for single sided plate tectonics

77
Q

The Proterozoic super continent is called. What was it

A

Rodinia. Land of Rodinia was entirely barren with no vegetation

78
Q

Describe the runaway albedo effect in regard to the Proterozoic snowball earth

A

Ice age. Increases the amount of radiation reflected from the earth’s surface, makes things colder, ice age runs away.

79
Q

What makes glacial rocks different?

A

Glacial drop stones. Glaciers grind up rock and pick pieces of it up and drop it in new places

80
Q

Describe the late Proterozoic

A

Ediacaran fauna, multicellular organisms with tissues and wide variety of symmetries

81
Q

Describe the Paleozoic

A

Complex life, hard shells, fish, arthropods, reptiles evolved. Ended with large mass extinction

82
Q

Describe the Cambrian

A

Predation meant the development of exoskeletons eg Trilobites, horseshoe crabs. First land visits by sea scorpions

83
Q

Describe the Ordovician

A

Further explosion of life, burrowing animals more common

84
Q

List the geological time scale in order

A

Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian

85
Q

Carboniferous

A

Trees and high oxygen continent, big insects

86
Q

Devonian

A

Colonisation of land by trees

87
Q

Cenozoic

A

c no dinosaurs, rise of mammals

88
Q

What is cleavage in regard to minerals

A

Planes of weakness in the crystal lattice

89
Q

Do all minerals exhibit cleavage?

A

No, but they fracture. Most common way is conchoidal

90
Q

What is the hardness scale?

A

Is measured by whether a mineral or rock can scratch another surface

91
Q

How did minerals contribute to the water that exists on earth today?

A

Minerals such as Ringwoodite contain water. When they are melted in the mantle, the water is released into the atmosphere

92
Q

Rocks are composed of …?

A

Minerals

93
Q

How are intrusive rocks formed?

A

The slow cooling of magma underground forms large crystals

94
Q

How are extrusive rocks formed? How does silica content relate to their viscosity?

A

In volcanoes.

High silica content, the higher the viscosity

95
Q

Name the various types of sedimentary rocks

A

Fluvial (river)

Marine (made up of organisms as well as minerals) eg carbonate from shells makes chalk

96
Q

Describe the lithification of sedimentary rocks

A

Deposition, compaction, cementation.

97
Q

What is the cementation of sedimentary rocks

A

Dissolved material is redeposited in areas of low pressure resulting in cementation

98
Q

How is porosity in sedimentary rocks important?

A

Allows movement of water through bed rock

99
Q

Give an example of a carbonate rock and how it is formed

A

Limestone. Formed by the deposition of carbonate from organisms that has undergone heat and pressure

100
Q

List the two types of carbonates that can form

A

Biogenic (deposition of organisms)

Chemical (accumulation of sediment around a nucleus of sand or other grain)

101
Q

What is an evaporite?

A

A chemically precipitated rock. Eg salt

102
Q

What is regolith?

A

Soil. Rocks that have undergone weathering and can hold water

103
Q

What is a fossil?

What are the two types?

A

The remains or impression of once living plant or animal material

104
Q

Is hard or soft tissue better preserved in fossils?

A

Hard

105
Q

Comment on the ‘colour’ of dinosaurs

A

Fossils don’t indicate colour. Scientists look at present day melanosomes for colour

106
Q

Describe paleogeography

A

Study of geographical features at periods in the geological past. Tells us about the habitat distributions and climate sensitive organisms

107
Q

Spatial coverage of fossils

A

Gaps in the fossil record are due to uplift and erosion (tectonism) or non depostion.
Cratonic regions that are exposed do not contain fossils

108
Q

Describe trace fossils

A

They preserve the behaviour of animals, like burrows and tracks, often indicate the position of rocks (up or down)
Depth is also indicated by the areas at which organisms lived.

109
Q

Event Stratigraphy can be used to …

A

determine the age of rocks and thus define the period of time they were from

110
Q

Isotope stratigraphy is what?

A

Dating of strata based on the content of various isotopes of oxygen for instance. Concentration of oxygen 18 decreases with temperature. It is also denser and is found more commonly in oceans. Indicates time periods

111
Q

What is sequence stratigraphy?

A

changes in sea level: transgression and regression (rise and fall). Predictable shifts in sedimentation

112
Q

Define Paleoclimate

A

A climate that was prevalent at a particular time in the earth’s history

113
Q

The atmosphere is an ocean of air. Elaborate pls

A

There is pressure because of weight, eddy currents form clouds around mountains.

114
Q

Nitrogen is … by biological processes, stopping it from …

A

Fixed, increasing infinitely

115
Q

Homosphere is …

A

turbulent so everything is mixed up. As you cross the turbopause, less turbulence, enter the heterosphere, layers of gases separated by atomic weight

116
Q

Name the layers of the atmosphere

A 
Trevor: Troposphere
Started: Stratosphere
Making: Mesosphere
The: Thermosphere
Eggplant: Exosphere
117
Q

How do we value the environment?

A

It does work for us so we value it. For instance soil formation, medicinal resources, gas regulation

118
Q

The atmosphere is fluid as a result of …

A

Earth’s systems trying to redistribute heat

119
Q

What is a Hadley cell? What are the implications?

A

Atmospheric currents that rise at the equator and fall at about +/- 30 degrees. Increases precipitation. Cool dry air falls. Locations at around 30 degrees north and south of the equator are commonly deserts

120
Q

What is the Intertropical Convergence Zone

A

A zone near the equator where north and south air masses converge, creating a low pressure zone

121
Q

Why is the equator hotter?

A

It is perpendicular to the sun in the earth’s orbit and is less able to reflect heat like the poles

122
Q

What is the coriolis effect

A

an effect whereby a mass moving in a rotating system experiences a force (the Coriolis force ) acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation. On the earth, the effect tends to deflect moving objects to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern and is important in the formation of cyclonic weather systems.

123
Q

Describe the difference between homonin and homonid

A

nin is exctinct, id is modern human

124
Q

What led to bipedalism in early humans?

A

Increased aridity in Africa due to growing rift valley and the India eurasia collision thinned out forests, was better to stand up and walk the longer distances

125
Q

Describe an Australopithicus

A

Earliest bipedal homonids, smaller brain, now extinct

126
Q

Homo Habilis was …

A

Larger brain than australopithicus, use of tools, still small

127
Q

Homo erectus

A

Upright man, use of fire

128
Q

Homo neanderthalensis

A

Only existed in Eurasia, heavy build, complex society, had a language probably

129
Q

Homo Sapiens

A

Modern humans, highest cranial capacity, dominant species on planet, only surviving species of homonin

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