Exploring Creation with General Science (2nd Edition) Module 6

Question 1

What is catastrophism?

Answer 1

The view that most of the earths geological features are the result of large scale catastrophes such as floods, volcanic eruptions, etc.

Question 2

What is uniformitarianism?

Answer 2

The view that most of earths geological features are the result of slow, gradual processes that have been at work for millions or even billions of years

Question 3

What are minerals?

Answer 3

Inorganic, crystalline/geometric substances found naturally in the earth

Question 4

What is weathering?

Answer 4

The process by which rocks are broken down to form sediments

Question 5

What is humus?

Answer 5

The decayed remains of once living creatures

Question 6

What is erosion?

Answer 6

The process by which rock and soil are broken down and transported away

Question 7

What is an unconformity?

Answer 7

A surface of erosion that separates one layer of rock from another

Question 8

Which hypothesis (uniformitarianism or catastrophism) requires that the earth be billions of years old?

Answer 8

Uniformitarianism

Question 9

What are the three basic types of rocks?

Answer 9

Sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic

Question 10

How is sedimentary rock formed?

Answer 10

When sediment becomes cemented together

Question 11

How is igneous rock formed?

Answer 11

When magma or lava cools and hardens

Question 12

How is metamorphic rock formed?

Answer 12

When a rock undergoes heat and/or pressure

Question 13

What agent is responsible for laying down most of the sedimentary rock we see today?

Answer 13

Water and wind

Question 14

A rock in the desert is constantly bombarded by buts of sand that are carried in the wind. Sometimes the sand hits the rock so hard that tiny chips of the rock are broken off. As time goes on, the co stand. Eating is the sand inn the rock wears the rock down, and it gets much smaller. Had the rock experienced physical or chemical weathering?

Answer 14

Physical weathering

Question 15

When limestone is exposed to weakly acidic water, it breaks down, forming a gas in the process. Is this chemical or physical weathering?

Answer 15

Chemical weathering

Question 16

A geologist is comparing the erosion that occurs as a result of two different rivers. The first river flows quickly while the second flows slowly. Which river do you expect to cause the lost erosion?

Answer 16

The first river, faster water carries and erodes more

Question 17

Two hillsides that are in the same community experience a very heavy rain. The first hillside is covered with grass and flowers, while the second is mostly bare. Which hillside will experience the most erosion?

Answer 17

The second hill, plants hold together sediments

Question 18

What causes a river to form a delta?

Answer 18

When the river drops the sediments it carries

Question 19

What kind of water is responsible for eroding underground caverns?

Answer 19

Groundwater

Question 20

What is the difference between a stalactite and a Stalagmite?

Answer 20

A stalactite come from the ceiling while a Stalagmits comes from the ground

Question 21

What causes stalactites and stalagmites to form?

Answer 21

When groundwater collects know the save and as the water drips, sediment in the water is deposited and as each deposit builds, it forms icicle-like structures in the cave

Question 22

Typically, where is metamorphic rock found?

Answer 22

Deeper because metamorphic rock forms from heat and pressure

Question 23

Where can igneous rock form?

Answer 23

On the ground because volcanoes can erupt and when magma squeezes through cracks in bedrock and hardens (dike/sill)

Question 24

Where can sedimentary rock form?

Answer 24

Sedimentary rock is typically found closer to ground level because it is formed from sediments , which are loose and on the ground like sand

Question 25

What is an angular unconformity?

Answer 25

Layer of rock below is at an angle to layer of rock above

Question 26

What is an intrusion?

Answer 26

When magma from a deeper layer is injected into cracks and fissures in sedimentary rock

Question 27

What is a nonconformity?

Answer 27

When sedimentary rock rests upon igneous or metamorphic rock

Question 28

What is a disconformity?

Answer 28

Layers are parallel yet lower layer shows erosion / sedimentary rock is layered on top of sedimentary rock

Question 29

What is a paraconformity?

Answer 29

When NO evidence of erosion is shown but scientists think there should be erosion (para means false)

Question 30

What is a sill?

Answer 30

The vein or intrusion runs parallel to the layer of rock

Question 31

What is a dike?

Answer 31

The intrusion runs perpendicular to the layer of rock

Question 32

Name 3 unusual geologic features found in the channeled scablands.

Answer 32

Gorges, waterfall without any water, weird holes, strange layers of silt and ash, huge boulders, potholes, boulders made of granite

Question 33

Name two ways that other scientists proposed as possible explanations for creating the channeled scablands and its unique geologic features. Also identify the problem with each explanation.

Answer 33

Erosion caused by rivers over millions of years, but there is no evidence of the main river nearby (Colombian) flooding and it’s too far away. Ice can carve solid rock and build mountains, but glaciers from Canada came down and formed mountains but never made it to the scablands

Question 34

What was the main reason why the other scientists rejected the possibility of a mega flood?

Answer 34

They didn’t think that something like a huge flood could happen overnight : they were uniformitarians

Question 35

Name at least 3 key observations made by Bret’s or Pardee.

Answer 35

Bretz observed rippled land, gravel, and levels of erosion from water. Pardee observed scrape marks on rocks and carved out pieces of land from glaciers

Question 36

Discuss how the mega flood hypothesis explains how the dry falls, large boulders, and large potholes were formed.

Answer 36

The dry falls were formed by a rushing river because the faster the water moves, the more it erodes. The large boulders in the scablands were transported by the water from the flood and moved into the scablands by the fast-moving water. The large potholes were created by bubbles in the holes of the rocks bursting and the bubbles created a vortex.

Question 37

Can uniformitarianism explain the scablands?

Answer 37

No because it didn’t take long for the scablands to be created.

Question 38

Can catastrophism explain the scablands?

Answer 38

Yes, because there was an ice dam that exploded, and as the water moved, it eroded the rock, carried in boulders, and the bubbles of the water created potholes.