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Geology > Final > Flashcards

Final Flashcards

1
Q

A concentration of minerals that could now be legally mined at a profit is called a

A

reserve

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2
Q

Hydrothermal mineral deposits would be least expected to form in what type of plate tectonic setting?

A

transform boundary

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3
Q

Kimberlite pipes are sources of what mineral?

A

Diamond

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4
Q

Placer deposits are expected in what type of rock?

A

sedimentary

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5
Q

Most water pollution associated with mining operations has to do with

A

water passing through mine wastes

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6
Q

If surface mines tend to cause greater environmental impacts, why are they used?

A

Surface mines are more economical.

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7
Q

Why is cyanide heap leaching used to extract gold from some deposits?

A

The gold concentration is too low to be extracted using traditional methods.

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8
Q

What is the principal social impact of mining operations?

A

boom and bust cycles that impact local economies and social structure

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9
Q

Itai-Itai disease resulted from contamination of the Zintzu River basin with what types of mine wastes?

A

lead, zinc, and cadmium

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10
Q

Weathering processes are primarily responsible for the concentration of what types of ore?

A

aluminum

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11
Q

How do engineers define soil?

A

solid Earth material that can be removed without blasting

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12
Q

Weathered material that remains in its place of formation is called

A

residual soil

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13
Q

Which soil horizon is known as the zone of accumulation?

A

B horizon

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14
Q

In what way is color an indicator of soil drainage?

A

Well-drained soils tend to be well aerated and red in color.

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15
Q

How do soils become fertile?

A

mild weathering of parent material and addition of organic matter

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16
Q

Shrink-swell potential of a soil is dependent upon

A

the proportion of clay in the soil

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17
Q

Urbanization influences soil erosion processes primarily because of

A

vegetation removal and soil disturbance at construction sites

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18
Q

In what ways are soil surveys useful for land-use planning?

A

They provide the basis for rating limitations for specific land uses.

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19
Q

Off-road vehicle use contributes to soil problems by

A

loosening soil and changing the hydrology of a site

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20
Q

Soil cohesion is enhanced by the presence of

A

clay and silt particles

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21
Q

Why was Erik the Red able to explore Greenland in the 10th century AD?

A

His explorations took place during a particularly warm climatic period.

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22
Q

How has glacial ice aided the study of climate change?

A

Glacial ice contains trapped air bubbles that archive former atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.

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23
Q

Why are mathematical models important to the study of climate change?

A

They have predictive capacity.

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24
Q

How does glacial ice form?

A

Snow is retained for many years and compacted into ice by overlying snow.

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25
Q

What is an interglacial?

A

a warm period when glacial ice volume is relatively low

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26
Q

Glacial ice covers what percent of the global land area?

A

10%

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27
Q

What is the main engineering problem associated with permafrost?

A

melting of permafrost produces subsidence

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28
Q

Most deserts lying around 30 degrees latitude are caused by

A

descending air

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29
Q

Loess is deposited by

A

dust storms

30
Q

In what way can human practices contribute to desertification?

A

overgrazing by livestock

31
Q

The greenhouse effect represents

A

trapping of heat by atmospheric gases

32
Q

Air bubbles in the Antarctic ice sheet show that

A

carbon dioxide is relatively low during cold periods

33
Q

The ocean conveyor belt is responsible for

A

keeping northern Europe relatively warm

34
Q

What effect does a large volcanic eruptions typically have on the atmosphere?

A

cooling for one or two years

35
Q

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement concerning

A

reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

36
Q

Which of the following is a negative feedback within the climate system?

A

radiation

37
Q

The Milankovitch cycles are dependent on Earth’s

A

orbital eccentricity, precession, and angle of tilt on the rotation axis

38
Q

In the absence of greenhouse gases Earth would

A

freeze over

39
Q

Roughly, what are the periodicities of the Milankovitch cycles in years?

A

20,000 - 40,000 - 100,000

40
Q

Solar radiation absorbed by Earth’s ground surface is reemitted mostly as

A

infrared radiation

41
Q

Between the mid-1970s and the mid-1990s, energy consumption in the United States

A

increased, but at a slower rate

42
Q

The ultimate source of the energy in fossil fuels is

A

the sun

43
Q

Coal type is based upon

A

the carbon percentage and heat value

44
Q

Why is coal usage likely to increase in the future?

A

Coal is an abundant resource in relation to oil and gas

45
Q

Which of the following geologic features is not required for an oil or gas deposit to form?

A

volcanic rock

46
Q

Which of the following geologic situations is most likely to contain significant oil concentrations?

A

300-million-year-old rocks that accumulated in a subsiding sedimentary basin

47
Q

Methane hydrates may be a viable future energy source because

A

they are abundant and clean burning

48
Q

What is the most important aspect of future oil supplies?

A

when oil production will peak

49
Q

Why does acid rain result from fossil fuel consumption?

A

Fossil fuel burning releases nitrogen and sulfur oxides.

50
Q

Nuclear fission is the process of

A

splitting of heavy atoms to make light atoms

51
Q

A breeder reactor differs from a burner reactor in that

A

a breeder reactor produces more nuclear fuel than it burns

52
Q

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is a potentially viable site for nuclear waste disposal because

A

it features a strong rock in a dry climate

53
Q

The ultimate source of geothermal energy is

A

heat generated in the Earth’s interior

54
Q

The future use of photovoltaics is likely to

A

increase, because they can be adapted to meet a variety of needs

55
Q

The main difference between hard path and soft path energy policy is

A

the reliance on fossil fuels and centralized power generation

56
Q

Where did the US get most of its energy in the early 1900s?

A

Coal

57
Q

Which is the cleanest burning form of coal?

A

Anthracite

58
Q

World coal consumption has been ___________________________ since 1990

A

Increasing

59
Q 
Of the following, which organic compound has the longest carbon chain?
Methane
Gasoline
Motor Oil
Diesel
A

Motor Oil

60
Q

The remaining oil on Earth will be used up in ____________________years

A

Never

61
Q

Why is the atmosphere such a convenient medium for disposal of wastes?

A

The atmosphere is very dynamic, so it readily dilutes and transports wastes from their sources.

62
Q

Wind erosion processes are largely responsible for what type of pollution sources?

A

fugitive sources

63
Q

The source of radon gas in the home is typically

A

uranium-bearing rocks and soil underlying the house

64
Q

Secondary pollutants are created by

A

reaction of primary pollutants in the atmosphere

65
Q

The Roman Empire is thought to have fallen in part because of poisoning by

A

Lead

66
Q

Radon typically is elevated in certain regions because of certain types of

A

bedrock

67
Q

The National Environmental Policy Act mandates what type of process?

A

environmental impact statements

68
Q

Why has integrated waste management been criticized?

A

overemphasis on recycling

69
Q

What is leachate?

A

a mineralized liquid generated by water flow through landfills

70
Q

What is the most important consideration in site selection for a sanitary landfill?

A

geological and climatic conditions that will limit water flow through the landfill

Geology (3 decks)

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