Final ESS

Question 1

What was Descartes contribution to Earth Science?

Answer 1

His book Principe Philosophiae

• Theorie that earth formed from the material fo an extinguished star
• his 4 phases of cooling: interior layers, outer layer cracked and collapsed, oceans and continents are made—

Question 2

You learned about two prominent earth scientists who worked in Saxonia. Why Saxonia? Who were they, and what was one key argument each brought forward?

Answer 2

Werner- The Neptunist theory
Agricola- De Re Metallica in which he provides as classification and guide to all things mineral as well as noting the formation of strata(not really an argument but whatever)
Why Saxonia- It was a major mining town…?

Question 3

How did Werner explain the formation of Basalt in two ways? Why could he get it wrong?

Answer 3

1. In unit 2 of formation stages: stratified mountains-it is original sediment precipitate
2. In unit 4: volcanic rocks-that which has been later altered by heating
   He got it wrong because -
   Basalts are very finely grained and form specular cooling cracks ( can’t see the interlocking formation and the cracks are similar to drying cracks of mud)
   Runny lava from thin sheets that looks like sedimentary layers

Question 4

What were observational clues for Hutton that rocks formed as magma?

Answer 4

Granite near Aberdeen contains quartz inside feldspar inside quartz which cannot form from an aqueous solution
Glen Tilt: veins of granite that cross-cuts rocks is traceable to a larger granite body

Question 5

Differentiate between Neptunism and Catastrophism.

Answer 5

WHile Neptunism seems to fit the definition od Catastrophism, cata. doesn’t specify a large flood as the engine for rock formation, simply colossal events. There are no similarities in the process of creating more time frame of the creation of rocks.

Question 6

How did Hutton explain the rock outcrop at Siccar Point?

Answer 6

He explained the unconformity as being due to the repeated cycles of deposition, uplift, and erosion.

Question 7

Name 3 stratigraphic principles outlines by Steno.

Answer 7

Original horizontality
Superposition
Continuity

Question 8

How did Cuvier (and Brongniart) use fossils?

Answer 8

They used fossil characteristics to correlate rocks (near Paris)
Lead to the geologic column
Classified and grouped strata

Question 9

What was Smith’s contribution to paleontology and stratigraphy? Which other achievement is he famous for?

Answer 9

Developed the principle of faunal succession -which correlated strata tot he appearance and extinction of species
He is also known for his geological map of England based on fossil correlation

Question 10

What is today’s scientifically best estimate for the age of the earth?

Answer 10

4. 568 billion years–says my notes

4. 543 billion years–says the internet

Question 11

How did Von Buch explain the formation of mountains

Answer 11

As a domal subsurface intrusions of magma cracking, releasing magma to surface, collapsing of the dome.

• mountains are the elevated rim
• mountain chains require linear intrusion

Question 12

Which observation would de Beaumont stress to defend his hypothesis for the formation of mountains? No clue

Answer 12

Crust buckles and forms mountains-violent due to compressional stress…can cause extinctions…..?

Question 13

Why do mountains not deflect the plumb line by as much as expected?

Answer 13

Why do mountains not deflect the plumb line by as much as expected?

Question 14

Wegener offers 3 ideas as part of his hypothesis, what are these?

Answer 14

Continental blocks raft in a dense oceanic “magma”
Displacement across Atlantic happened in geologic time
Continents are still moving

Question 15

What was Holmes’ suggestion in support of continental drift?

Answer 15

That the mantle convection could force continents towards or away from each other
He provided a new mechanism for the drift then the previous one that was easily disproved

Question 16

How could the group Runcorn satisfy themselves that continents move?

Answer 16

By looking at the APWP observable in the igneous and sedimentary rocks …?

Question 17

What is the Vine-Matthews-Morley hypothesis? Provide a sketch.

Answer 17

Newly created sea-floor magnetizes in the direction of the magnetic field, and as the sea-floor spreads, it records alternately magnetized patterns.

Question 18

Why do oceanic mountains sink into the ocean?

Answer 18

Because the mountains are slowly pushed away from the MOR with time and into deeper waters…?Like with Goytes.

Question 19

Draw MOR

Answer 19

Did u actually?

Question 20

What is the difference between continental drift, sea-floor spreading, and plate tectonics?

Answer 20

Technically all part of the continental drift hypothesis, continental drift refers to the idea that all the continents were once one giant landmass that split and move around the globe. Sea-floor spreading, a mechanism for the continental drift hypothesis refers to the mantle convection and the mid-ocean ridge system while plate tectonics allows for both continental drift and the mid-ocean ridge system to function…?shitty answer should work on

Question 21

Why has evolution happened on Earth? Is it happening now?

Answer 21

Evolution happens when individuals of a species are better suited for the environment and they become the new form/variation of the species.
Evolution is still happening today although our climate is changing too quickly for the evolution to keep up so its not much use.

Question 22

What is mass extinction? Name at last (at least or the last…?idk) two examples of mass extinctions we find in the geological record.

Answer 22

When >75% of species go extinct

Ordovician-Silurian and the Late Devonian

Question 23

Compare three often-cited causes for mass extinctions.

Answer 23

Anoxia: ex) Permian-Triassic
-Typically in Oceans -when there is no oxygen -Many geologists believe oceanic anoxic events are strongly linked to the slowing of ocean circulation, climatic warming, and elevated levels of greenhouse gases.
Meteorite impact: ex) Cretaceous-Paleogene
Volcanic eruptions: ex)Deccan traps (same age as Cretaceous-Paleogene) and Siberian Traps (same age as Permian-Triassic)

Question 24

Alvarez suggested that a meteorite impact was responsible for a major mass extinction 65 Million years ago. Explain the evidence they put forward to substantiate this claim.

Answer 24

The clay layer high in iridium discovered in Italy (then around the world)
Also glassy spherules, shocked quartz crystals, microscopic diamonds(evidence for great temperatures and pressures)
Chicxulub crater in Mexico………evidence: gravity anomaly, tsunami deposits, submarine landslides

Question 25

Explain the concept of “punctuated equilibrium”.

Answer 25

Evolution often happens rapidly during environmental stress, separated by long periods of stability (no slow drift observable in the fossil record)

Question 26

What may happen if Earth experiences a major volcanic eruption?

Answer 26

Volcanic winter: SO2 and dust reflect the sunlight and cool the global temperature by 5-15 degrees, lasts for several months
Long term heating due to the large addition of CO2 to the atmosphere

Question 27

Briefly review key points of the Gaia hypothesis, and compare it to the concept of Earth systems science.

Answer 27

Gaia hypothesis- the earth is a self-regulating system that operated homeostatically
E.S.S. looks at the earth systems and how they interact and share feedback but not necessarily homeostatically……?

Question 28

What are the contributions of Agassiz, Wegener, and Penck to the discussion of climate change?

Answer 28

AGASSIZ- no clue how he contributed to climate change
Wegener- Global distribution of glacial rocks show not a worldwide glaciation but rather a great southern glaciation and drifting continents
4 glacial periods-Guenz-Mindel-Riss-Wuerm

Question 29

What is the greenhouse effect, and what is its effect on Earth’s temperature?

Answer 29

The atmosphere traps the heat from the sunlight (like a greenhouse) and warms the planet to an average of 14 degrees Celcius.

Question 30

How can earth scientists determine climate in the geologic past?

Answer 30

The pollen count in ice cores and sediments, also marine microfossils….?whatever that means
Atmospheric particles trapped in ice cores reveal levels of CO2

Question 31

Who determined the link between temperature and CO2? What about human-made CO2?

Answer 31

Svante Arrhenius

Guy Stewart Callendar

Question 32

comment on the current climate change debate.

Answer 32

Butts

Question 33

Why are earth scientists discussing a new geologic time?

Answer 33

Because of how significant a change/ the effects humans have on the environment///? I-

Question 34

Describe the topography and age of the ocean floor.

Answer 34

Similar to land, with lots of mountains, ridges, valleys, canyons etc.
The ocean floor is relatively young as the MOR continuously creates new plates in the lithosphere and the older plates are more susceptible to subduction. On average no older than 125 million years old (got that number from the internet idk it credibility)