Final Exam Review Flashcards
which group is arranged in correct order of increasing certainty or confidence?
a. Hypothesis, law, theory
b. Theory, hypothesis, law
c. Hypothesis, theory, law
d. Law, theory, hypothesis
e. Theory, Law, hypothesis
c. Hypothesis, theory, law
The slow lateral movement of large segments of the outer solid earth is
a. Mainly due to the earth’s rotation
b. One obvious feature of plate tectonics
c. Gravitational attraction of the Sun and Moon
d. Associate it with the earthquakes but not volcanoes
e. Speeding up because of human-induced changes
f. Caused by contraction of the earth as it cools
b. One obvious feature of plate tectonics
How can the earth systems help with deal with the problems of human induced global change?
We can use this information to inform humans on the consequences so that we may implement corrective actions
The growth of the planet by gathering in pieces from the whirling primordial disk is commonly called
a. Supernova
b. Planetary accretion
c. Solar nebula
d. nuclear fusion
e. The rock cycle
f. Gravitational collapse
b. planetary accretion
From what we know today, all the following things make the earth unique among the planets, except:
a. the active biosphere
b. abundance of H2O in all three forms
c. the tectonically active surface
d. the dense core of iron
e. abundance of oxygen in atmosphere
d. The dense core of iron
Most of the rock samples brought back from the moon
a. indicated that the moon is much younger than her
b. indicated that the moon is far older than the earth
c. show only subtle differences from familiar earth rocks
d. resemble meteorites more than they resemble earth rocks
e. contained many fossils never seen before on earth
c. Show only subtle differences from familiar earth rocks
We commonly quote a figure of 4.6 billion years for the age of the earth, although we still haven’t found an age date this old for any rock sample of our planet, and few age states that even come close. However, rocks from the moon yield such old ages comparatively easy. Why? Explain in a few words
Unlike the earth, the moon has no atmosphere to weather rocks or plate tectonic activity to destroy rocks
The first comprehensive and vigorously debated hypothesis of continental drift was developed by
a. Frank B.Taylor
b. Alfred Wegener
c. Harry Hess
d. Neil Armstrong
e. Leonardo da Vinci
f. Frederick Vine
b. Alfred Wegener
New continental crust is produced chiefly at
a. mid ocean ridges
b. intracontinental rift valleys
c. convergent plate margins
d. transform faults
e. hotspots
a. Mid ocean ridges
The most accurate reconstruction of Pangaea would result from matching together along the
a. shorelines of continents
b. traces of transform faults
c. bases of continental slopes
d. centres of oceanic trenches
e. summits of oceanic ridges
a. Shorelines of continents
A Himalayan or alpine type boundary would be
a. convergent, with continental crust on both sides
b. divergent, with continental crust on both sides
c. transform, with continental crust on at least one side
d. convergent, with continental crust against oceanic crust
e. Convergent, with oceanic crust on both sides
a. convergent, with continental crust on both sides
Why did it take so long for the idea of drifting continents or mobile lithosphere to gain general acceptance?
The continental drift hypothesis provided no mechanism to explain how the continents moved
To be classified as a mineral in the geological sense, a substance must meet all the following requirements except
a. be naturally formed
b. Possess economic or nutritional value
c. Have a definite chemical formula
d. Have a definite crystal structure
e. be a solid material
b. Possess economic or nutritional value
Can we consider ice to be a mineral or rock? Explain briefly
If ice is formed naturally then it is a mineral
the magma type that forms in the mantle and moves up into mid ocean ridges is
a. andesite
b. basalt
c. granite
d. peridotite
e. diorite
b. basalt
An erosion surface between sequences of beds that dip in different directions is a
a. disconformity
b. right lateral fault
c. angular unconformity
d. nonconformity
e. hiatus
d. varve
c. angular nonconformity
A sample of granite is analyzed by 40k/40 Ar dating and found to be 500 million years old. How old is the shale bed that has been introduced by this granite?
a. Younger than 500 million years
b. 500 million years
c. Older than 500 million years
d. pleistocene
e. cretaceous
f. Jurrasic
c. Older than 500 million years
Identifies three human activities in the region where you live that are causing changes in the environment
- Deforestation
- Burning of fossil fuels
- Water pollution
Briefly, what is the difference between a geocentric and heliocentric solar system?
A geocentric solar system puts the earth at the center of the universe whereas a heliocentric solar system puts the sun at the center of the universe
Briefly, what is the difference between physical and chemical weathering?
Physical weathering affects the structure of a rock, not composition
Chemical weathering alters the chemicals the rocks are composed
Briefly, what is the difference between the relative and absolute age of a rock layer?
Relative age refers to the age of a rock layer compared to other layers.
Absolute age refers to the actual time in years
Briefly, what is the difference between magma and lava?
Magma is composed of molten rock, stored in Earth’s crust
Lava is magma that reaches the surface through a volcano vent
The proportion of space in a rock that can be occupied by fluids is
A. Hydraulic pressure
B. Capacity
C. Permeability
D. Porosity
E. Recharge
D. Porosity
Rock materials that hold back and prevent groundwater movement in useful quantities are
A. Water tables
B. Artesian systems
C. Aquicludes
D. Zones of aeration
d. aquicludes
What causes a cone of depression to form around a producing water well?
When water from a well is withdrawn from an unconfined aquifer faster than the local flow of groundwater, the deficit may cause a cone of depression
List the titles of the six major storage areas for water from highest content to lowest content
- Oceans
- glaciers
- Underground
- Lakes, rivers
- Atmosphere
- Biosphere
A fjord is a
a. Lake developed in a cirque
b. Pre-glacial Valley
c. Glacial Valley that extends to the sea
d. Brief warm period during the Ice Age
e. Scandinavian glacial Ridge
c. Glacial Valley that extends to the sea
Describe how icebergs form
Frontal calving at coastal glacier occurs and a large chunk falls off into deep water
what precautions have to be taken when building on permafrost?
Don’t disturb grounds too much
Raise house, insulate floor
A glacial retreat indicates
a. Accumulation = ablation
b. Accumulation < ablation
c. Accumulation > ablation
d. A change in the gravitational constant
e. Eminent volcanic activity
b. Accumulation < ablation
Sea water is salty to the following extent
a. 35% by weight
b. 3.5 parts per thousandd.2.35% by weight
c. 3.5% by weight
d. 2.35% by weight
e. 2.35 parts per thousand
c.3.5% by weight
Why are tsunamis less noticeable or dangerous in the open ocean, compared to what they can do in coastal areas?
Tsunamis in the open ocean are only 1 to 2 m high. However, as the crest moves on shore, water can pile up rapidly to a height of 30 m and travel great distances inland
how could you recognize that a coastal area is either emergent or submergent?
Emergent is when water level is lower relative to the coast
Submergent is when water line is higher relative to the coast
Air capacity to hold water vapor
a. Is reduced by adding carbon dioxide
b. Decreases with rising temperature
c. Increases with rising temperature
d. Is unaffected by air temperature
e. Is increased by addition of O-Zone
c.Increases with rising temperature
High altitude, wispy, feather like clouds are
a. Stratus
b. Altocumulus
c. Cumulus
d. cirrus
e. cumulonimbus
d.cirrus
The highest layer of the atmosphere is the
Thermosphere
air temperature changes caused by compression or expansion with no input or output of heat energy are called
Adiabatic
the strong uplifting of warm, humid air in cumulonimbus cloudsIs the cause of
Thunderstorms
why do hurricanes weekend after they move Over land
Hurricane draws its energy from warm ocean water, it’s windspeeds will diminish and the hurricane will quickly dissipate once it moves onshore, away from its energy source
chinook, fohn, and Santa Ana our local names for
Warm, dry downslope winds
Explain the El Niño cycle
Tradewinds slacken or even reverse
Warm water accumulates in the east and Central Pacific
High rainfall in Central Pacific, drought in Indonesia
Affects whether across most of the globe
A helium filled balloon is 1 m in diameter at sea level. It is released, and rises up. If it did not burst, it will be 6.7 m in diameter at a height of 40 km. Briefly explain why the diameter has changed
As the balloon rises in altitude there is less air pressure allowing it to expand
describe two types of climate proxy records, and explain how they are related to changing climate
Tree rings– determines past climate from trees
Lake/Ocean sediments – species preserved in the sediments are useful proxies
The earth’s seasonal climatic extremes could be amplified the most by
Increasing both orbital eccentricity and axial tilt
the totality of the first organisms, and in addition, organic matter that has not yet been completely decomposed
the words above explain the concept of the
Biosphere
explain the difference between weather and climate
Whether is the day day to d stays of the atmosphere, it’s short term
Climate is the weather of a place averaged overtime
What percentage of the iceberg floats below water surface, and how does this relate to the density of ice compared to the density of water?
90% of iceberg floats below the water surface. Ice is less dense than water
what type of rocks form from layers of sand and mud
Clastic sedimentary
List three possible methods by which banded iron formations could have formed
- Effect of Asteroid Earth Impact
- Atmospheric oxygenation
- Snowball Earth hypothesis
E - A - S
When the Earth’s tilt is minimal, which would probably be true
There will not be greater seasonal variation between summer and winter
Chemical weathering causes insoluble materials to be picked up from regolith and rock, leaving the soluble minerals behind
True or false
False
fossil fuel use results in environmental impacts at every stage, from extraction, refining, and transport to combustion
True or false
True
how does the diagram below explain the occurrence of rain and clouds on the ocean side of the mountain range, and the dry zone on the landward side?
MOIST AIR COMES OFF THE OCEAN, FORCED UPWARDS
PRESSURE DECREASES CAUSING THE AIR TO COOL, PRECIPITATION
AS IT MOVES OVER THE MOUNTAIN AND DECLINES, PRESSURE INCREASES, GETTING HOTTER AND DRYER
IT GETS WARMER AND DRYER AS IT FALLS
A __________ is any portion of the universe that can be isolated from the rest of the universe for the purpose of observing and measuring changes
system
the ____________ is the solid earth, composed principally of rock (by which we mean any naturally formed, nonliving, firm coherent aggregate mass of solid matter that constitutes part of a planet) and regolith (the irregular blanket of loose, uncemented rock particles that covers the solid earth).
geosphere
The earth essentially operates as an open system
true or false
False
Scientific laws can be disproven
True or false
True
the situation where materials have a very long residence time in a reservoir is called
Sequestration
which gas in the Earth’s atmosphere is the product of life?
Oxygen
______________ Is the capacity to do work, to move matter, to make things happen
Energy
for any planetary body, the percentage of incoming radiation that is reflected unchange is called the ____________
Albedo
_______ _____ Come from the remains of plants and animals that have been trapped in sedimentary rocks and chemically altered to form fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas
Fossil fuels
the energy stored in a compressed spring is the type of stored mechanical energy
True or false
True
the ocean tides are primarily caused by changes in the sun’s gravitational field
True or false
False
deep inside the earth, rock becomes so hot that convection is possible
True or false
True
before humans began to burn fossil fuels, there was no greenhouse effect in the earths atmosphere
True or false
False
which of the following materials has the highest albedo
Rocks
Snow
Pavements
Vegetation
Snow
which of the following sources of energy is drawn from the Earth’s own internal heat source
Solar energy
Fossil fuels
Tidal energy
Geothermal energy
Nuclear energy
Geothermal energy
A __________ is a continuous body with planar surfaces, while a ________ _______ is embedded in larger rock
Crystal, Mineral grain
Diamond is one mineral that is harder than glass according to the mohs scale
True or false
True
Earth is the only terrestrial planet within our solar system
True or false
False
soil is a special type of regolith that contains both organic matter and minerals
True or false
True
which of the following gives the correct compositional layering of the earth, from the interior to surface
Crust, mantle, core
Core, crust, mantle
Crust, core, mantle
Core, mantle, crust
Mantle, crust, core
core, mantle, crust
What are the two most abundant elements of the Earth’s continental crust
Oxygen and silicon
igneous rocks that crystallize underground are ________ rocks, while _______ rocks crystallize after emerging from a volcano
plutonic; volcanic
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and mars are called the __________ Planets
Terrestrial
for the principle of _____________,The present is the key to the past
uniforitarianism
all the objects in the solar system orbit around Jupiter
True or false
False
the innermost planet in the solar system (mercury, venus, earth, and mars) are large and gaseous
True or false
False
The nebular hypothesis proposes – the solar system formed from a huge, swirling cloud of cosmic gas and dust
True or false
True
the model in which the sun and planets revolve around the earth is called the
Geocentric model
if the ages of the earth and the moon are nearly identical, as believed, why are most rocks found on the moon so much older than rocks on earth?
On like the earth, the moon has no atmosphere to weather rocks or plate tectonic activity to destroy rocks
List three fundamental mechanisms of heat transfer are
conduction, Convection, and radiation
named the eight planets in order moving away from the sun
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
what are the four terrestrial planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
what are the four jovial planets?
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
what is it that divides the terrestrial planets from the Jovian planets
The asteroid belt
name four points of evidence that Alfred Wegener put forward in 1912 to support his ideas of continental drift
- Continental fit
- Similarities between rock and sequins and mountain ranges
- Glacial evidence
- Fossil evidence
Why were Alfred Wagoner’s ideas rejected by the scientific community prior to the 1960s
Wegner didn’t have a mechanism to explain
The ability of a rock to transmit fluids is
Permeability
Rock materials that do not hold nor transmit groundwater in useful quantities are
Aquicludes
why was the Mars bar discussed in the presentation about glaciers?
To discuss the flow of a glacier
- First layer - surface flow, brittle
- Second layer - internal flow, plastic-like layer being deformed
- Third layer - basal layer, layer slips and slides around
A fjord is
Glacial Valley that extends to the sea
the boundary between a glacier zone of accumulation and its zone of ablation is the
Equilibrium line
describe briefly how icebergs form
Pieces of ice break off the front of a coastal glacier referred to as frontal calving and fall into deep water
A glacial retreat indicates
Ablation is greater than accumulation
sea water is salty to the following extent
3.5% by weight
Continental divide usually coincide with the crests of great mountain ranges
True or false
True
the principle of uniformitarianism essentially states that the present is the key to the past, and we do not necessarily have to explain existing earth features solely by catastrophic events. This concept is important to all branches of science, but we also know that some events in earth’s history are so large and damaging that they can cause catastrophic change
True or false
True
which of the following locations are moving the fastest
Mid Atlantic Ridge
South east Indian rise
East Pacific rise
San Andreas fault
east pacific rise
What is the source of Earth’s magnetic field
The moving electric field within the liquid outer core
for the Athabasca river at Fort McMurray, what source sustain the flow of water
a. In the summer
b. In the winter
a. Precipitation and ground water flow
b. Underground water flow, snow and ice
