Geology 101 Quiz 1 Flashcards
what is often the only way we know countries have developed nuclear capabilities?
geophysicists can tell the difference between seismic waves caused by earthquakes vs caused by nuclear blasts
geological engineers often determine
how stable a slope is
in places like ?, space is so limited that people build on unstable slopes
Hong Kong
petroleum geologists
find the best places to drill for oil or natural gas
hydrogeologists/geochemists
determine where groundwater contaminants come from, where and how far they are likely to travel, and how best to clean (this is the professor’s interest)
paleoclimatologists
primary scientists involved in what ancient climate looked like on Earth and why climate changes; info gathered is used to predict how the present climate may be influenced by things
volcanologists
predict if a volcano will erupt and whether it is likely to be a simple lava flow (like Hawaii) or an explosive eruption (like Mt. St. Helens)
what gives different types of rocks their unique qualities?
they are made of very different materials and by different processes
which stone is more concerning for a sinkhole? (granite/limestone)
limestone
when making sandpaper, mining for (corundum/gypsum) will be more profitable
corundum
oil is more likely to be found in (sandstone/basalt)
sandstone
cosmology
the study of the origin and makeup of the universe
in the early 1900s, most thought the universe was
static and infinite; motions such as orbits were recognized, but the relative positions of distant galaxies was thought to be fixed (static) and the extent of the universe was thought to be without limit (infinite)
? developed an elegant mathematical model that allowed accurate prediction of everything from orbital paths to the ability of gravity to bend space (and thus radiation traveling through space)
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein’s mathematical model indicated an
expanding universe
Einstein inserted the cosmological constant into the equation because
the idea of the universe having a beginning was unsettling; seemed to require a non-scientific explanation
later called this constant the biggest mistake of his career
over the next 15 years, data from astronomers such as ? showed that distant galaxies were moving ?
Edwin Hubble; away from us very fast in every direction
singularity
the universe in a dimensionless point - some debate over nature of initial starting point
during the first million years of the universe,
subatomic particles combine to make Hydrogen
during the first billion years of the universe,
gravitational attraction separates matter into galaxies
in stars, heat is high enough to initiate
nuclear ignition