Lesson 1 Flashcards
Most accepted theory of the origin of the Universe
Big Bang Theory
T or F: Stars are permanent objects.
F
What are the two types of floods
Flash Floods and Sheet Floods
The twin planet of the Earth
Venus
Radius of the Earth
6371 Km
“_____ is the ability to sustain
its population at a basic, healthy, moderately comfortable standard
of living.”
Carrying Capacity
_____ is a result of unsustainable practices and use of non-renewable resources
Environmental Degredation
Discontinuity between upper and lower core
Lehmann Discontinuity
Life began at approximately _____ BYA, on ____ eon
2.5 , Archean Eon.
______ involves taking steps to reduce a specific risk
Risk Management
Type of growth rate where increments keep increasing over successive time.
Exponential
T or F: Aphelion Distance = 147.1 km
F
_______ is a society that lives whithin Earth’s Capacity to provide resources that would remain available for the future generations
Sustainable society
Age of Earth
4.6 B years
_____ are found in Stromatolites and is believed to be the oldest form of life
Cyanobacteria
What are the factors that led to Earth’s diverse biosphere
Distance from the sun and Ability to retain its atmosphere
Explain the concept of sustainability in relation to environmental geology
In Environmental Geology, sustainability involves responsibly managing Earth’s resources and landscapes to ensure they can support both current and future generations without causing harm to the environment or depleting essential natural resources.
Explain how the newly formed earth differed from the earth we know today
The newly formed Earth was a hot, molten ball of rock with no atmosphere, oceans, or life, while the Earth we know today has cooled down, developed a diverse range of environments, and supports a variety of life forms.
What is the difference between population growth and doubling time?
The growth rate is the increase in a population over time, while the doubling time is the amount of time it takes for a population to double in size
Differentiate Hypothesis from Theory.
A hypothesis is an untested guess, while a theory is a well-supported explanation based on evidence and testing. Think of a hypothesis as a starting point, and a theory as a confirmed destination.
In the conext of Environmental Problems, why are some geohazards are easily recognized and some are not?
Geohazards like earthquakes and floods happen suddenly such that the effects are easily recognized. Meanwhile geohazards such as pollution occur gradually over time such that effects are delayed, and corrective measures are delayed as well.
Explain why Earth has differentiated into several major compositional zones
Earth has differentiated into major compositional zones due to the process of planetary accretion, where heavier materials sank toward the center under gravitational forces, leading to the formation of distinct layers such as the core, mantle, and crust based on their varying densities.
What elements make up the Earth’s core and mantle? How do they differ from the crust?
The Earth’s core is primarily composed of iron and nickel, while the mantle consists mainly of silicate minerals rich in iron, magnesium, and other elements. In contrast, the Earth’s crust is predominantly composed of lighter elements such as oxygen, silicon, aluminum, and various other minerals.
Discuss the potential role of icy comets in contributing to Earth’s water.
Icy comets might have played a crucial role in contributing to Earth’s water content, as they contain water ice, along with other volatile compounds. During the early stages of the solar system, cometary impacts could have delivered substantial amounts of water to Earth, contributing to the formation of oceans and other water sources on our planet.
Cons of building a city in relation to environmental geology
Removal of forest grasslands, reduced ability to absorb water, severe floods, decreased qual and quantity of water supply
Give an example of a tragedy of commons
Overfishing in shared or open-access fisheries is a classic example of a tragedy of the commons. When fishermen act in their individual self-interest by catching as many fish as possible, it can lead to the depletion of the fishery, negatively impacting the resource shared by all and jeopardizing long-term sustainability.
Describe the earth as a system
Composed of 4 major subsystems that interact with each other in a highly complex and integrated manner.
What is an Ecological footprint
amount of biologically productive land/sea area needed to support life
Explain why Developed countries have much larger Ecological Footprint than the global average.
Developed countries have larger Ecological Footprints due to higher consumption levels, resource-intensive lifestyles, and historical carbon emissions.
Give an example of a key to sustainability.
It is not just about the Earth’s total population, but also humanity’s per capita consumption rates
Give an example of an Incremental geologic process
uplift, erosion
Enumerate the Scientific Inquiry
Observation, Hypothesis, Experiment, Analysis, Conclusion (OHEAC)
Differentiate Sheet floods and Flash floods.
Sheet - High discharge/ duration , Flash - Low Discharge/ Duration
Enumerate the 4 natural resources
Water, Soil, Mineral/Rock Resources, Energy Resources
Formula of Risk
(probability of an event) x (expected consequences)
Enumerate the Period of the Mesozoic Era
Triassic, Jurrasic, Cretaceous
What extinction event was the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, what period was it, and how many million years ago?
K-Pg Extinction, Cretaceous Period, 65MYA
What Era, Period, and Epoch modern humans evolve?
Cenozoic era, Quaternary period, Pliestocene Epoch
Enumerate 4 earth systems
Biosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Solid Earth
Consequences of resource depletion would likely vary among nations due to differences in (Enumerate the three factors)
Population growth rates, level of economic development, resource consumed.)
What are the top three most population dense region?
Asia,Africa, Latin America
Enumerate all the Epochs of the Cenozoic Era
PEOMPPH
Formula of Doubling TIme
D = 70/G
Enumerate predominant elements that the Big Bang would produce
Hydrogen and Helium
Enumerate the Layers of the earth and its discontinuities
upper crust, conrad, lower crust, moho, upper mantle, repetti, lower mantle, Guttenberg, upper core, Lehmann, inner core
Three Branches of Geology
Physical, Historical, Environmental
Enumerate atleast 3 major mass extinction event
K-Pg, P-T, Ordovician-Silurian, Triassic-Jurassic, Devonian
Enumerate atleast 3 Geohazards
Give and example of a sporadic geologic process
floods, volcanic eruption
Give an example of a method used to reduce the probability of flooding.
construction of dams and levees
