Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geology 1404 > Unit 7 Poss. Test Questions & Unit 1-6 Tests > Flashcards

Unit 7 Poss. Test Questions & Unit 1-6 Tests Flashcards

1
Q

List the Mesozoic periods in order (oldest to youngest).

A
  • Triassic
  • Jurassic
  • Cretaceous
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What was the fate of the glaciers on Pangaea before the beginning of the Mesozoic?

A

None

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Which two “landmasses or continents” made up Pangaea?

A

Laurasia and Gondwana

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What type or classification of a tectonic event caused the opening of the North Atlantic?

A

Divergent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What type of rocks form the Palisades of Hudson River (New York)?

A

Basalt

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Where was Texas located on the globe during the Triassic?

A

South of the equator

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Define an orogeny.

A

Period of mountain building.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What type of environment is associated with the “red beds”?

A

Desert

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Where do we find some classic examples of red beds in Texas?

A

Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle of Texas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How did the dinosaurs “walk” (position of their legs) as compared to reptiles?

A

Directly underneath them, like us. Reptiles have a “sprawling” walk.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Can you name some marine dinosaurs and flying dinosaurs and why?

A

No, because _______.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What would be a unique aspect of the Lystrosaurs, as far as their numbers can be described?

A

More than 1/2 of all life on Earth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What was a Morganucodon and what is it’s importance?

A

Earliest known mammal.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What was a pterosaur?

A

Flying reptile

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What possibly caused the Triassic extinction?

A

Manicouagan crater (meteorite)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Which geological period did the Gulf of Mexico first been open for sea water and salt evaporation?

A

Triassic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Describe the depositional environment of the Navajo Formation.

A

Sandstone. Ancient sand dunes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is the name of the Jurassic sea that covered a large part of North America?

A

Sundance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What makes the Morrison Formation so famous?

A

Morrison Formation contains the world’s richest assemblage of fossil dinosaur bones.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the difference between endothermic and ectothermic animals?

A

Endo –> inside heat [warm-blooded]

Ecto –> outside heat [cold-blooded]

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Describe predatory/prey ratios that suggest dinosaurs were warm blooded.

A

Dinosaurs have a predator/prey ratio of 1% - 5%, same as warm-blooded.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

From what dinosaur did birds probably evolve?

A

Small, bipedal theropod

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Describe some general characteristics of archaeopteryx (i.e. a bird with teeth).

A

First verified bird.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the general classification for the largest land animals of all times?

A

Sauropod

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What was the name of the largest Jurassic canivore?

A

Megalosaurus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Describe a unique characteristic of an ichthyosaur.

A

The largest eyes of all known reptiles.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Which major group of dinosaurs died out at the end of the Jurassic Period?

A
  • Stegosaurids
  • Sauropods
  • Marine reptiles
  • Bivalves
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Which major geologic event marked the Sevier orogeny?

A

Granite batholiths (the heel of Mexico)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Define cordilleran.

A

Range of mountains.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Which three orognies make up the Cordilleran Orogeny?

A
  • Nevadian
  • Sevier
  • Laramide
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What evidence is there to demonstrate that dinosaurs live in Texas?

A

Footprints, shallow water fossils.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Whitin which Texas state park do we find abundant dinosaur footprints?

A

Glen Rose.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Why is the Edwards formation important to South Texas?

A

Oil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What is the importance of the Eagle Ford shale to Texas?

A

Oil and gas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

What is the importance of the Austin Chalk to Texas?

A

Oil and gas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

What classification of mammals were the Cretaceous Multituberculate?

A

Marsupial.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Describe some unique height characteristic of Quetzalcoatlus.

A

Over 7 ft tall, Wing span of 36 ft, Necks over 10 ft.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Which marine Cretaceous species had necks that were 30 feet long?

A

Plesiosaurus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

What length did the snake-like Mosasaurs achieve?

A

60 ft long.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

What type of animal is Exogyra ponderosa?

A

-

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

What type of plants evolved toward the end of the Mesozoic?

A

Angiosperm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

What is the name of the state dinosaur for Texas?

A

Palauxys Jonesi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Which dinosaur was the largest land carnivore of all times?

A

T-Rex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

What event brought the end of the Mesozoic?

A

Chixulub (meteorite)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

During which era were the present day landforms of the Western US created?

A

Cenozoic Era

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Describe the probable position of the western North American subducted oceanic plate during the Laramide Orogeny.

A

Sub-horizontal, push up by mantle plume

-Mantle plume pushed oceanic crust up, and continental crust overrode it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Which sea remained in the Wyoming area during the Paleocene?

A

Cannonball Sea.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

How much coal reserves does the US have?

A

Enough to last hundreds of years.

-More than any other country.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Describe a characteristic of a Monotreme, and name an example.

A

Egg laying mammal.

  • platypus
  • spiny anteater
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Give an example of a North American marsupial.

A

Possum

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Where do we find most of the marsupials today and why there?

A

Australia, isolated by plate tectonics.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Which “animal” was the chief land predator in the Paleocene?

A

Diatrymidae (Gastonis), the birds.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Describe what happened to temperatures at the end of the Paleocene.

A

Very hot.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Name a famous Texas Eocene formation for oil and gas.

A

Eocene Wilcox

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Describe the types of fossils associated with the Green River Formation.

A

Fossil fish.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Describe the value of the oil shale of the Green River Formation.

A

Trillions of barrels.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Near which Texas city have been discovered fossil primate bones?

A

Laredo

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

Describe the feet of the largest land mammal carnivore of all times.

A

Andrewsarchus, Hoofed feet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

During which epoch would West Texas volcanoes spew uranium-rich ash over south Texas?

A

Oligocene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

What was the name of the largest land mammal that ever walked on the Earth?

A

Indricotherium (18 ft tall)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

Which state does the Basin and Range Province dominate?

A

Nevada

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

Describe the geology of the Colorado Plateau.

A

Sandstone, Hard rock

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

Describe the Cenozoic igneous activity of the Columbia River area (i.e. what caused it).

A

Mantle plumes in Washington, Lots of basalt all over.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

What was the name of the largest shark that ever lived?

A

Megalodon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

What were the principle mammal types that evolved in South America before the land bridge?

A

Marsupials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

What effect on animal life did the Panamanian Central America land bridge have on South America?

A

Most marsupials in South America couldn’t compete against North American animals.
-Were replaced with North American animals.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

What was a Smilodon?

A

Sabre Tooth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

What was a glyptodont?

A

A VW-sized armadillo

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

Which are the largest animals to ever live on Earth?

A

Blue Whale

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

Which epochs did megafauna live in Corpus Christi area?

A

Pleistocene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

What epoch do we live in now?

A

Holocene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

Name all seven of the Cenozoic epochs - in order from oldest to youngest.

A
  • Paleocene
  • Eocene
  • Oligocene
  • Miocene
  • Pliocene
  • Pleistocene
  • Holocene
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

How long have we been using the words geology and geologists?

A

It was first used by Jean-Andre Deluc in the year 1778.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

The Principle of Fossil Succession implies ______.

A

….strata with the same fossil assemblages are the same relative age.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

Rock symbols.

A

00000000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

Remembering your rock type symbols, the wiggly line in the sketch above represents a hiatus of geologic time. We would call the surface (hiatus) next to the arrow _______.

A

0000000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

The wiggly line symbol (without regard to rock types) in the sketch above is used by geologists to represent _________.

A

….an unconformity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

We have quite a few definitions when referring to the characteristics of sedimentary rocks. In the above figure, each of the arrows point to a feature between two layer of sedimentary rocks - these individual features best describe _________.

A

….a bedding plane.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

This time I want you to consider the rock types shown in the sketch. With the rock types shown, we would call the wiggly line symbol in the sketch _______.

A

0000000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

Nicolas Steno is recognized in geology because he ________.

A

….is considered the father of stratigraphy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

Leonardo de Vinci was concerned about being burned at the stake. However he publically doubted that deposits of fossils were caused by a world-wide flood because ________.

A

….not all layers of rock contain fossils.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
82
Q

Hutton’s Principle of Deformation basically states that ______________.

A

….folds and tilted beds indicate deformation which postdates (occurs after) deposition.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
83
Q

The geologic Principle of Baked Contacts, refers to the actual contacts of igneous rocks with other rocks. This geologic principle best implies that _________.

A

….an intrusive igneous rock can or will bake the rocks surrounding it, during the intrusion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
84
Q

Today, we use a “Hutton” approach to the study of geology. Geologist imply that the present geologic processes tat we see today are the key to past geologic processes. This theory defines _________.

A

….uniformitarianism.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
85
Q

The geologic Principle of Inclusions can be used to determine which event took place first and last. For example, we find rounded boulders and gravel of granite within the sandstone strata. This would imply that ________.

A

….the granite intrusive must be older than the sandstone.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
86
Q

The Principle of Original Horizontality demonstrates that _______.

A

….all rock types must be deposited in a horizontal plane.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
87
Q

The Principle of Superposition demonstrates that _______.

A

….normally, the oldest layers of rock are found at the bottom of a rock sequence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
88
Q

It is a surprise to many people that both sedimentary rock and _______ have been known to contain abundant fossils.

A

….deposits of volcanic ash….

89
Q

The above example of the geologic Principle of Cross Cutting Relationships implies that ________.

A

….a rock feature that cuts through a host rock is younger than the host rock it cuts.

90
Q

During the Middle Ages Europe, many people thought that _________.

A

….fossils resulted from Noah’s Flood.

91
Q

What was the Charles Lyell’s contribution to geology?

A

He published the first geology book.

92
Q

It is surprising how external events can affect the scientific community. Society’s geologic discoveries would increase dramatically from 1650 to the 1800s because of ________.

A

….mining, travel and fossil collections.

93
Q

The German Geology Professor Abraham Werner taught “Neptunism” that advocated that all types of rocks came from _________.

A

….precipitates from the sea which fit well with Noah’s Flood.

94
Q

Since Kramer is a Mining Engineer, he thinks the answer to this question is important to remember. Who is considered to be the Father of Mining and Mineralogy?

A

Agricola.

95
Q

Earth History is principally different from Physical Geology in that Earth History _______.

A

….studies life (biota) as preserved in rocks.

96
Q

Pliny the Elder (50 AD) recognized insects in amber as fossils. He also proclaimed that the large fossil shark teeth of megalodons were ________.

A

….tongue stones from lunar eclipses.

97
Q

What type of time indicators are fossils?

A

Relative time.

98
Q

Aristotle’s method (350 BC) was considered to be the only method for scientific inquiry for almost 2,000 years. After some observations, Aristotle would derive explanations to the natural world by _______.

A

….arbitrary pronouncements that would explain the event.

99
Q

It had been almost impossible to place the “number or years” with non-volcanic sedimentary rocks before today on the geologic time scale. Why?

A

Because radiometric age-dating of fossil-bearing sedimentary rocks, the rocks used to construct the time scale, usually cannot be accurately done.

100
Q

Using the Principle of Fossil Succession, we make use of “guide fossils” in determining the relative age of a strata. Two characteristics of a guide fossil would include _________.

A

….quick widespread appearance and quick extinction.

101
Q

How could a geologist determine the geological period in which any particular sediment was deposited, while at the outcrop?

A

Usually from the fossils in the rocks.

102
Q

Which of the following pairs are equivalent to one another for relative time - stratigraphic units?

A

Epoch - Series

{This ______ series is Epoch!}

103
Q

You are a geologist studying a sequence of sandstone near Mason, Texas. You claim the age of this sandstone is Cambrian. How could you have determine this age?

A

By studying the fossils in the rocks.

104
Q

You want to give a stratigraphic unit of limestone rocks a formation name located in Edwards County, Texas. In general, how are such formations generally named?

A

Geographic location first, rock type second.

105
Q

You might have to do a little math for this question. About what year did Bishop James Ussher assign to the Earth’s creation?

A

About 4,000 BC.

106
Q

The heat source that Buffon and Kevin missed while they were trying to calculate Earth’s age was _______.

A

….the heat created by radioactive decay.

107
Q

Dendrochronology has been used to try and age-date the Earth which is ________.

A

….counting tree rings.

108
Q

A profound discovery that Boltwood make that led to a major contribution to geology was that he ________.

A

….invented the spectrometer that we use for age dating.

109
Q

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that ______.

A

….cause lung cancer.

110
Q

We learned from studying the radioactive half-life decay of an isotope or atom, and that ________.

A

….each half-life takes as long as the previous half life.

111
Q

Which of the two element pairs are often compared to get a radiometric age date?

A

Potassium - Argon

112
Q

A positive effect that mutations might have on an organism is ________.

A

….one that allows it to survive with an environmental change.

113
Q

What two items are compared to get a radiometric age date?

A

Parent-daughter ratios.

114
Q

The materials that can be used with the Carbon 14 dating method is _________.

A

….only organic material less than 75,000 years old.

115
Q

Rock types that are best for radiometric age dating include __________.

A

….igneous rocks and volcanic ash.

116
Q

What is allopathic speciation?

A

Species that can arise when a small part of its population is isolated from its parent population.

117
Q

Darwin is given credit for the Theory of Evolution because _________.

A

….his paper was the first to be presented at a conference.

118
Q

Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck had the first widely accepted proposal for evolution in 1802. It was based on what we now know to be a false assumption. Which of the following is an example of a false assumption of Lamarck?

A

Giraffes’ necks got longer because they stretched to reach higher leaves, and this was passed on to their offspring.

119
Q

Background extinctions can be compared to _______.

A

….continual extinctions of species like we have today.

120
Q

Determining the age of rocks and fossils can be difficult unless certain conditions prevail. We have learned that relative-age dating _________.

A

….does not tell us how long ago an event occurred; only that one event precedes another.

121
Q

What provides the best large scale evidence for evolution, provided by the geologic sciences?

A

The fossil record.

122
Q

Place the following in order from the longest to shortest time intervals the following geological relative time scales:

A

Eons - Eras - Periods - Epochs

123
Q

An immense spherical “mass” of ice, gas, dust and rocks surrounds our solar system and extends out to more than one light year. It has been proposed that “long period” comets are derived from this scattered mass of objects. This spherical mass is referred to as the _______.

A

….Oort Cloud.
{sphere - Oort - Long - outside solar system}
{Kuiper - short - outside Neptune}

124
Q

There are many theories about the origin of our moon. What is the current “accepted” explanation of the origin of our moon?

A

….Resulted from Earth colliding with a Mars-sized planet.

125
Q

There are three general classifications of meteorites; one of which would include ______ meteorites.

A

….stony iron….

126
Q

On which near-Earth orbit (NEO) asteroid has the US actually soft landed a space probe?

A

….Eros.

127
Q

Which of the following answers are the planets are placed in correct order - moving outward from our Sun?

A 
My
Very
Educated
Mother
Just
Served
Us
Nasty
Pizza
128
Q

With telescopes, we can estimate the number of stars and galaxies and estimate the “visible mass” and energy of our universe. We now estimate that undetectable “dark matter” forms _______.

A

….about 25% of our known universe.

129
Q

Where is the center of our universe?

A

There is no center of our universe because all positions are equivalent.

130
Q

If the Sun were to immediately go dark, we would not know about it for more than eight minutes. This is because the speed of light travels at _________.

A

….186,000 miles per second.

131
Q

We have four outer gas-giant planets along with the four inner rocky planets. Compare the mass of Jupiter to the other solar system planets.

A

Greater than all other solar system planets combined.

132
Q

What is the name of our home galaxy and what type of galaxy is it?

A

Milky Way Galaxy —- a barred spiral galaxy.

133
Q

The discovery and mapping of the CMBR was a major scientific discovery. The significance of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation is that this _________.

A

….represents the energy left over from the Big Bang.

134
Q

A typical spiral galaxy has groupings of star along its arms and within its center. We have learned that center of this galaxy usually has older “yellow stars” while along its spiral arms we find groupings of younger ________.

A

….blue stars.

135
Q

What would cause an “Einstein ring” OR “Einstein cross” to appear in a telescope?

A

A frontal galaxy’s gravity bending of light from a more distant, aligned galaxy.

136
Q

In five billion years from now, explain the ultimate fate of our home galaxy with our nearest largest neighbor galaxy?

A

They will collide and ultimately form one galaxy.

137
Q

The galaxies, often referred to as the Magellanic Clouds ________.

A

….are irregular galaxies only visible from the southern hemisphere.

138
Q

We should know the size of our Sun that we see every day. In miles, what is the Sun’s approximate diameter?

A

800,000 miles.

139
Q

The two atoms (elements) that comprises most of our Sun are ________.

A

….hydrogen and helium.

140
Q

We discussed “light shifts” that would include “red shift”. A red shift spectrum implies ________.

A 
....stars and galaxies are moving away from us.
{Red - Moving Farther
|
|
|
Blue - Moving Closer}
141
Q

The two classifications of giant stars include the blue giants and the _______ giants.

A

….red….

142
Q

We have discovered our star is not alone in having a planetary system. Which method (besides the more recent transit method) is used by astronomers to detect other planets (exoplanets), outside of our own solar system?

A

The wobble of a star.

143
Q

So far, we know of ________ large meteor craters in Texas.

A

….two….

144
Q

The Hubble Space Telescope has taken some incredible pictures of “materials” within our galaxy. We see in the above Hubble picture vast “clouds” of dust and molecules of methane, amino acids, etc. These “clouds” are called ______?

A

….nebula.

145
Q

The largest structure in the visible universe _______.

A

….are great voids of empty space.

146
Q

We discovered space is expanding. We found that the space is ________.

A

….expanding fastest the for the most distance galaxies from Earth.

147
Q

Most of Earth’s largest tectonic plates are composed of a combination of both continental crust and ________ crust.

A

….oceanic….

148
Q

The Earth’s asthenosphere is ________.

A

….the “sphere” that is directly above and adjacent to Earth’s (lower) mantle.

149
Q

When we look to the daylight sky from our Earth, the Sun looks as small as a baseball. From the moon’s surface, the Earth looks the size of a blue marble. We have learned the approximate diameter of our Earth is about ____________.

A

….8,000 miles.

150
Q

Most people do not know that Earth has a liquid iron core which is __________.

A

….the “sphere” that is directly below the Earth’s (lower) mantle.

151
Q

We have learned that “Pangaea” is __________.

A

….the last known super-continent.

152
Q

The Theory of Continental Drift, proposed in 1915 was rejected by the majority of scientists because the _________.

A

….lack of an acceptable mechanism to move the continents.

153
Q

Earth’s internal heat creates a “plastic zone” over which the Earth’s tectonic plates most likely “move”. The original sources of Earth’s remaining internal heat would include kinetic energy from the meteorite impacts, gravitational energy and ______.

A

….Earth’s powerful rotational energy.

154
Q

During the formation of the Earth, huge quantities of hydrogen and helium gas were also present. The original hydrogen and helium ___________.

A

….were mostly lost to space because Earth’s gravity was not strong enough to hold these gases.

155
Q

What visible evidence do we have to show that Earth has a magnetic shield?

A

The aurora borealis.

156
Q

Which one of the following is the only area that science can truly address?

A

Phenomena of the natural world.

157
Q

There are several theories for the various plate movements. The most favored mechanism (today) for plate tectonic movement is the ______ theory.

A

….slab-pull….

158
Q

The presence of rounded pyrite grains (resembling sand) in the earliest sedimentary rocks implies ________.

A

….the lack of free oxygen in the Earth’s early atmosphere.

159
Q

Which one of the following was not a type of evidence used to support the theory of continental drift?

A

The size and locations of Earth’s major river systems.

160
Q

The composition of Earth’s present atmosphere that you are currently breathing contains ________.

A

….approximately 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen.

161
Q

The scientist who is credited with proposing the Theory of Continental Drift is _______.

A

….Alfred Wegener.

162
Q

The generation of Earth’s magnetic field is possibly caused by ________.

A

….Earth’s solid iron core spinning slightly faster than the outer liquid iron core.

163
Q

The scientist who is credited with proposing the Theory of Seafloor Spreading is _________.

A

….H. H. Hess.

164
Q

Describe what happens to a magnetite grain as the grain cools within a basaltic magma.

A

Most magnetite grains align themselves to Earth’s current magnetic field, at the time of cooling.

165
Q

The “magnetic polarity stripes” within the ocean’s seafloor were found to be useful because the stripes _________.

A

….are polarity symmetrical on both sides of a typical mid-oceanic ridge and are thus datable.

166
Q

How is science different from other fields of human endeavor? Science ________.

A

….searches for regularities and patterns in the natural world.

167
Q

Describe a convergent plate boundary including the movement of neighboring plates.

A

This is the area where the plates are coming together (compression).

—-><——

168
Q

When a tectonic divergent zone develops on a continental land mass, this zone is _________.

A

….also called a rift zone.

169
Q

We have many of hot spots on Earth. A hotspot is a location _________.

A

….found only at convergent zones.

170
Q

Describe a transform plate boundary including the movement of neighboring plates.

A

A zone where tectonic plates slide past one another because of a divergent zone.

171
Q

We have defined the Precambrian as _______.

A

….an informal term for all time before the Cambrian.

172
Q

Most Precambrian rock outcrop surfaces are represented by igneous rocks and __________.

A

….metamorphic rocks.

173
Q

Exposures of Precambrian rocks in Texas can be found in Central Texas and __________.

A

….El Paso and Van Horn.

174
Q

Where is found the largest North American Precambrian exposure?

A

Canada shield

175
Q

We have describe a Precambrian platform as _______.

A

….Precambrian rocks that are found under geologically younger-aged rocks.

176
Q

Which of the following describe the rocks surrounding a typical Precambrian geologic province?

A

A core area of igneous rocks surrounded by metamorphic rocks.

177
Q

We have learned that the Earth’s oldest particle, dated at 4.4 billion years is ________.

A

….a zircon crystal.

178
Q

The effect of the moon on the early Earth was vastly different that today’s effect. During the Early Archean Eon ________.

A

….the moon probably caused Earth’s land mass to rise and fall 200 feet each day.

179
Q

The Archean rocks of the “greenstone belts” represent _________.

A

….ancient island arcs that later collided with a continental mass.

180
Q

Greywacke sandstone and its environment would represent ________.

A

….graded-bedding sandstone derived from deep ocean turbidty currents.

181
Q

We find very old deposits of unusual rocks called tillites - what is a tillite?

A

Sedimentary deposits of rocks and boulders derived from icebergs.

182
Q

Banded iron-ore formations of iron oxides and chert were being deposited in the seas for a time that began very early in Earth’s history (starting about 4 billion year ago). The thicknesses and masses of banded iron formations will vary over all geologic time. Describe the occurrence of banded iron formations that were deposited after the end of the time period of 2.0 billion years in Earth’s history.

A

Most of the banded iron formations were already deposited by 3 billion years.

183
Q

The valuable mineral resources commonly found within the Keweenawan basalts include enormous deposits of ________

A

….copper and silver metals.

184
Q

The first continent was created with the Grenville Province that includes part of Texas was named ________.

A

….Rodinia.

185
Q

What is the snowball Earth theory?

A

A time when the entire Earth was covered with ice.

186
Q

All living matter is composed of at least four elements; what are __________.

A

….Chemical compounds of the elements C, H, O and N.

{C}arbon
{H}ydrogen
{O}xygen
{N}itrogen

187
Q

When reviewing our Earth’s early history, we discussed microspheres. We defined a microsphere as _________.

A

….simple non-living organic molecules that show organizational complexity.

188
Q

What geologic evidence indicates that life could have originated on Earth as early as 3.85 billion years ago?

A

The Ediacaran fossils are 3.85 billion years old.

189
Q

Most Early Precambrian fossils are found within ________.

A

….limestone.

190
Q

Stromatolites have survived for billions of years and are actually _________.

A

….cyanobacteria and other bacteria that form colonial associations.

191
Q

We have defined arcitarchs as _________.

A

….cysts of algae.

192
Q

Cyanobacteria describes __________.

A

….an aquatic bacteria that uses photosynthesis.

193
Q

Ediacaran fossils are __________.

A

….fossils found at the beginning of the Archean Period.

194
Q

We often subdivide the Proterozoic Eon as _________.

A

….Early, Middle and Late.

195
Q

How could a geologist determine the geological period in which any particular sediment was deposited, while at the outcrop?

A

Usually from the fossils in the rocks.

196
Q

When did true tetrapods first appear on Earth, according to the fossil record?

A

Devonian.

197
Q

Which one of these statements about the Burgess Shale fossils is false?

A

They are found in British Columbia, Canada.

198
Q

The first vertebrate were _____ and are found as fossils in rocks of the Early _____ Period.

A

Fish —- Cambrian

199
Q

Why are the Early Cambrian Chengjiang fossils from China significant?

A

They are the oldest fossils of Earth’s first complex and diverse animals.

200
Q

What do geologists call the extinction of unusually large numbers of species or higher taxa in a geologically short interval of time?

A

Mass extinction.

201
Q

The study of the origins of early life on Earth is always coming up with new theories. One theory - the Big Bang of Evolution was considered to be the Early Cambrian explosion (or adaptive radiation). What happened to “life” during this Early Cambrian adaptive radiation?

A

Rather sudden appearance on Earth of diverse, complex animals with shells and other new adaptations like heads, eyes, mouths and teeth.

202
Q

What group of animals colonized the land first, based on the fossil record?

A

Animals from Phylum Anthropoda (insects)

203
Q

What major evolutionary step did fish undergo in the Devonian-Silurian Periods?

A

Developed jaws.

204
Q

To describe bodies of water, we use names like ponds, lakes, seas, oceans, etc. We have learned that an epicontinental sea best describes _____

A

….a widespread shallow sea over a craton.

205
Q

Rock types in the Central Texas area of Llano can tell us something about the geologic past of this area. This area has undergone more than one orogeny. The last orogeny responsible for the Llano uplift area is given the name of the ____ Orogeny.

A

Ouachita.

206
Q

On most geologic time scales, we can find reference to the Carboniferous Period. We have learned that the Carboniferous Period represents _____.

A

….a combination of the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian Periods.

207
Q

Which mineral is associated with the Antler Highlands in Nevada?

A

Gold.

208
Q

The latest orogeny associated with the Appalachian Mountains was _____.

A

….the Allegheny Orogeny involving Africa.

209
Q

A mountainous area generally remains as a hilly or mountainous area over geologic time, unless it is subjected to a major rift zone. Some mountains can persist as higher elevations for hundreds of millions of years despite erosion because ______.

A

….of isostatic rebound.

210
Q

At one time, the trilobite Olenellus was used to define the Precambrian - Cambrian boundary. The types of fossil that are used to define the Precambrian - Cambrian boundary today are ______.

A

….trace fossils.

211
Q

The Phanerozoic Eon represents Cambrian time to the present time. Read carefully: The Paleozoic Era represents ______ of the Phanerozoic Eon (after the Precambrian).

A

….about 50%….

212
Q

We have learned that there are seven “Periods” within the Paleozoic Era. Starting from oldest to youngest, which Paleozoic sequence is correct?

A

Cambrian - Ordovician - Silurian - Devonian - Mississippi - Pennsylvanian - Permian

213
Q

We now recognize “Laurentia” as ______.

A

….ancestral North America.

214
Q

Over time, the “sea level” of the world’s oceans and seas are always changing, often because of factors related to plate tectonics. Typically, a regressive sea represents ______.

A

….a fall in sea level from a craton.

215
Q

We can prove massive sea level changes by looking at the rocks. By examining thick stratigraphic sequences of rocks, we can determine if the area was covered with a transgressive or regressive sea. Describe a rock sequence that would be associated with a transgressive sea?

A

Limestone layers over shale layers over sandstone layers.

216
Q

Evolution failed with an early “experiment” of many mammal-like reptiles. One of the mammal-like characteristic shared by these “reptiles” would be ______.

A

….differentiation of teeth.

217
Q

The type of eggs that evolved so that animals could advance to other-than-water environments are termed ______.

A

….amniotic eggs.

218
Q

There are many strange ancient creatures that once lived in Texas. We have learned that carnivorous Dimetrodons and plant eating Edaphosauruses were ______.

A

Permian mammal-like reptiles.

219
Q

Let’s do some name dropping. Seymouria baylorensis, Eryops, Cacops and Diploreulus were ______.

A

Texas Permian amphibians.

Geology 1404 (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions