this introductory Chapter gives a broad overview of what we will cover this semester.  Just simple facts, such as key words, lend themselves to True/False and Multiple Choice questions.  Other questions are more involved.  Do you know our current theory for the origin of the Universe and what data we have to support that theory?  what about the solar system?  What is the Greenhouse effect?  What is a threshold event, why is it such a problem and why do politicians not want to deal with them?  Where does the energy come from that powers large storms like hurricanes?

This introductory chapter is concerned with setting the stage for future discussions. You should know about the differences between linear and exponential growth, the doubling time equation and how to solve it. You should be able to discuss the concept of carrying capacity and what it means to us, why population is growing, population momentum, and how population growth impacts the environment. What is a sustainable society? Do we have one? What will we have to do to obtain one? What are the problems with our moving in that direction? What specific impacts do population growth have on energy and resource consumption, global warming, land, water, forests and other resources? What were the Green Revolutions?  What is the danger of too many poor people moving to the city?  What is the danger of our moving to close to the forests?

Handouts and Videos

Under "Film Quizzes" are some questions and comments about the two films that we have seen.  I will ask questions about those films on the Exam.

Remember that the key words are important. They make good true/false questions and multiple choice questions.

During our discussions of these topics I have frequently paused to talk about how we impact these processes.  Those comments are also part of the material that you will be tested upon.

Chapter 6 - Streams and Flooding

Can you diagram and discuss the parts of the hydrologic cycle?
Be able to discuss the types of load that a stream carries and what happens to the pieces of sediment, clasts, during transport.
Be able to discuss the relationship between gradient and velocity of stream flow and how this is used to locate various stream landforms.
Can you calculate gradient?
Can you calculate discharge?
Can you discuss the evolution of the landforms that occur on a floodplain?  (meanders, etc.)
What are dams used for?  What are some of the consequences of dam construction?
What are the effects of urbanization?
What are the options to deal with floods? What are the drawbacks to these options?

Chapter 10 - Water as a Resource

Be able to identify or describe the various parts of the unconfined and confined aquifers.
Can you describe the various water pollutants and the governmental bodies that are charged with dealing with these pollutants?
What happens when ground water is withdrawn?
What is water mining?
Can you describe the mitigation techniques used to prevent salt water intrusion in our coastal areas?

Chapter 16 - Water Pollution

What are point sources and non point sources of pollution?  What is the problem with non point sources?
What are some of the ways we pollute our water?  How do they effect wildlife?
Why is it so easy for us to pollute ground water as opposed to surface waters?

Can you describe and contrast the methods of dealing with waste? Can you describe the various strategies used in dealing with waste? What are their strengths and their drawbacks?
Can you describe the different types of waste and the different classes of waste disposal facilities?
Can you describe or diagram or identify the parts of a well designed solid waste facility?
How do we deal with hazardous waste?
 

           What causes waves? What causes coastal erosion and deposition?
            How does man attempt to control the movement of sediment along
            the beach?  Where does beach sediment originate?  How is it
            transported to the shore?  How does man impact this
            transportation?
            What are the parts of the beach?

What factors control climate? What causes climate change? What evidence is there of climate change, in the past, now? How has our climate changed during and after the ice age?
What is necessary for the development of an ice sheet?
Can you describe the carbon cycle? What are the various locations of carbon storage as shown in that cycle?
What evidence do we have for Global Warming? What evidence do we have that it is not happening? What can we do about it?
Can you identify the various winds that form the global wind pattern of the Earth?

       What are the types of deserts? Why do they exist where they do?            
       What causes them?
       How does wind play a part in the development of desert landforms?
       What is a desert?
       Can you identify the various types of sand dunes?  Can you tell from
            which direction the wind is blowing in the desert?
      How do you develop a desert pavement?

Remember that the key words are important. They make good true/false questions and multiple choice questions.

During our discussions of these topics I have frequently paused to talk about how we impact these processes.  Those comments are also part of the material that you will be test upon.

You must know the various physical properties that are used to distinguish between different minerals.
Do you know how to calculate the electrical charge on an ion?
You should know the different mineral families and what basic building block each has.
You should have memorized the 9 silicate minerals on the "Y" diagram (Bowen’s Reaction Series.
Know the Rock Cycle as I presented it in class.
Be able to describe the various textures that enable us to distinguish between different rocks. You should also know the names of the rocks that I gave in class.
Know how we relatively date geologic time. Be able to calculate the age of material using the radioactivity chart we developed in class.
I spoke at length about the dinosaurs, be able to answer questions as to their agility, social habits, warm bloodedness, etc.
I spoke about early forms of life.  Be able to discuss what type of feeding mechanisms developed first, second, etc.
I spoke about the concept of natural selection and evolution.  Know the rational that supports this theory and why natural selection was proposed.
Be able to describe the origin of the solar system and the universe and explain what evidence must be explained by these theories, or what facts support these theories.

ESCI 101
EXAM 4
Study Guide

During our discussions of these topics I have frequently paused to talk about how we impact these processes.  Those comments are also part of the material that you will be test upon.

Know the types of plate boundaries. Know how we distinguish them. Which way do the plates move at each type of boundary? Know the geographic examples for each type of boundary.
I spoke at some length about the different type of volcanic eruptions at the various boundaries. Be able to describe this to me.
What was the evidence that Wegner had to promote Continental Drift? What were the factors for which he had no answer and which proved to be the undoing of his theory?

Know the different types of weathering. Be able to describe the various examples of each of the two types.
Know the four (4) soil horizons, their composition and order, and what happens in each. 
Be able to discuss the three (3) different types of soils that we have.

Know the types of mass wasting. What is mass wasting important for? When do the various events occur.
What can we do to mitigate the effects of mass wasting.

During our discussions of these topics I have frequently paused to talk about how we impact these processes.  Those comments are also part of the material that you will be test upon.

Know the key words
How do earthquakes happen? What are the hazards and how do we mitigate them?
Know the intensity and magnitude scales and what they stand for.
How do you measure the earthquake and how do you locate one?
What types of earthquakes happen at different plate boundaries and intraplate?
Be able to identify the types of faults from diagrams.

    Know the key words.
    How do volcanoes happen? What are the hazards and how do we mitigate them?     
    How do we predict their eruption?
    What is viscosity and how does it affect the types of eruptions?
    What kinds of mountains are built by volcanic eruptions?
    How does this relate to the products of their eruption?

    Know the key terms.
    Why do we need to concentrate minerals for economic ore deposits?
    Have general knowledge of the types of deposits by rock type.
    How are minerals processed and what does that provide as a hazard?
    Be able to discuss coal mining and its hazards.
    Know the Mining Law of 1872, why it was enacted and why it may need to be changed.
    What is AMD?

    Be able to discuss the origin and production of oil and Natural Gas.
    Be able to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various unconventional sources of liquid and gaseous petroleum.
    Be able to discuss the types of solar power, nuclear power, and other alternative sources of power.

Know the boundary conditions. Be able to identify from a map which way the plates are moving, what kind of volcanoes and eruptions occur their and the type of earthquakes.

Important Paradigm

Be able to explain the difference between the internal heat engine that causes the build up of the surface of the earth and the external heat engine that tears it down.  Be able to give examples of the various processes involved in each.