ESCI 110
Exam 1
Study Guide
Astronomy
I gave in class, and it is in your text, a listing of the
important people involved in our understanding of astronomy. You should
know them and what they contributed.
We discussed the origin of the Universe and the Solar System and the data that
supports our understanding of these processes.
We discussed the components of the solar system and the evolution of stars.
Know such terms as parallax and doppler effect.
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics is the unifying theme for modern Geology. Most of the world’s population live in areas directly affected by Plate Boundaries. These are the places where most of the volcanism and earthquake activity happens.
What were the lines of evidence that lead Wegner to propose Continental Drift?
What were the two flaws in his theory?
What evidence lead to the current theory of global plate tectonics?
What evidence do we have that proves that plates are actually moving?
What are the three types of plate boundaries and their sub-types?
Know the geographic examples I gave you for each type of plate boundary.
Be able to list the sequence of layers in the Ophiolite Sequence and know why the sequence and why each layer has the appearance it does.
Volcanoes
We are beginning to talk about geologic processes that can present hazards to man‘s activities. Remember that you should be viewing these processes in a certain train of thought. First, what is the process, how does it work, where does it occur? Secondly, how does this process present a hazard to man’s activities? And thirdly, what attempts have been made to prevent or deter such hazardous consequences, and do they work?
Know the types of volcanic mountains formed.
Know the differences between the eruptive styles.
Know the differences in rock composition and type that lead to the different eruptive styles.
Know where these eruptive styles occur and why.
Be able to describe, as noted above, the hazards associated with volcanic eruptions.
Be able to describe or identify the various types of plutons formed by igneous intrusions.
Exam 2
Study Guide
Minerals
You should know what a mineral is. You should now about the atoms, parts of the atom and how we use this information to determine ionic bonding. The types of bonds were discussed. Of course the physical properties that we use to distinguish between minerals are important. Be able to list the minerals shown on the Y diagram, Bowen’s Reaction Series. Be able to talk about the basic building blocks of the various families of minerals.
Rocks
Be able to discuss and/or diagram the rock cycle with the various arrows showing how rocks change into other types of rocks. This includes known the difference between the three types of rocks. We use texture to distinguish between different rock types. Know the various textures used, be able to describe these textures and tell them apart from one another. You should be able to distinguish between some basic rocks that were mentioned in class and to relate the story these rocks tell Geologists based upon how they are found. These stories relate events in the past that have lead to what we see today. Can you match rock names with their textures?
Earthquakes
This is another geologic process that exposes man’s activities to hazard!
Know how and why earthquakes occur and where.
Know the methods of measuring earthquakes.
Know how to locate the epicenter of an earthquake.
Know the differences between forecasting and prediction as it relates to earthquakes.
Be able to explain the different geologic hazards associated with earthquakes.
Geologic Structures
Know the three flavors of stress.
Be able to identify the types of folds.
Be able to identify the types of faults.
Be able to explain strike and dip.
Know about the types of mountains and the examples I gave.
ESCI 110
EXAM 3 Study Guide
Of course you should know the key words in each of the chapters. These make good True/False and Multiple choice questions.
Chapter on Weathering and Mass Wasting
You must know the types of weathering and examples of each. Be able to describe the processes involved.
Be knowledgeable on how soils form, what the various horizons are and what happens in each. What are the factors that control coil development?
Know the types of mass wasting events and the process involved in each. What time of year do they occur? How would you distinguish between the events in the field?
Chapter on Streams and Ground Water
Know how to calculate gradient and discharge. Know how a stream handles changes in discharge and sediment load.
Be able to identify the parts of a ground water system and tell what happens when pumping occurs.
Be able to identify or describe the evolution of a meander scar from a stream.
Be able to describe the changes in discharge that occur with urbanization.
Know about the various problems with dams and levees and their reasons for being.
Know what happens to sediment that is transported by wind or water. Be able to calculate gradient.
Be able to describe or calculate porosity and permeability.
Chapter on Deserts
Why do deserts occur where they do?
What types of stream flow and lakes do we usually have in our deserts?
Be able to identify the types of sand dunes.
Chapter on Glaciers
Know the various depositional and erosional landforms that occur in glaciated areas.
Know the types of glaciers and what they predominantly do, erosion or deposition.
Why do glaciers form? What is required for their formation? What controls their advance and retreat? What causes the initiation of a glacial ice age?
Plate Tectonics
Remember that I said that we would have questions on Plate Tectonics on each of the following exams, except the final exam, which covers Climate and Weather. You can expect to see maps taken from the geographic examples. Since so many of you had problems with the Ophiolite sequence last time you can expect to see a question of two on that as well.
ESCI 110
Exam 4
Study Guide
Chapter on Oceans
Know the types of oceanic sediment based upon the sources of sediment.
This is the listing I gave in class.
Know the parts of the ocean floor.
Know how plate tectonics affects such things a sediment thickness and depth
to the ocean floor.
Be able to identify the types of reefs.
Be able to discuss the differences between an Active and a Passive
Continental Margin.
Chapter on Coastlines
Be able to identify and/or describe the various erosional and
depositional landforms associated with a coastline.
Be able to discuss the longshore current and littoral drift. How and why
does sediment move along the coast? How to tell the direction of sediment
movement in the coastal zone.
Know the effects of man’s intrusion into the coastal processes.
Be able to explain tides, neap and spring, diurnal and semidiurnal as well
as mixed.
What are turbidity currents? Where are they found? How do you tell if they
are active by sediments left? How do they fit in with longshore currents?
Chapter on Geologic Time
Be able to discuss the concept of relative dating. Know the various Laws
and Principles used.
Be able to interpret a cross-section using relative dating techniques.
Be able to calculate the age of a substance using radiometric-dating
techniques.
Understand and be able to discuss the observations made by Darwin as they
relate to the general concept of evolution. Know why scientists today
believe that evolution is real and active. Why do we not look for missing
links?
Know the geologic time chart at least to the "Ages of ____".
Be able to discuss the concept that Dinosaurs were not just lumbering
cold-blooded reptiles.
Be able to discuss the concept of the birds being the descendants of
dinosaurs.
What information do we have on Lucy/Lucifer? What information do we have on
the origin of man?
Plate Tectonics
Once again, as on the last exam, you can expect to see questions on plate tectonics, including a map.
FINAL EXAM
Study Guide
Chapter on Atmosphere
Do you know how many atmospheres the earth has had? What their composition was? How they formed?
Be able to explain or identify the temperature layering of the atmosphere, what causes the various layers, what the source of heating is.
Can you identify the four seasons from a perspective off the earth? Can you identify and tell how the location of the various "lines" on the earth's surface are determined?
How is heat transferred, through a solid, through a liquid, through a vacuum.
Can you explain the Greenhouse Effect?
Chapter on Moisture in the Atmosphere
Can you describe the states of matter? What are the changes in state? What occurs at these changes? Can you calculate the energy involved in these changes? What is so important about the concept of latent heat?
Can you define the various types of humidity? Can you calculate the Relative Humidity? Can you explain the controls on Relative Humidity?
A very important concept is that of adiabatic heating and cooling. Can you explain how and why it occurs?
Can you calculate the temperature at various elevations using the normal lapse rate, the dry adiabatic and the we adiabatic lapse rates? What is the difference between the two adiabatic lapse rates? When do you use each of them?
In general terms can you describe the types of clouds? What cloud type gives the long lasting gentle rainfall? What cloud type gives the torrential downpour?
Can you explain fog? What are the types of fog?
There are two types of precipitation, can you describe the occurrence of each?
Chapter on Wind
Why is there wind?
Can you explain the Coriolis Effect? Why does it happen? What does it cause?
Can you draw and indicate the wind directions in the Highs and Lows that occur in the mid latitude belts?
Can you describe or identify the general circulation pattern of Earth's atmosphere?
Can you describe and tell why the local wind patterns develop?
El Nino and La Nina have major impacts on our weather and the weather around the world. How and why do they form? What seems to control them? Can they be predicted and how?
Chapter on Severe Weather
Can you describe the types of air masses, where they form and what changes occur as they move?
What is a front? What are the types of fronts? What happens at each of the types of fronts, i.e. weather, cloud pattern, etc? How are fronts indicated on weather maps?
A mid latitude cyclone has both a warm and a cold front. As it traverses the United States, these fronts move. Can you describe or identify the types of weather that occur behind and in front of the fronts as the mid latitude cyclone moves across the country?
Can you identify the three stages of the development of a thunderstorm and tell what kind of rainfall is occurring and the direction of air movement in the cloud. Can you describe how thunderstorms develop? What is the difference and why the difference between our thunderstorms and those in Tornado alley?
What is a tornado, where does it develop, why and how does it develop?
Describe a hurricane and the weather that occurs in the various parts of this storm? What are the dangers presented by a storm such as a hurricane? What are typhoons?
What is the source of the energy to drive tornadoes and hurricanes?
Chapter on Climate
I will only be concerned about global warming, its consequences and the various feedback mechanisms that affect.
As always, I will be more than happy to review your cheat sheet for this exam, at any time during the course of the lectures for this exam. The exam period is longer, and the exam will be commensurately longer as well. the format will be the same as all of the preceding exams.