EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE – PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
RELATIVE DATING/ABSOLUTE DATING TECHNIQUES
Describe the four basic principles of Relative Dating in geology. Describe the Absolute Dating techniques in geology
What is Geologic Time? What is the Geologic Time Scale? What are Eons? What are Periods? What are Epochs? When
was the “Age of the Reptile? Age of Mammals?
EARTH STRUCTURE/COMPOSITION
CORE - MANTLE – CRUST – MINERALOGY? TMPERATURES? DEPTH IN MILES/KILOMETERS?
Lithosphere? Asthenosphere? Minerals? Formation? Temperature? Depth?
Continental Crust - Oceanic Crust - Differences? Minerals? Density?
Wegener’s Theory of Continental Drift? Mechanism for movement? Plate Tectonics? Evidence for?
Hot Spots/Mantle Plumes?
Lithospheric Plate Boundaries: Volcanism? Earthquakes? Which boundary type?
Convergent: (# of types? Give examples and description of landforms possible) Subduction Zone
surface/topographic Features
Divergent ( # of types? Description/Examples) Topographic features?
Transform (Description/Examples) Surface/Topographic Features?
EARTH PROCESSES/LANDFORMS
Volcanoes
Forms: Shield - Stratovolcano (composite) - Cinder Cone – Plug Dome – Calderas
Explosivity controls? Magma rising mechanisms? Erupting? Rock melting processes?
Felsic Magma vs Mafic Magma - Differences? Controls? Minerals?
Calderas? Krakatau? Mt. Mazama (Crater Lake, Oregon)?
Diastrophism
Isotasy
Folding: Anticline? Syncline? Recumbent fold? Overturned fold
Faulting : Scarp? Normal Fault? Reverse Fault? Reverse Thrust? Transform/Transcurrent Fault?
Horst and Graben (Give examples) Fault Block Mountains? Folded Mountains?
Earthquakes? P-waves, S-waves? Epicenter? Focus?
Measurement: Richter vs. Mercalli
Significant EQ in recent North American history
Tsunami and other earthquake effects: liquefaction, displacement, seiches, groundwater movement
EARTH MATERIALS:
Elements in the crust: Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminum, Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium and Magnesium
Minerals: Non-Silicates: and Silicates: Commercial value for Minerals?
SILICATES:
Felsic: Quartz, Feldspars Mafic: Biotite Mica, Hornblende Ultramafic: Olivine
NON-SILICATES:
Evaporites: Halite (salt)
Precipitates: Gypsum
Igneous: Where formed? Environments?
(Plutonic) Intrusive,: Granite (Felsic); Diorite (Intermediate); Gabbro (Mafic)
(Volcanic) Extrusive,: Rhyolite (Felsic); Andesite (Intermediate); Basalt (Mafic)
Sedimentary: Environments: Formation: Minerals
Clastic: Sandstone; Mudstone; Siltstone; Claystone (SHALE)
Chemically Precipitated: Inorganic: Limestone; Chert (Jasper, Agate)
Organic: Coral, Chalk, Coquina
Organic: Coal (PeatLigniteBituminousAnthracite)
Metamorphic: Environments for metamorphism?
Foliated: Slate, Schist, Gneiss (Parent rock to metamorphic rock)
Non-foliated: Marble, Quartzite
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY PRACTICE TEST –
1.
In relation to Earth’s surface, the term ‘tectonic plates’ refers to the:
a. Mid-Ocean ridges
b. Rocks that form visible portion of continents
c. Rocks that form the ocean basin
d. Large moving sections of Earth’s crust
2.
Earth’s inner core is composed of:
a. Molten lava
b. Molten iron and nickel
c. Solid iron and nickel
d. Solid basalt
3.
The greatest concentration of destructive earthquakes occur:
a. Along the mid-ocean ridges
b. Around the Pacific Ring of Fire
c. In California
d. In the Appalachians
4.
The portion of the Earth that is composed of plastic, high temperature rock:
a. Inner core
b. Outer core
c. Mesosphere
d. Asthenosphere
5.
Which of these layers of the Earth’s interior may have convection currents that transport the crustal plates?
a. Asthenosphere
b. Inner core
c. Outer core
6.
Igneous rocks that are cooled and solidified at the Earth’s surface are considered to be
a. Plutonic
b. Volcanic
c. Intrusive
d. Metamorphic
7. The most
a.
b.
c.
b.
8.
Which
a.
b.
c.
d.
common mineral group found in Earth’s crust is:
Silicates
Oxides
Carbonates
Bromides
of the following is not a Chemical Sedimentary rock?
Limestone
Dolomite
Coal
Chert
9. _____________ sedimentary rocks are formed of inorganic rock and mineral fragments.
a. Chemical
b. Clastic
c. Organic
d. Plastic
10. The second most abundant element of the Earth’s crust is aluminum
a. True
b. False
KEY: 1. d
2. c
3. b
4. d
5. a
6. b
7. a
8. c
9. b
10. b
POSSIBLE ESSAY QUESTIONS FOR EXAM 3
1.
WHAT IS A STRATOVOLCANO? DESCRIBE ITS CHARACTERISTIC SHAPE AND NAME A GEOGRAPHIC
EXAMPLE.
WHERE ARE THESE TYPES OF VOLCANOES FOUND? WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL DO THEY
ERUPT? WHAT TYPE OF ERUPTION IS MOST COMMON? HOW DO STRATOVOLCANOES DIFFER FROM
OTHER VOLCANOES? WHAT CONDITIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR FORMATION?
2.
DESCRIBE AND IDENTIFY THE THREE TYPES OF CONVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES. INCLUDE IN YOUR
DISCUSSION ANY LANDFORMS, TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES, ROCK-TYPE, OR OTHER PHYSICAL PROCESSES
THAT MAY RESULT ALONG THESE BOUNDARIES. NAME A GEOGRAPHIC EXAMPLE OF EACH.
3.
DESCRIBE THE THREE GRADE OF METAMORPHISM. NAME THE ROCK TYPE THAT FORMS WITH EACH
GRADE, AND THE PARENT ROCK FOR EACH METAMORPHIC ROCK FORMED. INCLUDE IN YOUR ESSAY, A
DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATONS FOR EACH METAMORPHIC PROCESS, AS WELL AS
CONTRASTING FOLIATED AND NON-FOLIATED METAMORPHIC ROCKS.
4.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST EXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS AND INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS (I.E., TEXTURE,
COOLING RATES, NAMES). INCLUDE IN YOUR ESSAY THE POSSIBLE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS FOR THE
FORMATION OF EACH TYPE OF IGNEOUS ROCK.
5.
HOW DOES SILICA CONTENT IN MAGMA CONTROL EXPLOSIVITY IN A VOLCANIC ERUPTION? WHICH
TYPE OF MAGMA HAS A HIGHER SILICA CONTENT? DOES SILICA AFFECT VISCOSITY OF MAGMA?
6.
HOW DOES SEDIMENT (WEATHERED, TRANSPORTED, DEPOSITED AND BURIED) BECOME A SEDIMENTARY
ROCK? CAN YOU DESCRIBE LITHIFICATION PROCESSES OF COMPACTION AND CEMENTATION?
7.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NORMAL FAULT AND A REVERSE FAULT? IDENTIFY THE FORCES
THAT PRODUCE NORMAL AND REVERSE FAULTS. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS TYPICAL OF EACH?
8.
IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE THE TWO BASIC METHODS FOR MEASURING EARTHQUAKES: MERCALLI AND
RICHTER SCALE. HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT? WHAT DOES EACH OF THEM MEASURE? HOW DO
GEOLOGISTS AND SEISMOLOGIST USE THESE SCALES IN MEASURING EARTHQUAKES?
9.
DESCRIBE FAULT BLOCK MOUNTAINS, VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS, AND FOLDED MOUNTAINS. WHAT ARE
THE FORCES INVOLVED THAT CREATE THESE TYPES OF MOUNTAINS? WHERE WOULD VOLCANIC
MOUNTAINS BE FOUND?
WHERE WOULD FAULT BLOCK MOUNTAINS BE FOUND – OR FOLDED
MOUNTAINS. INCLUDE A GEOGRAPHIC EXAMPLE OF EACH TYPE OF MOUNTAIN.