Study Guide – Geology 104
Scientific Method
Steps of the scientific method from flow chart in power point
 observation
 hypothesis
 predictions and testing (experimentation)
 acceptance/modification of hypothesis
Attributes of the Scientific method (repeatable, unprejudiced, falsifiable)
The process used in following the scientific method
Why Intelligent Design is NOT considered a scientific theory by scientists
The accepted age of the Earth
Minerals
Defining characteristics of a mineral (inorganic, naturally occurring, solid, crystalline
structure, chemically unique)
Identifying properties of a mineral (e.g. luster, hardness, cleavage, etc)
Composition of the Silicate Ion
The most abundant mineral group
Factors that control the shape and size of a well-formed crystal
 rate of cooling (controls size)
 space to grow (controls whether crystal is well-formed)
Why coal, and oil are/are not considered minerals
Identifiable minerals by color:
 potassium feldspar
 olivine
Identifiable mineral by shape – calcite
Identifiable mineral by hardness scale – gypsum
Rocks
3 main categories of rocks
The Rock Cycle
difference between magma and lava
Criteria used to classify igneous rocks – texture, mineral composition
Textures – coarse-grained vs. fine-grained
Why crystal size determines origin of igneous rocks
difference between plutonic (intrusive) and volcanic (extrusive) igneous rocks
identifiable igneous rocks by crystal size
 volcanic (crystals too small to see) – basalt
 plutonic (large crystals) – granite
how sediment is lithified
common types of sedimentary rocks: shale, sandstone, limestone
identifiable sedimentary rocks – sandstone, shell limestone
what is metamorphism
what factors cause metamorphism
identifiable metamorphic rock - quartzite
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Plate Tectonics
Alfred Wegener’s observations supporting Continental Drift
Differences between Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift
Features of divergent, convergent, transform fault boundaries
Layers of the Earth and their features, based on physical properties
 lithosphere (includes both crust and upper mantle)
 asthenosphere
 mesosphere (lower mantle)
 core (inner and outer)
Sea floor spreading
 where it is occurring in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean
 where it is occurring on land
Subduction
 oceanic – continental
 oceanic – oceanic
What happens when 2 continental plate boundaries converge
the difference between ocean crust and continental crust
San Andreas Fault and what tectonic plates are separated by it
Earthquakes
Definition of an earthquake
How rocks store elastic energy
What causes the release of the energy
Difference between P and S waves
How to use P and S waves to find the epicenter
What is S-P interval
how to read a seismogram to find S-P interval
How to use S-P graph to find distance to epicenter
Where Earthquakes are most likely to occur
how a seismograph works
How to find Earthquake magnitude using the Richter Nomogram
Differences between Richter and Moment Magnitude
Volcanoes
3 processes that generate magma in the asthenosphere
Where volcanoes are most likely to occur
Where is the Ring of Fire
Differences between shield cones, cinder cones and composite cones
The difference between granitic and basaltic magma; including composition and origin
what is a caldera
what is a dike, sill, batholith
Identifiable volcanoes – from the presentations
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