Earth’s Structure
1. Describe the origin of Earth.
2. Know the different layers of Earth’s interior and their properties – crust, mantle, outer core,
inner core.
3. Know differences between oceanic versus continental crust – composition, density, what is
basalt, what is granite.
4. What are the 2 types of seismic waves? Describe each.
5. Describe how p-waves and s-waves help determine the property of Earth’s interior.
6. What is the lithosphere composed of?
7. What is the importance of a partially-molten asthenosphere in which the lithospheric plates sit
on top of?
8. Know the composition of earth’s interior layers
Plate Tectonics
Make a drawing showing how plate tectonics works. Label the important elements such as the midocean ridge, subduction zone, trench, continental and oceanic crust and their compositions ,et.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
List 4 lines of evidence that supports continental drift. Explain each.
Why was the Continental Drift Model not accepted?
Why was Continental Drift reexamined in the 1960’s?
What are the supporting evidence of Seafloor Spreading?
Briefly describe the idea behind Seafloor Spreading. Make a sketch show how sea floor
spreading works.
6. Describe how earthquakes, volcanoes, age of seafloor, paleomagnetism help support the idea of
plate boundaries.
7. What was the mechanism that provided the driving force to move lithospheric plates?
8. Who introduced the Theory of Plate Tectonics?
9. What are the Principles of Plate Tectonics?
10. Describe the three types of plate boundaries and give an example of each
Describe the three types of convergent boundaries and give examples of each
Earthquakes
Video on 2011 Earthquake in Japan
Was there much destruction of building? Why or why not?
Why did water come up to the surface during the earthquake?
When did the San Francisco earthquake occur?
What caused most of the damage?
On which fault did the earthquake occur?
Describe the elastic rebound theory for earthquakes.
Stress is the deformation of the rock T/F
Strain is the deformation of the rock T/F
These are the 3 types of stresses ___________, _________________, ______________
Which stresses are associated with convergent boundaries?
Which stresses are associated with divergent boundaries?
Which stresses are associated with transform boundaries?
When stress is applied to a rock, plastic deformation occurs before elastic deformation T/F
In a normal fault which goes up (hanging wall or footwall) and which goes down (hanging wall or
footwall)
In a reverse fault which goes up (hanging wall or footwall) and which goes down (hanging wall or
footwall)?
In a thrust fault which goes up (hanging wall or footwall) and which goes down (hanging wall or
footwall)?
What is a strike slip fault?
What is the difference between a reverse and thrust fault?
In which tectonic setting (divergent, convergent, transform boundary) are we likely to find normal
faults?
In which tectonic setting are we likely to find reverse faults
In which tectonic setting are we likely to find thrust faults?
In which tectonic setting are we likely to find strike slip fault
What is the difference between a seismograph and a seismogram?
What are P waves, S-waves, L-wavers & R-waves?
Which travel the fastest: P waves, S-waves, L-wavers & R-waves?
Which travel trough both liquid and solids: P waves, S-waves, L-wavers & R-waves?
Which travel through only liquid: P waves, S-waves, L-wavers & R-waves?
Which are body waves: P waves, S-waves, L-wavers & R-waves?
Which are surface waves: P waves, S-waves, L-wavers & R-waves?
Which cause most of the damage: Body wave or Surface waves?
Describe how we locate an earthquake?
Describe how we determine the magnitude of an earthquake?
What two things does the Mercalli Intensity Scale measure?
Why did the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake cause more damage near Oakland and San Francisco and Less
near Santa Cruz near where the epicenter was locate?
List at least 6 thins that we should do to insure that buildings do not collapse and that roads and bridges
do not collapse
Earthquakes 2
What is the difference between a forecast and a prediction?
Describe how the following are used to indicate that an earthquake might occur:
Earthquake precursors—List the different precursors
Seismic gaps
Migrating earthquakes
Paleoseismology
Water injections
How was the damage/destruction different between the 1906 San Francisco
Earthquake and the 1994 Northridge earthquake?
Iran is situated in this type of plate boundary (convergent, divergent, transform)?
Volcanoes
Lecture Review
1. What are the 3 types of magma discussed in lecture? Know their SiO2 compositions,
temperature, viscosity, gas content.
2. What is viscosity? What two factors affect a magma’s viscosity? In which way? i.e. if we
increase temperature, what happens to viscosity?
3. Which magma tends to be the most fluid (less viscous)? Is this magma likely to produce
an explosive or quiet eruption?
4. Briefly explain how volcanic eruptions occur.
5. What are primary effects of a volcanic eruption?
6. What are the main differences between “aa” and “pahoehoe” lavas?
7. Briefly explain the difference between “ash falls” and “ash flows”.
8. What is a “surge”? How are they formed?
9. “Blocks” and “bombs” are examples of pyroclastic material ejected from a volcano. How
big are they? What is the difference between the two?
10. Name 4 poisonous gas emitted from a volcano.
11. What is a “lahar”?
12. How do volcanic eruptions effect our atmosphere? i.e. What happens to the overall
global temperature? How does this happen?
13. How do volcanic eruptions cause famine and disease?
Volcano Mitigation Lecture
With regard to magma, know which type of magma has the highest viscosity,
lowest viscosity, etc., SiO2 content, and which is more likely to produce an
explosive eruption vs. an effusive eruption.
What are the two examples of basaltic volcanoes and describe the characteristics of
each.
Which volcano is usually associated with andesitic magma?
Know the characteristics of a composite cone.
What type of volcano is usually associated with rhyolitic lavas? What are its
characteristics?
What is the main difference between a caldera and a crater? How do each form?
Know the 6 types of eruption styles and be able to define each.
What is the difference between an active, extinct, and dormant volcano?
What is long-term forecasting? How is it used to assess hazards and risks for
future volcanoes?
With regard to short-term predictions, know the 7 methods to volcano monitoring.
Global Warming (Do not answer those that are crossed out.)
Lecture
1. What is global warming? How much of an increase in the last century? How
much is expected in the next century?
2. What is the main cause that has accelerated climate change?
3. What is the Industrial Revolution? When did it begin?
4. Be able to name the greenhouse gases in order of abundance.
5. Describe the Greenhouse Effect.
6. What are some of the causes that increase greenhouse gases?
7. What are the natural causes that may explain Ice Age occurrences?
8. What is the Milankovich Theory? Describe Eccentricity, Obliquity, and
Precession.
9. Describe the Hydrologic Cycle.
10.What is Relative Humidity? Know that warm air holds more water vapor.
11.What is Adiabatic Cooling? Orographic Effect?
12.What is Atmospheric Pressure? What is the difference between Cyclone and
Anticyclone.
13.Know at what latitude air rises and air sinks.
14.What is the Coriolis Effect? In which direction are winds deflected in the
Northern Hemisphere? Southern Hemisphere?
15.Explain how increased temperatures affect flooding, coastal erosion,
hurricanes, and wildfires.
Beaches --Lecture
1. Which 3 factors determine the size of a wave?
2. How can there be large waves on the coast on a sunny summer day with little wind?
3. What is a beach?
4. Know beach types and give an example of each
5. How are beaches classified?
6. What is the difference between a summer beach and winter beach?
7. Why does a beach grow in the summer and shrink in the winter?
8. What is wave refraction?
9. How are longshore currents developed? Make a sketch
10. Where does deposition and erosion occur when a groin is constructed on the beach.
Make a sketch.
11. Where does deposition occur when a breakwater is constructed on the beach. Make
sketch.
12. Make a sketch showing how longshore transport develops.
13. What is a rip current? How is it formed?
14. Which beaches are likely to develop rip currents?
15. Describe movement of longshore current in terms of “swash” and “backwash”.
16. What is deposition and what are some of its features? Erosion and its features?
17. What happens to a barrier island when sea level rises?
18. What is the major source of sand for beaches?
19. Name two other sources for beach sand
20. Cliffs also erode through hydraulic impact, abrasion, solution and biological activity.
Know what each is.
21. Would the following increase or decrease or decrease sand supply to the beaches
a.
dams
b.
sand and gravel quarries
c.
concrete on river channels
d.
installation of seawalls and rip rap
22. What is a cliff, wave cut bench, and marine terrace?
23. Make a drawing of the cliffs and label the important parts and describe how they erode
the cliff
24. What are some depositional features along the coast.
25. Know some of human impacts and interventions.
26. Would the following increase or decrease coastal erosion
a. Buildings on cliffs
b. Increase of water drainage onto the cliffs
c. Construction of seawalls and placement of rip rap.
27. What is beach nourishment?