Introduction to Geology Exam 1 (yellow) Review - AppState

T/F Rocks are made out of minerals

True

What property defines chemical element with specific properties (e.g. Carbon)?

The number of protons in its nucleus

In addition to being a natural solid, what two properties are used to define (name) a mineral?

Chemical (elemental) composition and internal arrangement of atoms

Why does continental crust (~granite) never get subducted (recycled down into mantle)?

Continental-granitic is less dense (more buoyant) than oceanic-basaltic crust

The "cleavage & fracture" of a mineral are controlled by:

The internal arrangement of the atoms

T/F Igneous rocks form when heat & pressure are applied to a preexisting rock.

False

T/F All atoms on Earth that are heavier than Hydrogen or Helium formed inside of a star much older than our Sun.

True

What is the most important in the formation of sedimentary rocks?

Weathering, Transport, Deposition, Lithification

On what criteria did Bowen select his elements for his experiment in mineral crystalization?

He tried to replicate the average composition of the Earth's crust

Which two criteria are used to classify igneous rocks?

Mineral composition and crystal size

If an igneous rock forms from magma that cooled very, very fast, the results will be:

A rock with no crystals (glass)

Magma is molten rock that is:

Is present deep below ground

How do sediments turn into Sedimentary rocks?

Weathering & transport

Which are potential products of weathering?

Angular (crystal) grains and ions dissolved in solution

During continued heat and pressure from metamorphism, pre-existing crystal grains in a rock:

Grow larger and rotate & align

A faceted gem stone is one that has:

Many small cut faces in a geometric pattern

Which natural resource are we most likely to run out of in coming decades?

Sand

Which geologic event is associated with the beginning of the Hadean Eon?

No rocks are preserved

Which geologic event is associated with the beginning of the Phanerozoic Eon?

Multicellular life with hard skeletons first appear

In science, which plays the most important role:

Evidence that can be witnessed by anyone who chooses to observe

Historical Geology is an inductive science. This means:

One interprets ancient causes from observable, historical results

In pop culture, which show practices the methods most similar to those of Historical Geology?

Murder mystery stories where detectives or clever citizens use clues to solve a murder.

Science is a body of knowledge about the natural world. Which is not a goal of science?

Why things exist

T/F Science allows for us to have a very stable world view (for example, our ideas about the origin and age of the Earth have not changed much over last 100 years)

False

The three major rock types are:

Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic

Prior to James Hutton (~1800) the age of the Earth was thought to be about 6,000 years old. What datea was this "young earth" age conclusion based on?

The contents of the Bible

The principle of uniformitarianism can be summarized as follows:

The present is the key to the past

The difference between uniformitarianism and actualism is:

rates and intensities compared to scales of human observation

Which event occurred 13.7 billion years ago

the "Big Bang" origin of the universe

What characterizes our Solar System?

Most planets rotate and revolve in the same direction around the Sun & in the same plane

How did the terrestrial planets in the solar system (Mercury, Venus, Earth & Mars) all lose their original, primordial gaseous atmospheres (like Jupiter still has)?

Once the Sun ignited the solar wind "swept" it away

Our Solar System has an abundance of atoms that are heavier than Hydrogen and Helium. What does this tell us about the early human history of the Solar System?

It is a second-generation star system (i.e. the solar nebulae formed as a result of a super nova)

Our Solar System began to form about:

5 billion years ago

Earth's moon most likely formed:

As a result of a collision of Earth with a Mars sized planetoid (~4.5 billion years ago)

Which of the following statements about Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) is true, they:

Are an indirect indicator of the first and early free Oxygen (O2) in the atmosphere

In geology, an Eon

Is the largest division of geologic time

T/F If any component of something that society needs to function (for example, construction materials, or components for technology) cannot be grown through agriculture or nature then only other source is from mining Earth's material.

True

The Earth's modern hydrosphere is:

The result of out-gassing of volcanoes and formed relatively shortly after the Earth did

Partial melting of the mantle and oceanic crust is important to the formation of new continental crust because:

Heavy material melts first, which allows it to move out of the way

Which of these are property of oceanic crust?

Mafic, more dense, thinner

The Earth's first (primordial) atmosphere was:

Mostly hydrogen and Helium (like solar nebula)

Which minerals would you expect to find in a mafic rock?

Olivine, pyroxene, amphibole