geo 1040 final exam stuff

Propose two reasons why understanding plate tectonics is relevant to the study of dinosaurs?

helps us understand past climate and landscapes, migratory pathways/genera distributions, dinosaur size, aid in studying extinction events, paleoclimatic data, continental drift

Describe the evidence used to build the theory of plate tectonics?

earthquakes, volcanism, seafloor spreading and topography, fossil distributions, magnetic stripes

Make a labeled sketch to show the relationship of crust, mantle, lithosphere, and asthenosphere

image

Make a labeled sketch to define the character of a tectonic plate.

https://file.garden/Z_gZMA8HS2YH3E2F/crust%20lithosphere%20asthenosphere.png

Discuss the features and processes associated with a divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries

how do plates at divergent boundaries move in relation to each other?

away from

how do plates at convergent boundaries move in relation to each other?

towards each other

how do plates at transform boundaries move in relation to each other?

parallel / side by side (not really touching)

how do ocean basins form and grow?

sea floor spreading / rifting (oceanic divergence)

Explain why tectonic plates move across the surface of the Earth

convection?

How do geoscientists reconstruct the arrangements of continents using paleomagnetism data?

when rocks cool, the magnetic minerals inside of them record a declination and inclination based on the pole positions at that time (proxies for latitude/longitude)

Describe the composition of Earth's atmosphere

mostly oxygen (21%) and nitrogen (78%) with trace greenhouse gases

what percent of the current atmosphere is CO2?

0.04 %

changes in earth's ______ determine where solar radiation received

tilt of axis

Solar energy is diluted over a larger area when sunlight strikes at a {low or high] angle (at high latitudes).

low

Why are greenhouse gases so efficient at warming than other gases in our atmosphere?

they can absorb and hold onto more heat than oxygen or nitrogen

T/F: Earth is closer to the sun during summer and farther away in winter, so the distance from the sun causes our seasons.

False! The earth is actually closer in winter and further in summer. Seasonal contrast is caused by the angle of the sun's rays hitting the earth (which changes in different parts because of earth's axial tilt)

What is the degree of earth's axial tilt?

23.5 degrees

the shape of earth's orbit changing distance to sun is known as ___

eccentricity

how long are eccentricity cycles?

100,000 years

changes in earth's ______ determine where solar radiation received

tilt of axis

how long are axial tilt cycles (the degree of tilt)?

41,000 years

_____ is the change in direction of axial tilt

precession

how long are precession (direction of tilt) cycles? hint: genome website

23,000 years

Orbital effects on longer time scales are known as_____

Milankovitch cycles

18 O/16 O ratios can help us determine the temperature of the earth's past. What does a high ratio of 18 O:16 O indicate about the temperature of the earth and its sea levels?

cooler temperatures and lower sea levels, as more 16 O is trapped in ice

How is 18 O different than 16 O?

it has two additional neutrons

The temperature during the Mesozoic was {rising or cooling}, even though it had {high or low} CO2 concentrations.

cooling temperatures, high CO2

the triassic climate had ____ sea levels, and was very {wet/dry}

low, dry

the jurassic climate saw an increase in _______ along landmasses, a {rise or fall} in sea levels, and a {rise or fall} in humidity/temperature due to Pangea beginning to break apart.

shorelines, rise in sea level , rise in humidity/temp

the cretaceous was roughly _____C hotter than today?

~10 C

the cretaceous saw very high ______ due to seafloor spreading

sea levels

What are the 6 factors that can put a species at risk for background extinction? hint: 4 are "low/small" and 2 are "large/high"

small population sizes, limited range, low reproductive rates, highly specialized diet, large size, low fitness/non-competitive

______ refer to any taxon for which we can infer their existence for during a time period in which they did not leave a fossil record

ghost lineages or ghost taxa

what is a "lazarus taxa"?

species that were mistakenly thought to be extinct, but were rediscovered (ex; coelacanth)

The end Ordovician, late Devonian, end Permian, end Triassic, and end cretaceous (K.P mass extinction) are ________

the 5 largest mass extinctions

List three possible causes of mass extinctions and explain how each would have led to mass global extinctions

Flood basalts/volcanism (poisons the air/alters the atmosphere and climate longterm), impact events (asteroids), glaciation,

List the three mass extinction events that influenced dinosaurian evolution, anddescribe the role each played in the evolution of Dinosauria

end cambrian (allowed dinosaurs and protosuchids to rise), end triassic, end jurassic.

Discuss the evidence for the most likely causes of the End-Permian and End Triassic extinctions

flood basalts, ?????

Identify organisms that went extinct, survived, and groups that diminished at the End-Permian mass extinction

96% all species wiped out.

Identify organisms that went extinct, survived, and groups that diminished at the End-Triassic mass extinction

crocodylomorph and dinosauria remained

Whats a hypothesis?

a testable interpretation or explanation that can be proven true or false

What is an observation?

facts/data collected with the senses

what is a prediction?

a statement of what will happen given a set of specific circumstances (if/then)

what is a scientific theory?

a powerful, STRONGLY supported explanation for HOW and WHY something occurs

what is a scientific law?

an explanation of WHAT will happen

Interpret evolutionary relationships depicted in cladograms.

yeah