1. Briefly describe the composition of the Inner Core, Outer Core, Mantle and Crust.
2. Explain what is meant by an “Empirical Approach” to a problem.
3. Explain how scientific ideas are distinguished from other types of ideas.
4. Given several hypotheses or ideas, identify which fall within the realm of science, which do not, and explain why.
5. Explain the general concept of Plate Tectonics
6. List types of Plate Tectonic boundaries and describe the relative motion at each.
7. Given a tectonic map of the earth, identify convergent, divergent and transform boundaries.
8. Compare and contrast oceanic crust and the continental crust.
9. Compare and contrast oceanic lithosphere and continental lithosphere.
10. Label and describe features at a convergent boundary as indicated in Figure 5.11.
11. Contrast Transform boundary with other tectonic boundaries.
12. Describe how the occurrence of deep earthquakes supports the theory of plate tectonics.
13. Define the term "hot spot."
14. Explain and
illustrate how the Hawaiian hot spot indicates the motion of the Pacific plate.
15. Recall the definition of a mineral.
16. Distinguish between minerals and other material.
17. Describe the silica tetrahedron and its role in determining
the cleavage and structure of silicate minerals.
18. Describe and illustrate what is meant by “silica tetrahedral,” “single-chain tetrahedra,” “double-chain of tetrahedral,” “sheet
silicates,” and “three-dimensional bonds of tetrahedral.”
19. Describe the meaning of the terms “luster,” “cleavage,”
“crystal structure,” “streak,” and “hardness” in describing minerals.
20. Use knowledge of the silicate structure to explain the
cleavage of the following minerals: Mica, feldspar, Quartz
21. Correctly identify the following minerals from a picture or
hand specimen: Olivine, Augite, Hornblend,
Mica (biotite and muscovite), Feldspar, Quartz.
22. Describe common uses of non-silicate minerals.
23. Describe how the Mohs hardness
scale is used to identify minerals.
24. Memorize the Mohs hardness of
Talc, Quartz and Diamond and a fingernail.
25. List the three basic rock types and describe how each forms.
26. Describe, illustrate, and label an illustration of the rock cycle.
27. Distinguish between magma and lava.
28. Distinguish between intrusive (plutonic) and extrusive (volcanic) igneous rock in terms of their appearance and how they form.
29. List the criteria by which igneous rocks are classified.
30. Identify the following igneous rocks from samples, pictures or descriptions: Gabbro, Basalt, Granite, Rhyolite.
31. Compare and contrast igneous rocks that are found in oceanic crust and continental crust.
32. Describe and illustrate Bowen's Reaction Series.
33. Relate Bowen's Reaction Series to the complexity of silicate minerals that crystallize.
34. Use Bowen's Reaction Series to explain how rocks with a granite composition can eventually crystallize from a magma that initially has the composition of basalt.
35. Define detrital (clastic) and chemical sedimentary rocks.
36. Given written descriptions, pictures or samples, identify and distinguish between the following detrital sedimentary rocks: Conglomerate, sandstone, breccia, shale.
37. Relate the following sedimentary rocks to the speed of water in which the sediment was deposited: sandstone, conglomerate, shale.
38. Compare and contrast mechanical and chemical weathering.
39. List, explain, and identify in pictures the agents of mechanical weathering.
40. Define and correctly use the term "Mass Wasting."
41. List factors that affect to occurrence of mass wasting.
42. Define and properly use the term "angle of repose."
43. Explain what is meant by an n-year flood (where n is a number of years).
44. Describe, illustrate, and label an illustration of the hydrologic cycle.
45. Define, explain and properly use the terms "gradient", "discharge", "hydrograph", and "base level" in the context of stream flow.
46. Given a stream profile, locate those regions that have high, moderate and low gradients.
47. Given a stream profile, indicate where streams will form “V-shaped” valleys and where they will form broad flood plains.
48. Define and use properly and identify on maps or drawings the following: Watershed, sub-basin, water divide, tributary.
49. Relate water velocity to the processes of erosion and deposition of sediment.
50. Distinguish between stream competence and stream capacity, and the stream processes that are responsible for them.
51. Define and correctly use the terms "porosity" and "permeability."
52. Distinguish between stress and strain.
53. Define the following terms: Elastic strain, brittle strain (or brittle failure), plastic strain.
54. Given a picture of a strained rock, determine if it strained plastically or by brittle failure.
55. Define, illustrate and properly use the following terms: Epicenter, focus, hypocenter, elastic rebound, seismograph, seismogram.
56. Describe the particle motion and relative speed of the following types of seismic waves: P-wave, S-wave, Surface wave.
57. Given a map of seismograph locations, and the relative arrival time of the P-wave at each seismograph, estimate the location of an earthquake.
58. Distinguish between earthquake magnitude and earthquake intensity.
59. Describe some of the factors that determine earthquake intensity.
60. Define and properly use the following terms: pyroclastic material, viscosity, igneous dike, igneous sill, caldera, batholith.
61. List factors that affect the viscosity of magma; rank these factors in order of importance in determining viscosity.
62. Given type of magma (basaltic versus rhyolitic) in a volcano, predict the magma viscosity and eruption style of volcanoes located in different tectonic settings.
63. Describe, illustrate label an illustration of profiles of different types of volcanoes; label Figure 7.14, noting volcano sizes and the steepness of their slopes.
64. Given a photograph of a volcano, identify it as "shield," "composite," or "cinder cone."
65. Given a sketch of photograph of a volcano or volcanic eruption, predict magma viscosity (high or low), silica content (high or low), magma type basaltic or rhyolitic), and volcano type.
66. Distinguish between relative and absolute age dating.
67. Given a geologic cross-section, use the rules of relative age dating to put geologic events in their proper time sequence.
68. Define the following terms and use the term “half-life.”
69. Given the half-life of a radionuclide, its abundance in a rock, and the abundance of the daughter product, determine the age of the rock.
70. Provide the scientifically accepted age of the earth.
71. Place the geologic eras (Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic) in proper time sequence; memorize the age of the boundaries between these eras.
72. Define the following terms and use them properly: Wave Height, Wave Length, Wave Crest, Wave Trough, Wave Base.
73. Explain how ocean surface currents form.
74. Describe Coriolis.
75. Given a map
of the world's oceans locate and indicate the direction of the following
currents:
76. Provide the general chemical composition of the atmosphere.
77. Define the following terms and use them to label a graph similar to the graph in Figure 11.6: Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere.
78. Explain how the tilt of Earth's axis is responsible for the occurrence of seasons.
79. Explain the greenhouse effect.
80. List common greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
81. Explain how humans could be affecting global temperature.
82. Explain the what is meant by the following terms: El Niño, La Niña, ENSO.
83. Explain how
El Niño affects coastal fisheries in
84. Describe and identify on a figure the equatorial current, polar jet, and subtropical jet during El Niño and normal conditions.
85. Define and correctly use the terms “adiabatic cooling” and adiabatic warming.”
86. Given photographs or sketches, correctly identify the following types of clouds: Cirrus, Altostratus, Stratus, Cumulus, Cumulonimbus, Stratocumulus, Altocumulus, Nimbostratus, and indicate if they are High Clouds, Middle Clouds or Low Clouds.
87. Distinguish between terrestrial and Jovian planets.
88. List the planets in the solar system in order
of distance from the sun.
89. List distinguishing features of the planets Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn.
90. Describe the source of the Sun’s energy.
91. Correctly answer questions assigned as homework.
92. Locate the
following features on a map of