Welcome to the Intro Geology course. For those who missed class today, we went over the syllabus and course policies. You can download the syllabus from the Intro geology main page.

On Wednesday, September 7, I will go over the steps of scientific inquiry and scientific method. In other words, we will talk about what does it mean to "do science"? If you haven't yet picked up your textbook from textbook rental, please do so at your earliest opportunity.

That's it for today.

Have a good first week of school

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Today we covered the steps of scientific method, and got to the point why we need to know geology. Tomorrow we will move on to the real stuff... the layers of the earth, earthquakes, plate tectonics and all those. The material we covered in class so far is pretty well explained in your text (pages 4-10), especially about why we need geology.
I'm going to link an article by Sara Andrews called Why Study Geology? that was published in Geotimes in April 2000. This is not required reading for this course, but I think some of you might enjoy reading this.

Some of you might be interested in this on-line publication about the Nature of Science and Scientific Methods. This is developed and distributed by the Geological Society of America Education and Outreach program. This article describes in detail what we talked about in class today.

Review questions for scientific methods You may have to refer to your class notes from the PowerPoint presentation as well as your textbook (pages 4-10, 30-33) for the correct answers.

1. The goal of all scientific inquiry (or scientific method) is:
   • World dominion
   • To make everyone rich and happy
   • World peace
   • Predicting natural events based on known patterns
   • None of the above
2. Which one of the following is NOT a part of the the process of scientific method?
   • Observation
   • Opinion
   • Hypothesis
   • Theory
   • All of the above are part of the process of scientific method
3. A scientific hypothesis is:
   • Used to explain observed facts as best as possible
   • Simple guesswork
   • Just another name for scientific theory
   • All of the above
   • None of the above
4. A scientific theory must be:
   • Based on confirmed observations
   • Able to explain ALL observations
   • Consistent with every observation made and with every other scientific principle
   • Internally consistent
   • All of the above
5. After data have been analyzed, tentative explanations or solutions proposed based on the data are called:
   • a guess
   • an observation of a phenomenon
   • a hypothesis
   • a concept that has been tested reproducibly and is likely to be true
   • a law of nature
6. A hypothesis that passes repeated tests ultimately becomes:
   • a guess
   • an observation of a phenomenon
   • a first, tentative idea to explain a phenomenon
   • a theory
   • a law of nature
7. What steps are involved in having a hypothesis become an established theory?
   • a United Nations scientific panel votes on whether the hypothesis is accepted
   • a U.S. government agency votes on whether the hypothesis is accepted
   • the hypothesis is consistent with new data and investigations used to test its predictions
   • the hypothesis makes sense when explained by politicians
   • none of the above steps are involved
8. Which of the following is data (meaning actual observation) rather than an interpretation?
   • recent volcanism at Yellowstone is related to the process that caused the low topography
   • there is an area of low topography southwest of Yellowstone National Park
   • volcanism in Yellowstone overlies an area of hotter-than-average mantle
   • the low topography southwest of Yellowstone formed when North America moved over a hot spot
   • All of the above are actual observations
9. Which of the following is data (meaning actual observation) rather than an interpretation?
   • some trees along Yellowstone Lake were flooded when the land north of the lake rose because of magma at depth
   • rising and sinking of the land around Yellowstone is related to underlying magma
   • the ages of volcanic centers near Yellowstone indicate that North America is moving southwest over the mantle
   • all of the above are data rather than interpretations
   • all of the above are interpretations rather than data
10. A key step in developing a new explanation is:
    • making observations about a place or process
    • asking questions about the observations
    • proposing an interpretation that can be tested
    • collecting new observations to test predictions
    • all of the above are important steps for developing a new explanation
11. A knowledge of geology is necessary when studying:
    • Natural resources
    • Natural Hazards
    • The environment
    • The oceans
    • All of the above answers are correct
12. Which of the following is probably least at risk for geologic hazards?
    • next to a river in low areas
    • near an active fault
    • on soils that gently expand when wet
    • on gentle slopes away from mountains
    • close to, but upwind of, an active volcano

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to those questions.

That's it for today.
As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Before I add any more questions today, here is the link to the video Hurricanes: New Orleans under Threat I showed in class this week. Feel free to view, download and share it.
We also talked about meteorites for a bit... those of you who are interested, check out this Geotimes article: The story of a meteorite. A small scale meteorite impact may not be as rare as you might think.
This video segment on Youtube talks about the meteorite that fell in Wisconsin last April. Enjoy.

Yesterday we started talking about the three basic layers of the earth, the crust, the mantle and the core... it is reasonably well explained in your text (pages 8-9) . Review questions for layers of the earth You will need your class notes and the textbook (pages 8-9).

1. The distance from Earth's center to its outer surface (that is, the radius of the solid Earth) is approximately
   • 637 km
   • 6,370 km
   • 63,700 km
   • 637,000 km
   • 6,370,000 km
2. Listed from Earth's center outward, the major divisions of Earth are
   • crust, mantle, outer core, inner core
   • mantle, crust, outer core, inner core
   • inner core, outer core, crust, mantle
   • outer core, inner core, mantle, crust
   • inner core, outer core, mantle, crust
3. Which of the following Earth layers is the thinnest?
   • oceanic crust
   • upper mantle
   • lower mantle
   • outer core
   • inner core
4. Which of the following Earth layers is the thickest?
   • continental crust
   • oceanic crust
   • mantle
   • outer core
   • All of the above layers are of equal thickness
5. The two major types of crust are oceanic crust and_______
   • continental crust
   • lithosphere
   • convergent crust
   • thin crust
   • Asthenosphere
6. The crust is _______ beneath the continents relative to the ocean.
   • thinner
   • thicker
   • the same thickness
   • the same composition
   • None of the above
7. The oceanic crust is denser than the continental crust because:
   • The pressure of the water on top of it makes it denser
   • It is harder than continental crust
   • It has denser minerals and rocks
   • It is thicker than the continental crust
   • None of the above is correct
8. Which of the following is NOT an important difference between continents and oceans?
   • thickness of the crust
   • composition of the crust
   • density of the crust
   • whether it is part of the lithosphere
   • elevation
9. The thickness of Earth's crust is ___ .
   • approximately the same as the thickness of the mantle
   • slightly greater than the thickness of the mantle
   • slightly less than the thickness of the mantle
   • much greater than the thickness of the mantle
   • much smaller than the thickness of the mantle
10. We know about the composition of the core of the earth from ____________.
    • meteorites
    • the study of L waves
    • the study of Mars
    • deep-sea drilling
    • discontinuity studies
11. The principle of isostasy refers to:
    • difference in the strength of the mantle versus the crust
    • the relationship between regional elevations and thickness of crust
    • how the outer core differs from the inner core
    • how the upper mantle differs from the lower mantle
    • how the planets revolve around the sun in the solar system
12. What is the most likely reason why a region is higher than adjacent regions?
    • there is a hot spot beneath it
    • the crust is thicker
    • it is underlain by oceanic crust
    • the asthenosphere is hotter
    • the crust is hotter
13. Which of the following is NOT a possible reason for why a region is higher in elevation than adjacent regions?
    • the lithosphere is hotter
    • it has continental crust, but adjacent regions have oceanic crust
    • the crust is thicker
    • the crust is more dense
    • All of the above are possible reasons for causing higher elevation

If you can't answer any of these questions right away, please ask me in class. You can also test yourself here and find the correct answers to those questions.

That's it for today.
As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

Please bring a PENCIL to the labs next week. I will take off points if you do not use a pencil on your lab manual.

Review questions for earthquakes, part I

1. Which one of the following is NOT true?
   • When a wave passes from one medium to another, it either reflects or refracts (bends)
   • If the medium remains the same, Waves move out from their source as progressively larger concentric spheres
   • The velocity of a wave depends on the medium it is moving through
   • Energy from an earthquake is released in the form of seiemic waves
   • All of the above are true facts
2. What is NOT true about seismic waves?
   • most seismic waves can be described as a series of repeating crests and troughs
   • the material within the wave moves long distances along with the wave
   • some seismic waves travel on the surface and are called surface waves
   • some surface waves shuffle material side to side while others move material up and down
   • some seismic waves travel through the interior of Earth
3. The seismic waves which can move through the interior of the earth are collectively called
   • Body waves
   • Surface waves
   • Radio waves
   • Harmonic waves
   • Sine waves
4. Which seismic wave is fastest?
   • Love waves
   • Rayleigh waves
   • S-waves
   • P waves
   • Surface waves
5. The bending of seismic waves as they pass from one material to another is _____.
   • seismic refraction
   • seismic reflection
   • seismic deflection
   • seismic attenuation
   • seismic waves don't bend when they pass through different materials
6. P-waves are also known as:
   • Love waves
   • Shear waves
   • Rayleigh waves
   • Compressional waves
   • Secondary waves
7. Secondary waves are also known as:
   • Surface waves
   • Shear waves
   • Compressional waves
   • Love waves
   • Rayleigh waves
8. When P-waves travel from left to right, the material through which the waves travel:
   • Also moves from left to right (each particle bumps into the next particle)
   • Moves up-and-down (each particle do a "standing wave")
   • Moves along the ground like a snake
   • Makes the surface move in random patterns
   • None of the above
9. The characteristics of P-waves include:
   • they compress and then expand the rock in the direction the wave travels
   • they are generated near the surface and only compress the rock as they travel
   • they travel slower than other seismic waves
   • they displace the rock back and forth in a direction that is perpendicular to their travel direction
   • they cannot be recorded on seismographs
10. When S-waves travel from left to right, the material through which the waves travel:
    • Also moves from left to right (each particle bumps into the next particle)
    • Moves up-and-down (each particle do a "standing wave")
    • Moves along the ground like a snake
    • Make the surface move in random patterns
    • None of the above
11. The characteristics of S-waves include:
    • they can travel through liquids
    • they shear rock from side to side or up and down
    • they displace the rock in a direction that is perpendicular to their travel direction
    • both a and b
    • both b and c
12. P waves can travel _________
    • faster than S waves
    • only through solids
    • through solids and liquids
    • both a and b
    • both a and c
13. Which one of the following statements is true concerning primary waves?
    • travel only in solids
    • travel faster than S waves
    • are responsible for most of the destruction associated with an earthquake
    • cannot be recorded on a seismograph
    • travel slower than surface waves
14. S waves ____________.
    • are the same as surface waves
    • travel through solids, liquids, and gases
    • are slower than P-waves
    • are the only waves recorded on seismographs
    • are slower than surface waves
15. The instrument used to record earthquakes is called:
    • Seismogram
    • Seismograph
    • Richter scale
    • Mercalli scale
    • Travel-time curve
16. The actual record (the paper record of an actual earthquake) is called:
    • Seismogram
    • Seismograph
    • Richter scale
    • Mercalli scale
    • Travel-time curve
17. S waves are ALWAYS second to arrive at a recording seismograph because:
    • they travel in a straight line
    • they are inherently slower than P waves
    • they are emitted from the epicenter
    • they are generated later than P waves
    • they do not pass through liquids

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

That's it for now.

As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Here is the seismic velocity profile I was talking about in class yesterday. This figure in its original context can be accessed via this link. Scroll down to figure 1.
And for those who are interested, here is the Biography of Inge Lehmann by Bruce Bolt. Inge Lehmann discovered the earth's solid inner core from earthquake data.
Here is a nice summary of all the indirect lines of evidence for how we know what is in the core of the earth.
More information about the earth's core:
The pressure at the boundary between earth's outer core and inner core is about 330 GPa (more than 3000,000 times the pressure at the earth's surface). The temperature at that point is more than 5000 degrees Kelvin (subtract 273.15 degrees from that number to get degrees centigrade).
You might be interested to read this article published in the journal Science for more information about how those numbers were determined.

I am going to post the rest of the questions for your test next week. Here are two sets of questions... we already covered earthquakes and layers of the earth. the rest of the questions (Earthquake part II) are based on topics discussed in class today and Thursday.

Review questions for earthquakes and layers of the earth. Yesterday's lecture notes and pages 8-9, 358-359 will be helpful

1. What is one way of determining the depth to the base of the crust (AKA crust-mantle boundary)?
   • drilling very deep wells along the San Andreas fault
   • observing the deeper parts of underground mines
   • observing whether seismic waves that travel through the crust arrived after those that traveled through the mantle
   • using P- and S-waves to locate boundaries between molten and solid rock
   • none of the above
2. The Moho is the boundary between the ____________.
   • upper and lower mantle
   • mantle and crust
   • mantle and outer core
   • outer core and inner core
   • low velocity zone and inner core
3. The interpretation that the earth's outer core is liquid comes from:
   • density calculations
   • studies of meteorites
   • P wave shadow zone
   • S wave shadow zone
   • the outer core isn't liquid
4. The lithosphere contains__________________
   • continental and oceanic crust
   • both types of crust and the uppermost mantle
   • weak part of the upper mantle
   • upper and lower mantle
   • lower mantle and outer core
5. The crust and upper mantle form the _____.
   • lithosphere
   • asthenosphere
   • inner core
   • outer core
   • moho discontinuity
   Hmmm... these two questions are same, actually, just phrased differently
6. A seismograph located 120^o from a earthquake epicenter would receive:
   • P, S and surface waves
   • P and surface waves
   • S and surface waves
   • only P and S waves
   • only surface waves
7. As P waves encounter the outer core, they:
   • cannot pass through
   • turn into surface waves
   • slow down
   • speed up
   • none of the above happens
8. The layer at the core-mantle boundary is known as the _______.
   • moho
   • asthenosphere
   • ULVZ
   • perovskite zone
   • It has no specific name.
9. The diameter of the earth's core is determined by calculations based on _____.
   • P and S wave shadow zones
   • deep drill holes
   • gravitational anomalies
   • heat flow conditions
   • magnetic anomalies
10. The fact that there are areas within the Earth that don't let S-waves to pass through tells us that:
    • It is comprised of a variety of different rock types.
    • A large part of the core is liquid.
    • There are voids within the Earth.
    • The S- waves travel sporadically through the earth
    • Not much, our equipment is not sensitive enough to record the data.
11. Which of the following does not occur at the core-mantle boundary:
    • temperature increases
    • density increases
    • convection
    • P waves are refracted
    • S waves pass through
12. S waves are not transmitted through this Earth layer.
    • continental crust
    • oceanic crust
    • outer core
    • mantle
    • low velocity zone
13. The P- and S-wave shadow zone is caused by ____________.
    • Mantle convection
    • Earth’s asthenosphere
    • Earth’s core
    • Magnetic reversal
    • None of the above
14. The asthenosphere is located _________.
    • within the crust
    • in the upper mantle
    • between the mantle and outer core
    • at the Moho
    • within the outer core

If you can't answer any of these questions right away, please ask me in class. You can also test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Review questions for earthquakes part II. these questions are mostly based on today's and tomorrow's lecture and your textbook. Relevant textbook pages would be mentioned during lecture.

1. The point within the earth where earthquakes originate is called:
   • Fault
   • Epicenter
   • Crack
   • Focus or hypocenter
   • None of the above
2. Epicenter is the point:
   • On the fault plane where earthquakes originate
   • On the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake
   • Within the mantle directly below the focus
   • At the recording station where earthquakes are located and measured
   • On the seismogram that markes the arrival time of the P-waves
3. The instant an earthquake wave arrives at the recording station is known as:
   • Earthquake moment
   • Travel time
   • Arrival time
   • Amplitude
   • Earthquake magnitude
4. How do we determine the location of a recent earthquake?
   • measure the amplitude of surface waves in a single station
   • point video cameras at the landscape to record which way the surface moves
   • use seismic records from three or more stations
   • read old newspaper accounts of how the land moved
   • none of the above
5. At least _____ recording station(s) are needed to precisely pinpoint the location of an earthquake epicenter
   • one
   • two
   • three
   • five
   • six
6. Travel time curves are used for:
   • Measuring earthquake magnitude
   • Measuring the distance between the earthquake epicenter and the recording station
   • Measuring the damage caused by the earthquake
   • Measuring the amplitude of surface waves
   • Measuring the arrival times of the body waves
7. The difference in arrival time between P and S waves is equivalent to:
   • depth of focus
   • intensity
   • distance from epicenter
   • amplitude
   • amount of damage
8. The Modified Mercalli scale is used to measure:
   • Earthquake intensity
   • Earthquake magnitude
   • Earthquake amplitude
   • Earthquake duration
   • Earthquake depth
9. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
   • Modified Mercalli Scale measures earthquake intensity based on the damage caused by the earthquake
   • Modified Mercalli Scale is useful for designing and planning cities
   • Modified Mercalli Scale is expressed on a scale of I to XII
   • Modified Mercalli Scale measures earthquake magnitude
   • Modified Mercalli Scale is subjective
10. The Richter magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the ____________.
    • duration of the earthquake
    • intensity of the earthquake
    • length of the seismic record
    • arrival time of P and S waves
    • measurement of the amplitude of the S- waves
11. If the measured amplitude of vibration of a rock is 1 cm for a magnitude 4 earthquake then during a magnitude 5 earthquake the rocks will move ______ .
    • 2 cm
    • 4 cm
    • 8 cm
    • 10 cm
    • 20 cm
12. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6 on the Richter scale releases about _________ times more energy than one with a magnitude of 5.
    • 5
    • 10
    • 15
    • 30
    • 45
13. Besides Richter magnitude, seismologists now use _____ to calculate energy released during earthquakes.
    • seismic traces
    • moment magnitude
    • amplitude of S-waves
    • amplitude of P-waves
    • gravity inversions
14. Which of the following information is not necessary to calculate seismic moment (or moment magnitude)?
    • Duration of an earthquake
    • Amount of slip along the fault plane caused by the earthquake
    • The surface area of the broken rock layers
    • The strength of the rocks disrupted by the earthquake
    • All of the above are necessary to calculate seismic moment
15. Surface waves cause most property damage because:
    • they travel slowly and produce greatest ground movement
    • they are the first to arrive at any point
    • they are emitted from the epicenter
    • they vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation
    • they vibrate parallel to the direction of wave propagation
16. Love waves produce ground motion similar to:
    • a slinky (particles move side-to-side)
    • a standing baseball wave (particles move Up-and-down through the entire BODY of the material)
    • a snake (side-to-side along the surface ONLY)
    • ripples (up-and-down along the surface ONLY)
    • None of the above descriptions fit the motion of Love waves
17. Rayleigh waves produce ground motion similar to:
    • a slinky (particles move side-to-side)
    • a standing baseball wave (particles move up-and-down through the entire BODY of the material)
    • a snake (side-to-side along the surface ONLY)
    • ripples (up-and-down along the surface ONLY)
    • None of the above descriptions fit the motion of Rayleigh waves
18. Which of the following types of faults does NOT generate earthquakes?
    • normal fault
    • reverse fault
    • thrust fault
    • strike-slip fault
    • all types faults can generate earthquakes

You can also test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Just for your information, I will lecture tomorrow and Wednesday, but NO lecture on Thursday because of the test re-take. Labs will be held during the scheduled time and days.

Couple earthquake related links for you:

• Here is the USArray Ground Motion Visualization movie I showed in class last Thursday. Scroll down to the second movie to see the 'tails' showing horizontal motion.
• This page contains a collection of teaching materials on recent earthquakes, including animations, PowerPoint presentations, etc. Enjoy!
• Here is a web site for some cool Seismic Waves visualization program if you are interested.
• Here is the Shakemap website showing instrumental intensity for earthquakes. Feel free to explore the USGS earthquake center page.
• Here is the web site for the Earthquake wave animations I showed in class last week. Scroll down for the animations.

I will post next week's pre-lab and lab activities later this week.
As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

By the way, please bring a calculator to the lab next week (week of September 25) and of course, a pencil. I will take off points if you do not use a pencil on your lab assignment.

This lab is graph intensive, so I'd recommend you print it out from one of the computer labs on campus and make sure you can see all the lines of the graphs properly on your hard copy. Plus that way you'll also be able to print on both sides of the sheet and conserve paper.

Moving on to other things...

First a couple of links...

• Link to the You tube video of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake I showed in class.
• A list of how earthquake magnitudes are defined using different formulas.
• Here is the link to the Great 1906 Earthquake and Fire website maintained by the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco. There are LOTS of pictures, eyewitness accounts and other fascinating information about the great earthquake and fire on this page. Enjoy!
• Here is the link to the Dec. 26, 2004 tsunami animation. Note the point on the map from where the wave originated and the time it took for the wave to reach different parts of the world. Hit the "refresh" button to make the animation play repeatedly. If you want to see how long it took the tsunami wave to travel across the entire Indian Ocean, follow this link.
• Lastly, an in depth report by Scientific American about earthquakes. Enjoy!

If you are interested, check out the historical perspective of the Plate Tectonics Theory here. More information about Alfred Wegener can be accessed here as well.

For those who are interested, here is the Earth History website designed and maintained by Chris Scotese. This website has a lot of plate tectonic maps through the geologic time (not just Pangaea) including what might happen to present day plates and continents in future. The animations take a while to load, but once loaded, they are a lot of fun to play with. Enjoy!

As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Here is the view of a tsunami from inside a car that I showed in class today. Enjoy.

Review questions for continental drift hypothesis

1. The man who pioneered the continental drift hypothesis was ____________.
   • J. Tuzo Wilson
   • Harry Hess
   • D.H. Matthews
   • Fred Vine
   • Alfred Wegener
2. The geographic distribution of land dwelling and freshwater fossil species on South America and Africa provides evidence that ____________
   • England was covered by a shallow sea in the past
   • migration between North America and England was possible
   • the Pacific Ocean did not exist during this time period
   • South America and Africa were once joined
   • a land bridge existed between Australia and India
3. Late Paleozoic continental glaciation provided important evidence favoring continental drift. This evidence was gathered from ____________.
   • all the continents
   • North America and Europe
   • Greenland, North America, and Asia
   • South America, Africa, Antarctica, and India
   • North America and South America
4. Evidence of widespread continental glaciation during Late Paleozoic can also be explained by a period of global Ice Age. This hypothesis was rejected by Wegener because:
   • He found evidence of land living reptiles in South America and Africa
   • He found fossil evidence of warm water corals and coal swamps that could not form during an Ice Age
   • He found that mountain chains across the Atlantic Ocean match
   • He found similar rock types on South America and Africa
   • He had no evidence to disprove it. He just wanted to reject any alternate explanation except his own.
5. Pangaea is ____________.
   • another name given the Alaskan earthquake of 1964
   • a portion of the mid-Atlantic ridge
   • a German word for "plate tectonics"
   • the name of a supercontinent meaning "All Land"
   • a name of a fossil found in both Africa and South America that led scientists to believe these continents were once connected
6. Which data were used to develop the hypothesis of continental drift?
   • the fit of the continents
   • the distribution of fossils
   • the distribution of glacial deposits and directions of glacial scratch marks
   • all of the above
   • a and b only
7. Which one of the following evidence was not used by Wegener to support continental drift hypothesis?
   • fossils
   • marine magnetic anomalies
   • fit of the continents
   • ancient glacial features
   • rock type similarities on different continents
8. The Main reason Wegener's Continental Drift hypothesis was rejected by the scientific community was:
   • A global Ice Age hypothesis can also satisfactorily explain ALL evidence supporting Continental Drift
   • Wegener could not satisfactorily demonstrate how or why the continents moved
   • The hypothesis required that the entire Earth was once frozen
   • There was evidence of land bridges joining Antarctica and India
   • Continents do not "drift" like clouds across the sky. They have been at their current position since they were formed

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Review questions for earth's magnetic field

1. What ideas brought a renewed interest to the idea of continental drift?
   • evidence of the presence of Mid-Atlantic Ridge
   • evidence that the entire Earth was once frozen
   • evidence that similar meteorites fall on different continents
   • evidence that a large meteorite caused extinction of the dinosaurs
   • both c and d
2. The earth's magnetic field is produced by:
   • mantle plumes
   • volcanism on the earth's surface
   • radioactive decay within the mantle
   • convecting metal in the outer core
   • influence of the sun
3. When a magnetic material is heated above a certain temperature it loses its magnetism. That temperature is called the ____________,
   • Curie Point
   • Magnetic position
   • Critical temperature
   • Isopoint
   • Melting point
4. When an iron-bearing mineral is heated above a certain temperature, it loses its magnetism. This temperature is about ____________.
   • 110^oC
   • 220^oC
   • 340^oC
   • 580^oC
   • 1200^oC
5. Which of the following is not true?
   • the magnetic poles have reversed periodically in earth history
   • magnetism is imparted to igneous rocks at the time of their formation
   • virtually all rock types preserve some paleomagnetic signal
   • magnetic field reversals occur about every 500,000 years
   • there have been long periods of no magnetic field
6. Geomagnetic reversals________________________.
   • provided strong evidence for seafloor spreading
   • caused all the mass extinctions in recorded geologic history
   • destroyed compasses ane electronic equipments
   • confirmed the existence of subduction zones
   • cause the movements of plates
7. The pattern of magnetic anomalies on the sea floor most resembles ____________.
   • scales on a fish
   • stripes on a zebra
   • spots on a leopard
   • splotches on a giraffe
   • warts on a toad
8. Rocks show positive magnetic anomaly when:
   • They record the normal polarity
   • They record reverse polarity
   • They contain unusually high amounts of magnetic minerals
   • They contain unusually low amounts of magnetic minerals
   • They have a certain chemical composition
9. The apparent movement of the magnetic poles through geologic time is called ______.
   • Mantle plume motion
   • Polar Current
   • Sea Floor Spreading
   • Continental Drift
   • Polar Wandering

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Here is the UNAVCO Jules Verne Jr. web site where you can see real GPS data that are used to determine plate motion directions and rates.

Here is the Jules Verne Voyager: Earth link... this one is more precise and shows an advanced interactive map.

Review questions for plate tectonics theory.

1. Hess's principal contribution to the hypothesis of sea-floor spreading was the proposal of deep mantle _____.
   • contraction
   • spreading centers
   • convergent boundaries
   • transform faults
   • convection
2. According to sea-floor spreading hypothesis, the age of the sea-floor _______________.
   • should increase as the water becomes deeper
   • should increase toward the trench
   • should decrease as the ocean waters become deeper and colder
   • should decrease toward the trench
   • the sea-floor is the same age throughout
3. By deep sea drilling it was seen that the oldest rocks on the ocean floors occur:
   • near mid-oceanic ridges
   • near deep-ocean trenches
   • next to continents anywhere
   • All rocks on the ocean floor are of the same age
   • None of the above are true
4. Symmetrical bands of normal and reversed polarity on either sides of a mid-ocean ridge prove:
   • that mid-ocean ridges are convergent boundaries
   • that the mid-ocean ridges are transform faults
   • that the fracture zones are actually transform faults
   • that the mid-ocean ridges are divergent boundaries
   • polar wandering
5. The magnetic strips of the sea floor:
   • record the recent history of asteroid bombardment to planet Earth
   • are not symmetrical on either side of a divergent boundary
   • record the history of faulting in plate interiors
   • are created as magma crystallizes at convergent boundaries
   • are created as magma crystallizes at divergent boundaries
6. The age of the oldest rocks on the sea floor is approximately _____ .
   • 30 -50 million years
   • 100-120 million years
   • 160 -180 million years
   • 240 -260 million years
   • 300 -350 million years
7. The lithospheric plates includes rocks of the crust and the ________.
   • outer core
   • asthenosphere
   • uppermost mantle
   • lower mantle
   • mantle plumes
8. The asthenosphere is ____________.
   • a cool, rigid zone directly above the lithosphere
   • the name given to the molten outer core
   • a zone below the lithosphere corresponding to the seismic Low Velocity Zone
   • another name for the lower mantle
   • none of the above
9. Plates move apart at ____________.
   • divergent plate boundaries
   • convergent plate boundaries
   • transform fault boundaries
   • all of these
   • none of these
10. Plates move towards each other along ____________.
    • divergent plate boundaries
    • convergent plate boundaries
    • transform fault boundaries
    • all of these
    • none of these
11. Plates slide past one another at _________.
    • divergent plate boundaries
    • convergent plate boundaries
    • transform fault boundaries
    • all of these
    • none of these

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.
As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

I will take off points if you do not use a pencil on your lab assignment.

This lab uses a world map in color as well as graphs, so I'd recommend you print at least the map page using the color printer in a computer lab on campus and make sure you can see all the lines of the graphs properly on your hard copy. Plus that way you'll also be able to print on both sides of the sheet and conserve paper.

1. New oceanic crust forms at _________.
   • divergent plate boundaries
   • convergent plate boundaries
   • transform fault boundaries
   • all of these
   • none of these
2. Oceanic crust is destroyed along _______.
   • divergent plate boundaries
   • convergent plate boundaries
   • transform fault boundaries
   • all of these
   • none of these
3. Oceanic crust is neither created nor destroyed along this type of boundary.
   • divergent plate boundaries
   • convergent plate boundaries
   • transform fault boundaries
   • all of these
   • none of these
4. Convergent boundaries are zones where plates ____________.
   • slide past each other
   • move towards each other
   • move away from each other
   • cause seafloor spreading
   • none of the above
5. Divergent boundaries are zones where plates _________.
   • move towards each other
   • move away from each other
   • slide past each other
   • move at an angle towards each other
   • do not move at all
6. This type of plate boundary cannot ever have volcanoes.
   • divergent plate boundaries
   • convergent plate boundaries
   • transform fault boundaries
   • all of these
   • none of these
7. Transform faults always form _____ to the spreading direction.
   • perpendicular
   • at an acute angle
   • at an obtuse angle
   • parallel
   • horizontal
8. Although transform faults offset ridge crests, sliding motion between plates only occurs:
   • parallel to the ridge crests
   • as spreading approaches a trench
   • at convergent boundaries
   • when there are deep focus earthquakes
   • between the ridge crests
9. This type of plate boundary has deep focus earthquakes.
   • divergent plate boundaries
   • convergent plate boundaries
   • transform fault boundaries
   • all of these
   • none of these
10. Deep ocean trenches are associated with ________
    • rifting
    • sub-oceanic erosion
    • subduction zones
    • transform fault offsets
    • submarine extension
11. The Himalayan Mountains were produced along:
    • a divergent boundary
    • an ocean-ocean convergent boundary
    • a continental-continental convergent boundary
    • an oceanic-continental convergent boundary
    • a transform fault
12. Iceland is located along:
    • a divergent boundary
    • an ocean-ocean convergent boundary
    • a continental-continental convergent boundary
    • an oceanic-continental convergent boundary
    • a transform fault
13. Japan is associated with this type of plate boundary.
    • a divergent boundary
    • an ocean-ocean convergent boundary
    • a continental-continental convergent boundary
    • an oceanic-continental convergent boundary
    • a transform fault
14. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an example of:
    • divergent boundaries
    • ocean-ocean convergent boundaries
    • continental-continental convergent boundaries
    • oceanic-continental convergent boundaries
    • transform faults
15. San Andreas fault is an example of this type of plate boundary.
    • a divergent boundary
    • an ocean-ocean convergent boundary
    • a continental-continental convergent boundary
    • an oceanic-continental convergent boundary
    • a transform fault
16. Where is the San Andreas Fault?
    • The Andes mountains
    • West Tennessee
    • Washington and Oregon
    • Southern California
    • The Himalayan Mountains
17. The Red Sea was formed along:
    • a divergent boundary
    • an ocean-ocean convergent boundary
    • a continental-continental convergent boundary
    • an oceanic-continental convergent boundary
    • a transform fault
18. Volcanic island arcs are associated with:
    • divergent boundaries
    • ocean-ocean convergent boundaries
    • continental-continental convergent boundaries
    • oceanic-continental convergent boundaries
    • transform faults
19. Accretionary wedges (or prisms) are formed at:
    • Transform boundaries
    • Mid-ocean ridges
    • Continent-continent collision zones (e.g.Himalayas)
    • Subduction zones
    • None of the above are correct
20. A backarc basin can occur only at:
    • Ocean-continent convergent boundaries
    • Ocean-ocean convergent boundaries
    • Continent-continent convergent boundaries
    • All of the above types of convergent boundaries
    • Both choices "a" and "c" are correct
21. The Andes mountains were generated at a(n) ____________ boundary.
    • divergent
    • convergent (oceanic-oceanic)
    • convergent (continental-continental)
    • convergent (oceanic-continental)
    • transform fault
22. Why does the Tibetan Plateau have a high elevation?
    • transform faulting
    • seafloor spreading
    • continental rifting
    • continental collision
    • hot-spot activity
23. Why is the Mid-Atlantic ridge in the center of the Atlantic ocean?
    • subduction is consuming seafloor beneath both adjacent continents
    • seafloor is added to both sides during seafloor spreading
    • subduction has occurred under one and then another of the adjacent continents
    • seafloor spreading has stopped in this area
    • None of the above
24. Which of the following is most likely associated with a divergent plate boundary?
    • oceanic trench
    • mountain belt or island arc
    • mid-ocean ridge
    • a and b only
    • none of the above
25. Which of the following is most likely associated with an oceanic transform plate boundary?
    • oceanic trench
    • mountain belt or island arc
    • mid-ocean ridge
    • all of the above
    • a and b only
26. Mid-ocean ridges are higher than surrounding oceanic crust primarily because:
    • two plates are colliding
    • the crust is thicker
    • the crust is stronger
    • transform faulting uplifts the rocks
    • the lithosphere is thinner and hotter
27. The main way that new oceanic crust is created is by:
    • eruption of lavas and solidification of magmas at depth
    • sediment scraped off a subducting slab
    • continents that subside below sea level
    • continental rifting, before the continents separate
    • magmas along an ocean-continent convergent boundary
28. Which of the following is associated with a mid-ocean ridge?
    • an island arc
    • magma produced as the mantles rise up
    • melting of the subducting plate
    • lower topography than surrounding seafloor
    • High mountain chains like the Himalayas
29. A continent has an oceanic trench offshore of its coast. Which of the following is probably not present along this side of the continent?
    • a mountain belt
    • earthquakes
    • volcanoes
    • melting along a mid-ocean ridge
    • subduction of an oceanic plate
30. Which of the following features is associated with a deep oceanic trench?
    • mid-ocean ridge
    • linear island chain
    • seamount
    • island arc
    • All of the above
31. Which of the following is most likely associated with a convergent plate boundary?
    • oceanic trench
    • mountain belt or island arc
    • mid-ocean ridge
    • both a and b
    • none of the above

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

This web site shows some really cool photographs of fossil footprints from Antarctica taken by a geologist. We geologists simply LOVE what we do, and this slideshow bears testimonial to that sentiment. Enjoy!

Rest of the questions on plate tectonics.

1. Hot spots are believed to originate ______.
   • when rock is subducted
   • because of concentrations of radioactive material in the upper mantle
   • as columns of hot material rising through the deep mantle
   • during magnetic reversals
   • by chemical reactions in the asthenosphere
2. The formation of the Hawaiian Islands is associated with ____________.
   • divergent boundaries
   • convergent boundaries
   • transform fault boundaries
   • no plate boundary of any kind
   • both divergent boundaries and convergent boundaries
3. Which of the following would not be regarded as proving plate movement:
   • pattern of magnetic anomalies across a ridge crest
   • lack of old rocks on the sea floor
   • matching of the age of the magnetic anomaly and age of the sea floor
   • Island chains over a hot spot
   • the presence of a magnetic field
4. The age relationships of the Hawaiian Islands confirm that the northern Pacific plate is currently moving:
   • northwest
   • east
   • north
   • south
   • they suggest that the northern Pacific plate isn't moving
5. Which of the following is a proposed mechanism for plate motion?
   • Meteor impacts
   • Earthquake energy
   • Slab pull
   • Gravity sliding
   • Benioff drive
6. The energy that causes plates to move is derived from ____________.
   • Tidal forces
   • Solar energy
   • Earth's internal heat
   • Electrical energy
   • Magnetic energy

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

1. Tensional forces combined with brittle deformation normally cause:
   • strike-slip faults
   • reverse faults
   • thrust faults
   • normal faults
   • recumbent faults
2. The block overlying an inclined fault plane is the:
   • footwall
   • hanging wall
   • isoclinal wall
   • plunging wall
   • sheet wall
3. When the rock above a fault plane moves down relative to the rock below, it is called:
   • reverse fault
   • normal fault
   • transform fault
   • strike-slip fault
   • none of these
4. In a normal fault, the hanging-wall block has moved ______ relative to the footwall block.
   • up
   • down
   • side to side
   • up at a steep angle
   • down at a steep angle
5. A low-angle reverse fault is referred to as a(n) ____________ fault.
   • normal
   • oblique
   • thrust
   • compressional
   • strike-slip
6. Strike-slip faults ____________.
   • are faults where no movement has yet occurred
   • have mainly horizontal movement
   • have mainly vertical movement
   • are low angle reverse faults
   • none of these
7. Orogeny is____________.
   • a theory that explains the formation of oblique faults
   • a general term meaning “mountain building process”
   • type of asymmetrical anticline
   • a mountain range in Asia
   • none of these
8. What is the typical setting for fold and thrust belts (AKA mountain belts)?
   • associated with convergent plate boundaries
   • ocean-ocean divergent plate boundaries
   • continental rifts
   • transform faults
   • any of the above
9. The Himalayas are:
   • the highest mountain range in the world and contain Earth’s highest peak
   • along the south flank of the Tibetan Plateau
   • underlain by abnormally thin lithosphere
   • an ancient mountain range with most uplift occurring 200 million years ago
   • both a and b
10. Which of the following is NOT a setting in which regional mountain belts form?
    • continental collision
    • subduction zone
    • upwelling of the mantle
    • passive margin
    • the collision of India with Asia
11. Which of the following is a characteristic of a terrane?
    • the boundaries of a terrane are generally major faults or shear zones
    • a terrane has the same sequence of rocks as adjacent areas
    • to be a terrane, the rocks must form in a deep marine environment
    • the layers and fossils in a terrane can be matched with those in adjacent areas
    • none of the above
12. Which of the following is NOT a common setting in which a terrane originally forms?
    • oceanic plateau
    • island arc
    • oceanic crust
    • linear island chain
    • all of the above are common settings for a terrane

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Here is the pre-lab assignment for next week's lab. You must print out this assignment, complete it before lab, and bring it with you to lab next week (Week of February 28). You will NOT be allowed to do the lab otherwise.

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

Please print out the pre-lab and the lab from the library or use a printer with adequate toner.

As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Here is the pre-lab assignment for next week's lab. You must print out this assignment, complete it before lab, and bring it with you to lab next week (Week of October 30). You will NOT be allowed to do the lab otherwise.

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

Please print out the pre-lab and the lab from the library or use a printer with adequate toner.

Review questions on magma formation

1. Which of the following acts to keep a rock solid (instead of melting)?
   • an increase in temperature
   • an increase in the vibration within a lattice
   • an increase in confining pressure
   • all of the above
   • none of the above
2. With increasing pressure (depth), the melting point of rocks and minerals generally _____
   • decreases
   • increases
   • does not change
   • becomes dependent on rock type
   • there is no definite relationship between melting point of a solid and change in pressure
3. Which of the following happens along oceanic divergent boundaries?
   • oceanic crust moves toward the ridge in a conveyor-belt manner
   • most of the mantle is molten, not solid
   • solid asthenosphere rises as plates move apart
   • magma generated in the crust drips down into the mantle
   • all of the above happens along divergent boundaries
4. Along divergent plate boundaries, magma formation takes place typically due to:
   • melting of the plates as they move apart as a result of frictional heating
   • increased pressure from plate movement
   • pressure being reduced (decompression melting) as the plates move apart
   • water being released under pressure which lowers the melting temperature of the overlying asthenosphere
   • hot spots, which always occur along divergent boundaries
5. In subduction zones, magma formation takes place typically due to:
   • melting of the subducting plate as a result of frictional heating
   • increased pressure from plates colliding
   • pressure being reduced (decompression melting)
   • water being released under pressure which lowers the melting temperature of the overlying asthenosphere
   • hot spots, which always occur along subduction zones
6. How does the addition of water cause melting?
   • it heats the rocks
   • it decreases the pressure on the rocks
   • it increases the temperature while decreasing the pressure
   • it changes the location of the liquid-solid boundary
   • None of the above
7. The main way water gets into a subduction zone is by:
   • heating of the overlying continental crust
   • a decrease in pressure that causes melting
   • rain associated with eruptions in the island arc
   • seawater introduced into oceanic crust at the mid-ocean ridge, prior to subduction
   • all of the above
8. What generally happens when magma from subduction zone passes through thick continental crust?
   • most magma reaches the surface with minor modification
   • the magma solidifies in sheeted dikes with a composition of basalt
   • the magma interacts with the crust, forming felsic or intermediate compositions
   • the oceanic crust melts
   • all of the above happens

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Review questions on controlling factors of volcanic eruption

1. Magma viscosity is NOT controlled by the following factor:
   • Silica content
   • Temperature
   • Volatile (gas) content
   • Texture
   • All of the above factors control magma viscosity
2. A VISCOUS material:
   • flows easily.
   • flows less easily
   • is always hot
   • is always a solid
   • is always cold
3. Imagine two magmas that are identical in all respects (for example, same chemistry, pressure, volume) except that one magma is hotter than the other. Which magma will have the higher viscosity?
   • The hotter magma will be more viscous
   • The cooler magma will be more viscous
   • The magmas will have the same viscosity
   • There is not sufficient information to establish the relative viscosities of these magmas
   • Temperature does not affect magma viscosity.
4. Imagine two magmas that are identical in all respects (for example, same temperature, pressure, volume) except that one magma has more silica than the other. Which magma will have the higher viscosity?
   • The magma with more silica will be more viscous.
   • The magma with less silica will be more viscous.
   • The magmas will have the same viscosity.
   • There is not sufficient information to establish the relative viscosities of these magmas.
   • Silica content does not affect magma viscosity.
5. Which of the following factors control the nature of volcanic eruption?
   • Amount of dissolved gas in the magma
   • Temperature of the magma
   • Silica content of the magma
   • All of these
   • Only (a) and (b)
6. What type of magma is produced when the asthenosphere starts to melt at divergent boundaries?
   • Mafic magma
   • Silicic magma
   • Intermediate magma
   • Granitic magma
   • Andesitic magma
7. What type of magma is typically generated along mid-ocean ridges (divergent plate boundaries)?
   • mafic
   • silicic
   • intermediate
   • both silicic and intermediate
   • depends on the location of the mid-ocean ridge
8. Which of the following settings is most likely to have basaltic magma eruptions?
   • island arcs
   • subduction beneath a thin continental plate
   • subduction beneath a thick continental plate
   • mid-ocean ridge
   • none of the above
9. Basaltic or mafic magma (Hawaiian lava for example) forms as the result of the partial melting of
   • oceanic crust
   • continental crust
   • asthenosphere
   • outer core
   • inner core
10. Mafic magma typically contains:
    • 25% silica
    • 50% silica
    • 75% silica
    • No silica at all
    • Some silica but there is insufficient data regarding this
11. In principle, silicic (or felsic) magma could mix with an equal amount of mafic (or basaltic) magma to form
    • more silicic or felsic magma
    • more mafic or basaltic magma
    • more silicic or rhyolitic magma
    • Intermediate or andesitic magma
    • more mafic or gabbro type magma
12. What type of magma is typically generated along hot spots?
    • mafic
    • silicic
    • intermediate
    • both silicic and intermediate
    • depends on the location of the hot spot
13. What type of magma is typically generated along subduction zones?
    • ultramafic
    • mafic
    • intermediate
    • depends on the location of the subduction zone
    • magma is not generated along subduction zones, they only form mountains
14. In most subduction zones, melting occurs approximately at a depth of:
    • 5 km
    • 10 km
    • 50 km
    • 100 km
    • 500 km
    (Hint: Refer to lab assignment #5).
15. Mafic magmas tend to flow ___
    • at the same rate as silicic magmas
    • much faster than silicic magmas
    • much slower than silicic magmas
    • faster or slower than silicic magmas depending on the volcano
    • not enough information has been provided to answer the question
16. During melting in the asthenosphere:
    • rocks in the source region generally are completely melted
    • partial melting produces a magma that is more felsic than the source
    • melting of the mantle generally produces felsic magma
    • melting of continental crust generally produces mafic magma
    • none of the above
17. Eruptions of shield volcanoes fed by mafic magma tend ___
    • to be violent and potentially dangerous events
    • to be explosive but short-lived
    • not to be explosive or particularly dangerous
    • to result in the expulsion of vast amounts of tephra
    • to cover the surrounding landscape in ash

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

1. The opening through which a volcanic eruption takes place is called:
   • vent
   • caldera
   • pipe
   • schism
   • rift
2. A depression much larger than the original crater, formed when the volcano collapses into an empty magma chamber is called:
   • vent
   • caldera
   • basin
   • schism
   • rift
3. The main cause of caldera formation is:
   • a fissure eruption that allows the shield volcano to split into two or more parts
   • collapse of the volcano by pyroclastic flows
   • removal of magmas that form pillow basalt
   • collapse of the roof of a magma chamber as magma erupts
   • all of the above
4. The classic volcano shape is displayed by:
   • a composite volcano
   • a caldera
   • a fissure eruption
   • pillow basalts
   • a magma chamber
5. Which of the following volcanoes is generally the largest?
   • scoria cone
   • dome
   • composite volcano
   • shield volcano
   • it depends on the location of the volcano
6. Volcanoes with broad bases and gentle slopes are called:
   • Shield volcanoes
   • Stratovolcanoes (or composite cones)
   • Cinder cones (or scoria cones)
   • Mud volcanoes
   • Lava domes
7. Volcanoes with alternate layers of lava and pyroclasts (ash and solid materials) are called:
   • Shield volcanoes
   • Stratovolcanoes (or composite volcanoes)
   • Cinder cones (or scoria cones)
   • Mud volcanoes
   • Lava domes
8. Paricutin is an example of:
   • Shield volcanoes
   • Stratovolcanoes (or composite cones)
   • Cinder cones (or scoria cones)
   • Mud volcanoes
   • Lava domes
9. Mount Fuji is an example of:
   • Shield volcanoes
   • Stratovolcanoes (or composite cones)
   • Cinder cones (or scoria cones)
   • Mud volcanoes
   • Lava domes
10. Hawaiian volcanoes are examples of:
    • Shield volcanoes
    • Stratovolcanoes (or composite cones)
    • Cinder cones (or scoria cones)
    • Mud volcanoes
    • Lava domes
11. What is the main type of eruption associated with shield volcanoes?
    • fluid lava flows
    • lava dome collapse
    • ash fall
    • eruption column
    • pyroclastic flow
12. Composite volcanoes are so called because they:
    • are a combination of shield volcanoes, scoria cones, and other volcanoes
    • have many different types of geologic hazards
    • were first discovered on the island of Composita in Italy
    • are composed of lava flows, pyroclastic material, and mudflows
    • none of the above
13. Active stratovolcanoes (or composite volcanoes) are most commonly found
    • along rift valleys (divergent boundaries)
    • on hot spots
    • along subduction zones
    • along continent-continent collision zones
    • in all of the geologic settings described above
14. Explosive volcanic eruptions are mostly associated with ____________.
    • Fissure eruptions
    • Shield volcanoes
    • Flood basalts
    • Hot Spots
    • Stratovolcanoes (or composite volcanoes)
15. The “Ring of Fire” is located:
    • Around the Pacific Ocean
    • Around the Atlantic Ocean
    • Near the Gulf Coast Zone
    • Around the Mediterranean Sea
    • Along the Red Sea rift
16. What is a main hazard of shield volcanoes?
    • hot fragments thrown a short distance from the volcano
    • burning, building collapse, and suffocation from widely distributed pyroclastic material
    • destruction by moderately fluid lava flows that can flow far from the volcano
    • volcanic mudflows and landslides
    • relatively small pyroclastic eruptions caused by localized explosions or collapse
17. The Hawaiian term for lava with a billowy, ropy surface is _____.
    • pahoehoe
    • aa
    • haleakela
    • poy
    • Pele's hair
18. The Hawaiian term for lava with a jagged, rubbly surface is ______.
    • pahoehoe
    • aa
    • haleakela
    • poy
    • Pele's hair
19. The most abundant gas emitted by a typical volcano is ___.
    • carbon dioxide
    • water vapor
    • hydrogen sulfide
    • sulfur dioxide
    • hydrochloric acid

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Here is the link to the volcano song I played in class yesterday. Enjoy!

Review questions for volcanic hazards and igneous rock textures.

1. Volcanic ash and dust can have the effect of ___.
   • reducing the sunlight that reaches Earth's surface, suppressing photosynthetic processes
   • reducing Earth's surface temperature
   • damaging aircraft that fly through the dust
   • causing unusual weather
   • All of the previous answers are correct.
2. A mixture of HOT gas, ash and volcanic debris travelling at high speed is called:
   • pyroclastic flow
   • mud flow
   • debris flow
   • lava flow
   • lahar
3. The deadliest type of volcanic hazard is:
   • pyroclastic flow
   • mud flow
   • debris flow
   • lava flow
   • lahar
4. LAHAR is another name for:
   • pyroclastic flow
   • volcanic mud flow
   • avalanche
   • lava flow
   • volcanic landslide
5. When basaltic lava cools under water, it forms _______
   • pillow basalts
   • flood basalts
   • rift basalts
   • sheet basalts
   • regional basalts
6. Vast outpourings of lava covering many thousands of square kilometers in multiple flows are called ___.
   • pillow basalts
   • flood basalts
   • rift basalts
   • sheet basalts
   • regional basalts
7. Which of the following is NOT true about flood basalts?
   • they cover large areas and contain huge volumes of magma
   • they cover much of the Columbia Plateau of the Pacific Northwest
   • they are fed from large interconnected composite volcanoes
   • some flood basalts erupted at about the same time as major extinctions of species
   • all of the above are true about flood basalts
8. A lava solidifies into nonvesicular basalt instead of vesicular basalt because:
   • the magma has a low content of gas
   • the lava forms a ropy texture
   • the lava flow breaks apart as it flows
   • the lava flow forms lava tubes
   • none of the above
9. The most common mafic volcanic rock is
   • basalt
   • andesite
   • rhyolite
   • tuff
   • obsidian
10. The most common intermediate volcanic rock is ___.
    • basalt
    • andesite
    • rhyolite
    • tuff
    • obsidian
11. The most abundant silicic volcanic rock is ___.
    • basalt
    • andesite
    • rhyolite
    • tuff
    • obsidian
    (Hint: this rock has the same make-up as granites)
12. Rhyolite is the fine-grained equivalent of this igneous rock.
    • basalt
    • andesite
    • granite
    • diorite
    • gabbro
    (This one is the same question as above, asked in a different way).
13. The texture of an igneous rock:
    • Depends on the color (dark or light) of the rock
    • Is the shape of the rock body
    • Means how the rock “feels” when you touch it
    • Is controlled by the rate of cooling of the magma
    • Is caused by leaching
14. Rocks that contain crystals that are roughly equal in size which can be identified without a microscope are said to exhibit this texture.
    • fine grained
    • glassy
    • porphyritic
    • coarse grained
    • pyroclastic
15. Coarse grained igneous textures indicate that:
    • there was a lot of gas in the magma
    • the rock cooled quickly
    • the rock broke apart as it flowed
    • the rock cooled slowly
    • the ash and pumice were hot and became compacted
16. Coarse-grained igneous rocks are interpreted to have cooled slowly from magma, and so they are called:
    • intrusive
    • reclusive
    • extrusive
    • obtusive
    • preclusive
17. Fine-grained igneous rocks are interpreted to have cooled relatively quickly from magma, and so they are called:
    • intrusive
    • reclusive
    • extrusive
    • obtusive
    • preclusive
18. Intrusive igneous rocks
    • Are generally fine grained
    • Form at Earth's surface
    • Are quite often vesicular
    • Are also termed volcanic
    • None of the above
19. An igneous rock texture in which larger crystals are enclosed in a groundmass of much finer-grained material is called:
    • aphanitic texture
    • phaneritic texture
    • polyphonic texture
    • porphyritic texture
    • mylonitic texture
20. Porphyritic rocks are interpreted to have formed ___.
    • under water
    • in mountain ranges
    • along mid-ocean ridges
    • in chill zones
    • through two or more stages of crystallization
21. Which of the following rock types involves dissolved gas in the magma?
    • granite
    • pumice
    • gabbro
    • diorite
    • andesite
22. Which of the following rock types does not involve dissolved gas in the magma?
    • tuff
    • pumice
    • scoria
    • diorite
    • vesicular basalt
23. A frothy volcanic rock with so much void space that it can actually float is called
    • Obsidian
    • Tephra
    • Pumice
    • Lava
    • Tuff
24. Which of the following is volcanic glass which forms when very viscous magma becomes solid?
    • Obsidian
    • Tephra
    • Scoria
    • Lava
    • Tuff
25. Which of the following igneous rocks would be formed by the fastest cooling?
    • very coarse grained pegmatite
    • coarse grained granite
    • medium-grained granite
    • fine-grained granite
    • volcanic glass
26. Which of the following igneous rocks would be formed by the slowest cooling?
    • coarse grained granite
    • medium-grained granite
    • fine-grained granite
    • volcanic glass
    • there is not enough information to tell
27. Large crystals present in otherwise fine-grained volcanic rock are called:
    • Matrix
    • Megacrysts
    • Porphyroblasts
    • Macrolithons
    • Phenocrysts
28. A rock composed of fine-grained pyroclastic particles is called:
    • Tuff
    • Pumice
    • Scoria
    • Rhyolite
    • Obsidian
29. Cavities in extrusive rocks resulting from gas bubbles in the lava are called:
    • Phenocrysts
    • Matrix
    • Vesicles
    • Vascular
    • Blobs
30. An igneous rock that contains vesicles ____________.
    • is also extrusive
    • is also fine grained
    • contains many small holes
    • all of the above
    • none of the above

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Here is the pre-lab assignment for next week's lab. You must print out this assignment, complete it before lab, and bring it with you to lab next week (Week of November 6). You will NOT be allowed to do the lab otherwise.

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

Please print out the pre-lab and the lab from the library or use a printer with adequate toner.

Here is the pre-lab assignment for next week's lab. You must print out this assignment, complete it before lab, and bring it with you to lab next week (Week of November 14). You will NOT be allowed to do the lab otherwise.

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

Just so you know... you will need page 46 of your lab assignment to complete the pre-lab assignment.

Please print out the pre-lab and the lab from the library or use a printer with adequate toner.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Here is the pre-lab assignment for next week's lab. You must print out this assignment, complete it before lab, and bring it with you to lab next week (Week of April 4). You will NOT be allowed to do the lab otherwise.

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

Just so you know... you might need your textbook to complete the pre-lab assignment.

Please print out the pre-lab and the lab from the library or use a printer with adequate toner.

The questions below are fair game for your final exam.

Now moving on to minerals.
Here is the link to The Element Song. Enjoy :)

Review questions for minerals.

1. In order for a particular type of material to be classified as a mineral, it must _____.
   • be a solid
   • occur naturally
   • have a crystalline structure
   • have a definite chemical composition
   • All of the previous answers are correct.
2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of minerals?
   • possess a crystalline structure
   • formed by inorganic processes
   • definite chemical composition
   • either liquid or solid
   • formed naturally
3. Which one of the following materials is a mineral?
   • Snowflakes
   • Brick
   • Gasoline
   • Acorn (this is the seed of an oak tree)
   • Chocolate
4. Which of the following is a mineral?
   • liquid water
   • crystals grown in a laboratory
   • volcanic glass
   • piece of wood
   • none of the above can be called a mineral
5. The least reliable diagnostic property of minerals such as quartz is ____________.
   • hardness
   • crystal form
   • luster
   • specific gravity
   • color
6. The tendency of minerals to break along definite smooth flat planes is called:
   • Streak
   • Cleavage
   • Fracture
   • Crystal shape
   • Luster
7. The hardest mineral is ___.
   • copper
   • silver
   • platinum
   • gold
   • diamond
8. The softest mineral (hardness = 1) on Moh’s hardness scale is:
   • Talc
   • Calcite
   • Quartz
   • Gypsum
   • Diamond
9. Which one of the following minerals shows distinct crystal form but no cleavage?
   • Halite
   • Calcite
   • Orthoclase
   • Quartz
   • Muscovite
10. If a mineral cleaves into thin sheets, it probably has:
    • no well-defined cleavage planes
    • three directions of cleavage
    • fractures rather than cleavage
    • one dominant direction of cleavage
    • none of the above
11. Which of the following is a dark-colored silicate mineral?
    • quartz
    • potassium feldspar
    • muscovite
    • biotite
    • none of the above
12. Which of the following is generally a light-colored silicate mineral?
    • quartz
    • pyroxene
    • amphibole
    • biotite
    • all of the above
13. Which of the following minerals is typically green and has no cleavage?
    • muscovite
    • plagioclase feldspar
    • biotite
    • quartz
    • olivine
14. A mineral is light colored or transparent, has a hardness of seven, and fractures rather than cleaves. What minerals is it?
    • garnet
    • quartz
    • biotite
    • muscovite
    • feldspar
15. If the total number of electrons for a given atom is one more than the total number of protons, the atom will be ___.
    • a positive isotope
    • a negative isotope
    • a positive ion
    • a negative ion
    • neutral
16. Which of the following largely determines an atom’s atomic weight?
    • the number of neutrons
    • the number of electrons
    • the number of electrons in the outer shell
    • the number of protons and neutrons
    • none of the above
17. The two most abundant elements in Earth's crust are ___.
    • iron and magnesium
    • carbon and hydrogen
    • carbon and oxygen
    • hydrogen and oxygen
    • oxygen and silicon
18. Which of the following is NOT a major class of rock-forming minerals?
    • silicates
    • carbonates
    • oxides
    • argonites
    • sulfides
19. The most abundant mineral group within the Earth's crust and mantle is ____________.
    • Oxides
    • Carbonates
    • Sulfides
    • Halides
    • Silicates
20. The building block of the silicate minerals is called the ____________.
    • silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
    • aluminum-silicon tetrahedron
    • silicon-oxygen octahedron
    • aluminum-silicon octahedron
    • none of these

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Review questions for silicate minerals and Bowen's reaction series.

1. Which of the following is NOT a main type of silicate structure?
   • single chains
   • double chains
   • triple chains
   • sheets
   • frameworks
2. Which of the following minerals contain independent silicon-oxygen tetrahedra in its lattice structure?
   • amphibole
   • feldspar
   • olivine
   • pyroxene
   • mica (biotite, muscovite, etc.)
3. Which of the following minerals contain single chains of silicon-oxygen tetrahedra in their structure?
   • amphiboles
   • feldspars
   • olivines
   • pyroxenes
   • micas (biotite, muscovite, etc.)
4. Which of the following minerals contain double chains of silicon-oxygen tetrahedra in their structure?
   • amphiboles
   • feldspars
   • olivines
   • pyroxenes
   • micas (biotite, muscovite, etc.)
5. Which of the following minerals are called sheet silicates?
   • amphiboles
   • feldspars
   • olivines
   • pyroxenes
   • micas (biotite, muscovite, etc.)
6. Which of the following minerals are called framework silicates?
   • amphiboles
   • feldspars
   • olivines
   • pyroxenes
   • micas (biotite, muscovite, etc.)
7. Each silicon-oxygen tetrahedron in single-chain silicate minerals shares:
   • No oxygen atom
   • Two oxygen atoms
   • Alternating two and three oxygen atoms
   • Three oxygen atoms
   • Four oxygen atoms
8. Each silicon-oxygen tetrahedron in sheet silicate minerals shares:
   • No oxygen atom
   • Two oxygen atoms
   • Alternating two and three oxygen atoms
   • Three oxygen atoms
   • Four oxygen atoms
9. Each silicon-oxygen tetrahedron in framework silicate minerals shares:
   • No oxygen atom
   • Two oxygen atoms
   • Alternating two and three oxygen atoms
   • Three oxygen atoms
   • Four oxygen atoms
10. Which of the following minerals belongs to the CONTINUOUS branch of the Bowen's reaction series?
    • Olivine
    • Pyroxene
    • Amphibole
    • Plagioclase feldspar
    • Biotite
11. Which of the following minerals does not belong to the DISCONTINUOUS branch of the Bowen's reaction series?
    • Olivine
    • Pyroxene
    • Amphibole
    • Plagioclase feldspar
    • Biotite
    Hmmm... you've probably figured out that those two questions have the same answer. Just so you are familiar with two different wording to that question. So anyways...
12. In the discontinuous reaction series, which mineral crystallizes FIRST from a cooling magma?
    • Olivine
    • Pyroxene
    • Amphibole
    • Biotite
    • Potassium feldspar
13. In the discontinuous reaction series, which mineral forms as a result of reaction between olivine and the rest of the magma?
    • More olivine
    • Pyroxene
    • Amphibole
    • Biotite
    • Potassium feldspar
14. In the discontinuous reaction series, which mineral forms as a result of reaction between pyroxene and the rest of the magma?
    • More olivine
    • More pyroxene
    • Amphibole
    • Biotite
    • Potassium feldspar
15. In the discontinuous reaction series, which mineral forms as a result of reaction between amphibole and the rest of the magma?
    • More olivine
    • More pyroxene
    • More amphibole
    • Biotite
    • Potassium feldspar
16. Which of the following is common during crystallization of a magma?
    • felsic minerals crystallize first
    • mafic minerals are light and float in most magma chambers
    • felsic crystals are heavy and sink in most magma chambers
    • all crystals form at about the same time
    • none of the above
17. Igneous rocks like basalt and gabbro that are dark in tone and have approximately 50% silica are called:
    • felsic/silicic
    • intermediate
    • mafic
    • intrusive
    • extrusive
18. The intrusive (coarse grained) igneous rock diorite has the same chemical composition and mineralogy as the extrusive (fine grained) igneous rock:
    • rhyolite
    • basalt
    • andesite
    • peridotite
    • granite
19. An igneous rock that can be expected to contain large (>1 mm diameter) visible grains of quartz is:
    • Gabbro
    • Granite
    • Basalt
    • Peridotite
    • Andesite
20. Igneous rock that are silica-deficient but high in iron and magnesium are called:
    • felsic/silicic
    • intermediate
    • mafic
    • magnetic
    • ironic
21. The rock peridotite mostly contains:
    • Olivine
    • Pyroxene and calcium-rich plagioclase feldspars
    • Amphiboles
    • Biotite
    • Quartz and potassium feldspar
22. The rocks gabbro or basalt mostly contains:
    • Olivine
    • Pyroxene and calcium-rich plagioclase feldspars
    • Amphiboles
    • Biotite
    • Quartz and potassium feldspar
23. Igneous rocks that contain quartz and abundant feldspar are called:
    • felsic/silicic
    • intermediate
    • mafic
    • magnetic
    • ironic
24. Mafic igneous rocks are enriched in ___.
    • silica
    • quartz
    • magnesium, iron and calcium
    • sodium
    • potassium
25. Most ultramafic rocks are located ___.
    • in continental crust
    • in oceanic crust
    • in the lower crust below mountains
    • in the mantle
    • in the core

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Here is the link to A 300 Million Year Old Pennsylvanian Age Mire Forest web site maintained by the Illinois State Geological Survey.

Review questions for rock cycle and sedimentary rocks.

1. Which of the following DOES NOT belong to the rock cycle?
   • sedimentary
   • igneous
   • metamorphic
   • meteorites
   • all of the above are part of the rock cycle
2. Which of the following is NOT a typical environment in which a sedimentary rock forms?
   • beside glaciers
   • river channels
   • heating next to a magma
   • deep seafloor
   • shoreline of a lake
3. Which of the following is NOT an environment in which an igneous rock forms?
   • explosive eruption of volcanic ash
   • cooling and solidification of lava
   • solidification of magma at depth
   • intense squeezing from tectonic forces
   • all of the above are environments that form igneous rock
4. Which of the following is NOT a typical environment in which a metamorphic rock forms?
   • solidification of lava
   • heating adjacent to underground magma
   • squeezing by tectonic forces
   • burial to great depths
   • metamorphic rocks can form in all of these environments
5. Which of the following is true about rocks and minerals?
   • a rock can contain more than one mineral
   • a mineral is composed of chemical elements
   • both rocks and minerals must be naturally formed
   • all of the above
   • a and b only
6. Which one of the following rocks DOES NOT contain any mineral?
   • Quartz Sandstone
   • Coal
   • Granite
   • Rock salt
   • Peridotite
7. A sedimentary rock that consists of broken pieces of rocks and/or minerals bound by cement into a rigid framework is called:
   • crystalline
   • clastic
   • biochemical
   • organic
   • recycled
8. Which of the following is NOT involved in turning clastic sediments into sedimentary rock?
   • burial
   • compaction
   • cementation
   • metamorphism
   • all of the above are involved
9. sedimentary rocks precipitated from water are called:
   • Hydro
   • Clastic
   • Nonclastic
   • Aquatic
   • Bioclastic
10. Which one of the following rocks is deposited or precipitated as a result of the actions of organisms?
    • Biochemical
    • Pyroclastic
    • Hyaloclastic
    • Siliciclastic
    • Calciclastic
11. Which of the following is an organic rock formed from the compression and alteration of plant remains such as leaves, twigs, and tree trunks?
    • Sandstone
    • Conglomerate
    • Limestone
    • Coal
    • Rock salt
12. Clastic sedimentary rocks are formed:
    • By crystallization of molten rock
    • By cementing broken down pieces of preexisting rocks together
    • By altering preexisting rocks under heat and pressure
    • In the mantle when pressure is reduced
    • By melting preexisting rocks in the presence of water
13. Clastic sedimentary rocks are classified based on:
    • Color
    • Type of bedding
    • Mineral composition
    • Chemical composition
    • Size and shape of sediment grains
14. Which of the following characteristics are NOT used to classify and name clastic sediments?
    • the size of the clasts
    • the amount of sorting of clasts
    • the shape of the clasts
    • the climate in which the clasts are produced
    • all of the above are used
15. A clastic sedimentary rock layer located far away from the source area will contain __________.
    • Coarser and more angular grains
    • Finer and more angular grains
    • Finer and more rounded grains
    • Coarser and more rounded grains
    • Both rounded and angular grains
16. If a rock is poorly sorted, this means the rock contains:
    • mostly sand
    • a great variety of rock types as clasts
    • some angular and some rounded clasts
    • some parts that are reddish and others that are not
    • a wide range in the size of clasts
17. Which of the following environments would likely have clasts smaller than sand?
    • a weak current
    • steep slopes
    • dunes formed by wind
    • all of the above
    • none of the above
18. Which of the following situations would most likely result in angular clasts?
    • transport of the clasts over long distance
    • working of clasts by waves on a beach
    • steep slopes in a mountain
    • dunes formed by wind
    • none of the above situations will form angular clasts
19. What typically happens to the size, shape, and sorting of clasts as they are transported from steep mountains toward more gentle settings?
    • the size of the clasts increases
    • the clasts become more rounded
    • the sediment becomes more poorly sorted
    • all of the above
    • none of the above
20. Which of the following is NOT a common type of cement in sedimentary rocks?
    • calcite
    • pyroxene
    • silica
    • iron-oxide minerals
    • all of the above
21. Which of the following is a sedimentary rock formed by the cementation of rounded gravel-sized grains?
    • Conglomerate
    • Breccia
    • Sandstone
    • Arkose
    • Cataclasite
22. Which of the following is a sedimentary rock formed by the cementation of angular gravel-sized grains?
    • Conglomerate
    • Breccia
    • Sandstone
    • Arkose
    • Cataclasite
23. Which one of the following rocks is NOT a clastic sedimentary rock?
    • Shale
    • Sandstone
    • Conglomerate
    • Chert
    • Breccia
24. Carbonate sedimentary rocks that contain the solid fragments of the tests, shells or bones of organisms are called:
    • hyaloclastic
    • calciclastic
    • bioclastic
    • siliciclastic
    • pyroclastic
25. An example of a type of limestone that precipitates from fresh water (as contrasted with precipitation from sea water) is:
    • Chert
    • Opal
    • Travertine
    • Tuff
    • Jasper
26. An example of a hard, compact, very fine-grained (can be chemical or biochemical) sedimentary rock composed entirely of silica is ____
    • Tuff
    • Chalk
    • Chert
    • Travertine
    • Claystone
27. Rock gypsum and rock salt are examples of sedimentary rocks called ___.
    • carbonates
    • silicates
    • phosphates
    • evaporites
    • clastics

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.
As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.
As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

Here is the pre-lab assignment for next week's lab. You must print out this assignment, complete it before lab, and bring it with you to lab next week (Week of November 27). You will NOT be allowed to do the lab otherwise.

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

Just so you know... you might need your textbook to complete the pre-lab assignment.

Please print out the pre-lab and the lab from the library or use a printer with adequate toner.

You can test yourself here and find the correct answers to these questions.

That's it for today. As always, e-mail me if you have any questions.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Here is the pre-lab assignment for next week's lab. You must print out this assignment, complete it before lab, and bring it with you to lab next week (Week of December 5). You will NOT be allowed to do the lab otherwise.

Here is the lab assignment for next week. Please print out this assignment and bring it to lab next week. You will complete this during the lab session.

Just so you know... you might need your textbook to complete the pre-lab assignment.

Please print out the pre-lab and the lab from the library or use a printer with adequate toner.