Easc 101- Lecture 1

Physical geology is the study of

• the origin of earth and its development through time

• the study of the emergence and evolution of life through fossils

• the study of economic value of Earth materials

• the study of materials composing Earth to gain an understanding of processes operating on and beneath its surface.

Historical geology is the study of

• the origin of earth and its development through time

• the study of the emergence and evolution of life through fossils

• the study of economic value of Earth materials

• the study of materials composing Earth to gain an understanding of processes operating on and beneath its surface

A geological outcrop is

• a landform where the bedrock is exposed at the surface of Earth

• a site where groundwater leaves reaches the surface of earth

• a site where oil or natural gas leaves reaches the surface of earth

• a rock so severely disintegrated that it is difficult to identify

Catastrophism is the philosophy that

• physical, chemical and biologic processes that operate today have also operated in the geologic past

• Earth's landscapes were shaped primarily by sudden and worldwide disasters that no longer operate today.

• Earth's landscapes were only formed just after the Big Bang when Earth was still hot and deformable.

• all of the above

Uniformitarianism argues that

• physical, chemical and biologic processes that operate today have also operated in the geologic past.

• Earth's landscapes were shaped primarily by sudden and worldwide disasters that no longer operate today.

• Earth's landscapes were only formed just after the Big Bang when Earth was still hot and deformable.

• all of the above.

The method of relative dating which was used to develop the geologic time scale conducts dating by

• determining numerical ages of geological features by measuring radiometric isotopes

• calculating time it has taken for rocks to form by determining their temperature

• placing geologic events in their proper sequence of occurrence without knowing their numerical ages.

• none of the above

The nebular theory for the formation of Earth and other planets suggests that

• planets formed following the collision of the sun and its moon

• bodies of the solar system evolved from an enormous rotating cloud called the solar nebula consisting of hydrogen, helium and a few heavier elements.

• the Sun's gravitational attracted particles from another galaxy which then cooled and formed planets.

• all of the above.

About 200 million years ago, Earth's continents were part of one large supercontinent called

• Gondwanaland

• Nuna

• Rodinia

• Pangaea

At divergent plate boundaries

• lithospheric plates move toward each other resulting in plate destruction or mountain formation

• lithospheric plates move away from each other, creating new plate material

• lithospheric plate move past each other without producing or destroying plate material.

• all of the above

At convergent boundaries

• lithospheric plates move toward each other resulting in plate destruction or mountain formation

• lithospheric plates move away from each other, creating new plate material

• lithospheric plate move past each other without producing or destroying plate material.

• all of the above