Santa Monica College Earth Science

GEOL 4 L - Physical Geology Lab

Exam # 1 Study Guide - Summer 2011

exam date: Thursday, June 30, 2011

Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.
 
General InformationLast Updated  •  June 27, 2011
PLEASE NOTE:
Cellular phones, iPods, Blackberries, Bluetooth, headphones, computers, pocket calculators, dictionaries, translators or, in general, ANY KIND of electronic device CAN NOT be used during the test.
All electronic devices MUST BE TURNED OFF: if a cell phone rings, if a light is visible, or a device is on while in class during test time, you will not be allowed to finish your test and your result will be invalidated.

You can not use any text, notes, dictionary, pocket calculator, flash card, or any source of information other than your brain. You will NOT need a ruler for this test.

You will ONLY need to bring:

  1. one Scantron, Form 882-E
  2. a number 2 pencil
  3. an eraser
  4. your Geology/Mineralogy 2X2 glass (you will all be provided with an individual streak plate; magnets and HCl bottles will be available)

This study guide must be interpreted (literally) as a guide to the study of the subject and not as a listing of possible questions.
There is no additional information compared to what has been said, discussed, shown, illustrated in class.
It is YOUR personal responsability to cover the materials listed below on the lecture textbook, on the lab textbook, on the web pages, and on your notes.

I would strongly recommend that you peruse your notes for completeness of information: some information that has been detailed in class is only mentioned briefly on the textbooks, and you are responsible for covering that; know what the key terms and concepts are (see the list at the end of each chapter on both your textbook and your lab manual); exercise with the questions for review also found at the end of each chapter. Review the materials from your quizzes.
Read the summary at the end of each chapter, try to answer review questions, try to work with other fellow students if you find it useful.
Never hesitate to ask me questions in class or during the lab.

ammonites
Jurassic ammonites from the Ammonitic Red Formation of the Italian Alps


 
Study Guide, part 1: from lecture textbookLast Updated  •  June 29, 2011
These chapters, paragraphs, page numbers refer to the 12th edition of Physical Geology by Plummer and Carlson. Different editions will present the same materials on different pages.

Chapter 1 - Introducing Geology, the Essentials of Plate Tectonics, and Other Important Concepts
Review and study the whole chapter. While there will not be direct questions on a few paragraphs, you need to grasp the meaning of every concept

  1. Read Who Needs Geology
  2. Know Earth Systems
  3. Know An Overview of Physical Geology - important concepts
    Know the whole paragraph but know in particular:
    • Know Earth's layer, from both the physical and the chemical point of view, and how they differ one from the other
    • Be able to explain how do we know about them
    • Know about the magnetic field of Earth
    • Know about sources of heat and energy on Earth
    • Know about convection, plate tectonics, name and location of the main plates
    • Know all kinds of plate boundaries, and what happens at each one of them
    • Know Hot Spots, what they are, and what happens at those locations
      (consider the cases of Hawai'i and Yellowstone, for example)
    • Know the three kinds of rocks and their origin
  4. Know Geologic Time: be aware of the immensity of geologic time

Chapter 2 - Atoms, Elements, and Minerals

  1. Know Minerals
  2. Know Atoms and Elements
    Know in particular:
    • Atoms and elements; the atomic structure, why atoms bond, and how (kinds of bond)
    • Know about ions, and isotopes, atomic number and atomic mass
    • Include section "Earth Systems 2.1" on the previous topic, page 33
    • Include section "In Greater Depth 2.2" on elements in Earth's crust, page 36
    • Know about polar molecules, stable and unstable (radioactive) isotopes
    • Know the eight most abundant element of Earth's crust, and their relative importance
    • Know the main mineral groups present in Earth's crust
    • Know about silicon tetrahedra, how they bond, why they are stable or unstable; know what kind of minerals with silicon tetrahedra have what structure
    • Know what defines a mineral and the most important ones; know the chemical formulas of quartz, olivine and calcite
  3. Know Variations in Mineral Structures and Compositions (we discussed in particular the structure and formation of the mineral olivine)
  4. Know The Physical Properties of Minerals but know the section on Color. These materials are also covered on the lab manual and you will be tested in detail on them on this exam.
  5. Know The Many Conditions of Mineral Formation
  6. Read section "In Greater Depth 2.7" on the molecule of water, page 50.

 
Study Guide: LabLast Updated  •  June 27, 2011

Chapter 1 - Observing and Measuring Earth Materials and Processes

  1. Know the Introduction
  2. Know Observing Earth Materials and Processes of Change through Time
  3. Know Measuring Earth Materials and Relationships
    • Be able to use the metric system and to perform simple calculations, such as changing from meters to millimeters or kilometers or centimeters; from grams to kilograms; from liters to milliliters
    • Know the main conversion factors between feet and meters & miles and kilometers; liters and gallons; grams and pounds (see page xi in the preface; NO CALCULATOR required for the exam, no calculator or cell phone allowed!)
    • Know how to calculate an area and a volume; know how to measure and calculate velocity (speed) and density.
  4. Read Density, Gravity and Isostasy
  5. Read Isostasy and Earth's Global Topography

Chapter 2 - Plate Tectonics and the Origin of Magma

    Know the whole chapter

Lab Chapter 3, part 1 - Mineral Properties, Uses and Identification

  1. Know the Introduction

  2. Know Mineral Properties and Uses
    • Know what all these properties are
    • Know how to work with them during the test part of mineral identification

  3. Know the procedure for Mineral Identification and Appreciation
    (I will NOT ask questions out of this but you will need to know it in detail for mineral identification. See below)


Lab Chapter 3, part 2 - Mineral Identification:

  1. You will need to identify a few minerals (chosen among the ones you have already seen and identified during the lab of June 28, 2011).

  2. You will need to bring your 2x2 glass ONLY (plus pencil, eraser and scantron).

  3. Diluted HCl bottles and a magnet will be available.

  4. You will all be checking out a streak plate from the Department (MUST be returned after the test).

  5. I will provide you with a copy of Fig. 3.9, page 64; a copy of Figs. 3.18, page 70, 3.19, page 71, and 3.20, page 72; a blank copy of teh figure on page 83.

  6. You will have NO access to tghe Mineral Database or anything else.

  7. You will need to know the procedure for mineral identification, as explained in part 3B, page 78.
    You already worked with that procedure during your lab exercise and review.

 


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