Santa Monica College Earth Science

GEOL 4 - Physical Geology (with Lab)

Exam # 1 Study Guide - Winter 2014

exam date: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 - 8:00 AM

Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.
 
General InformationLast Updated  •  January 11, 2015
PLEASE NOTE:
Cellular phones, iPods, Blackberries, Bluetooth, headphones, computers, pocket calculators, dictionaries, translators or, in general, ANY KIND of electronic device CANNOT 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 cannot use any text, manual, note, dictionary, pocket calculator, flash card, or any other source of information except 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 for the mineral ID part of the test (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: lectureLast Updated  •  January 11, 2015
Chapter 1 - Introducing Geology, the Essentials of Plate Tectonics, and Other Important Concepts
Review and study the whole chapter. You need to grasp the meaning of every concept in this chapter

  1. Read The Introduction
  2. Read Who Needs Geology
  3. Know Earth Systems
  4. Know An Overview of Physical Geology - important concepts
    Know the whole paragraph, and 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
  5. Know Geologic Time: be aware of the immensity of geologic time

Chapter 19 - Plate Tectonics

  1. Read the Introduction
  2. Know The Early Case for Continental Drift
  3. Read Paleomagnetism and the Revival of Continental Drift
  4. Read Seafloor Spreading
  5. Know Plates and Plate Motion
  6. Skip How Do We Know That Plates Move?
  7. Know Divergent Plate Boundaries
  8. Know Transform Plate Boundaries
  9. Know Convergent Plate Boundaries
  10. Read The Motion of Plate Boundaries
  11. Know Plate Size
  12. Know The Attractiveness of Plate Tectonics
  13. Skip What Causes Plate Motions?
  14. Read A Final Note

Chapter 2 - Atoms, Elements, and Minerals

  1. Read the Introduction
  2. Know Minerals
  3. 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 stable isotopes, page 33
    • Include section "In Greater Depth 2.2" on elements in Earth's crust, page 36
    • Include section "Environmental Geology 2.6" on clay minerals, page 42
    • 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
  4. Know Variations in Mineral Structures and Compositions (we discussed in particular the structure and formation of the mineral olivine)
  5. Know The Physical Properties of Minerals. These materials are also covered on the lab manual and you will be tested in detail on them during this exam. See lab study guide down below.
  6. Know The Many Conditions of Mineral Formation
  7. Read section "In Greater Depth 2.7" on the molecule of water, page 50.

Chapter 3 - Igneous Rocks, Intrusive Activity and the Origin of Igneous Rocks

  1. Read the Introduction
  2. Know The Rock Cycle
  3. Know Igneous Rocks
    Among other things:
    • Know very well the diagram of Fig. 3.6, page 60, and/or Fig. 3.7, page 63 (which shows rock pictures)
    • Notice and study the variation in texture and color in the six sample rocks of Fig. 3.7
    • Use the previous figures together with Table 3.1, page 62
    • Read section "In Greater Depth 3.1" on Pegmatites, page 61
  4. Know Intrusive Bodies (both shallow and deep)
  5. Know Abundance and Distribution of Plutonic Rocks
  6. Know How Magma Forms
  7. Know How Magmas of Different Composition Evolve (including Bowen's reaction series: there WILL be questions on it; study Fig. 3.20, page 71)
  8. Know Explaining Igneous Activity by Plate Tectonics
    • Know in particular Table 3.2, page 75

Chapter 4 - Volcanism and Extrusive Rocks

  1. Know Pyroclastic Debris and Lava Flows
  2. Know Living with Volcanoes, and in particular:
    • the Growth of an Island
    • Effect on Climate
    • Eruptive Violence and Physical Characetristics of Lava
  3. Know Extrusive Rocks and Gases
  4. Know Extrusive Rocks. Be sure to review table 4.1, page 93
  5. Know Types of Volcanoes. Be sure to review Table 4.2, page 97
  6. Know Lava Floods
  7. Know Submarine Eruptions

 
Study Guide, part 2: LabLast Updated  •  January 11, 2015

Due to the missing lab manual at the bookstore, we will be concentrating on Minerals and Mineral Identification only.
You need to know the minerals main properties, what they are and how they can be used in the mineral identification process.:
  1. Color and Clarity
  2. Crystal Habits and Form
  3. Luster
  4. Streak
  5. Hardness
  6. Cleavage
  7. Fractures
  8. Other Properties: Tenacity, Reaction to Acid, Striations, Magnetism, Specific Gravity
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
    4. (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 35 you have already seen and identified during the the labs of January 8, 12, and 13, 2015).
  2. You will need to bring your 2x2 glass ONLY (plus pencil, eraser and scantron). A penny could help but is not necessary.
  3. Diluted HCl bottles and a magnet will be available.
  4. You will be handed a streak plate (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 the Activity 3.4 figure on pages 83 through 88.
  6. You will have NO access to Fig. 3.21 on pages 73 through 77 or any other material.
  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.


Copyright © 1994-2015, Alessandro Grippo
(All Rights Reserved)
Back to the Winter 2015 page       Back to the Main page