Santa Monica College Earth Science

GEOL 4 - Physical Geology (with Lab)

Exam # 4: Study Guide - Winter 2017

 exam dates:

  • part 1 (scantron only): Monday, February 6, 2017, 8:00 AM
  • part 2 (rocks identification and lab questions and exercises): Thursday, February 9, 2017, 8:00 AM

Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.
 
General InformationLast Updated  •  February 2, 2017
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 responsibility to cover the materials listed below in the lecture textbook, in the lab textbook, in the web pages, and in 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.


lava beds national monument

cross-bedded volcanic tuff from Lava Beds National Monument, California


 
Study Guide, part 1 of 3: lectureLast Updated  •  February 2, 2017
This part will be covered on Monday, February 6, 2017.
I strongly recommend that you always review the sections "Terms to Remember" and "Testing Your Knowledge" found at the end of each textbook chapter.

Chapter 8 - Time and Geology

  1. Know Numerical Age
    Read the whole paragraph, but know in particular:
    • about radioactive isotopes (not the single couples parent - daughter but the concept of radioactivity and radioactive decay)
    • about parent and daughter isotopes, and the concept of half-life
    • be able to calculate numerical ages using simple math, when you know the amounts of P, D and the half-life of an isotope. You are supposed to know the half-life of 14C. If other isotopes will be used, I will provide you with the proper numbers.
    • about the differences in dating rocks and in dating organic materials: what do you use, why can you use it, how does it work and what are the orders of magnitude of time involved
    • about Uses of Isotopic Dating

  2. Know Combining Relative and Numerical Ages

  3. Know Age of the Earth
    Be able to use all the concepts you learned so far: for instance, can a Jurassic chert inclusion be found in a Triassic limestone? (answer: NO! Inclusions are always older than the rock that hosts them. The Jurassic Period is younger than Triassic Period, so you can not have a younger inclusion).
Remember to check the related powerpoint presentation

Chapter 9 - Mass Wasting

  1. Know the introduction

  2. Know Mass Wasting

  3. Know Controlling Factors in Mass Wasting
    This is the most important section of this chapter

  4. Know Classification of Mass Wasting.
    • Know what creep, earthflow, solifluction, permafrost, debris flow, mud flow, rockfall, rockslide and rock avalance are

  5. Know Underwater Landslides

  6. Know Preventing Landslides

Chapter 10 - Streams and Floods

  1. Know the introduction

  2. Know The Hydrologic Cycle

  3. Know Running Water

  4. Know Drainage Basins

  5. Know Drainage Patterns

  6. Know Factors Affecting Stream Erosion and Deposition
    • Know Velocity
      • Be able to work with the graph of Figure 10.6, page 235, as seen in class.
    • Know Gradient
    • Know Channel Shape and Roughness
    • Know Discharge.
      • Be able to calculate discharge values using simple numbers, as seen in class examples. Pay attention to the proper units (m3/sec)

  7. Know Stream Erosion

  8. Know Stream Transportation of Sediment
    (study figure 10.13, page 239)

  9. Know Stream Deposition
    (know all the subsections of this paragraphs: bars, braided streams, meandering streams and point bars, flood plains, deltas, and alluvial fans)

  10. Know Stream Valley Development

  11. Know Flooding


Chapter 11 - Ground Water

  1. Know the introduction

  2. Know The Importance of Groundwater

  3. Know The Storage of Groundwater
    Do not limit yourself to basic concepts, such as the water table, and the saturated and unsaturated (vadose) zones. Know the concepts of Primary Porosity and Secondary Porosity; Porosity vs. Permeability; Aquifers vs. Aquitards; Unconfined vs. Confined Aquifers

  4. Know The Movement of Groundwater

  5. Know Wells

  6. Know Springs and Streams

  7. readContamination of Ground Water.
    I will not ask questions out of this section, but you should read it for completeness of information

  8. Know Balancing Withdrawal and Recharge

  9. Know Geologic Effects of Groundwater

  10. Know Hot Water Underground


Chapter 12 - Glaciers and Glaciations

  1. Know the introduction

  2. Know What is a Glacier?

  3. Know Glaciers - where they are, how they form and move

  4. Know Glacial Erosion

  5. Know Glacial Deposition
    • In addition to the paragraph materials, be prepared to answer questions in particular about varves and their use in stratigraphy as time markers

  6. Know Past Glaciation
 
Study Guide, part 2 of 3: LabLast Updated  •  February 2, 2017
This part will be covered on Thursday, February 9, 2017

Lab Chapter 6 - Sedimentary Rocks and Processes

Know the whole chapter

Lab Chapter 7 - Metamorphic Rocks, Processes, and Resources

Know the whole chapter

Lab Chapter 8 - Dating of Rocks, Fossils, and Geologic Events

Know the whole chapter

Lab Chapter 11 - Stream Processes, Landscapes, Mass Wastage, and Flood Hazards

Know the whole chapter

Lab Chapter 12 - Groundwater Processes, Resources, and Risks

Know the whole chapter

Lab Chapter 13 - Glaciers and the Dynamic Cryosphere

Know the whole chapter

Lab Chapter 14 - Dryland Landforms, Hazards, and Risks

Know the whole chapter

Lab Chapter 15 - Coastal Processes, Landforms, Hazards, and Risks

Know the whole chapter

 
Study Guide, part 3 of 3: rock id and other lab exercisesLast Updated  •  February 2, 2017
For the lab part of this test you will have to identify and describe a few different kinds of rocks (sedimentary and metamorphic), and then possibly answer a few general questions about numerical and relative time, and about maps.

Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks Identification:

  • You will be given a few rocks to identify
  • These rock types will be chosen among the ones you have already seen, identified and checked during previous labs
  • Rocks will be distributed randomly, you will first have to identify them as sedimentary or metamorphic, and then choose and use the appropriate flowcharts to find out what you have
  • You might or might not have rocks of all kind (that is, do NOT expect rocks of all kinds; you will have to identify what you have)
  • You will need to bring your 2x2 glass ONLY (plus the usual pencil, eraser, scan-tron, and your cm/in ruler)
  • Streak plates, HCl bottles and a magnet will be available
  • You will be provided with the appropriate graphs, flowcharts and identification keys:
      Sedimentary Rocks
    • you will have a copy of figure 6.9, page 164
    • you will have a copy of the Sedimentary Rocks worksheet (Activity 6.6), pages 179 through 182
      Metamorphic Rocks
    • you will have a copy of figure 7.16, page 197
    • you will have a copy of the Metamorphic Rocks worksheet (Activity 7.3), page 202

Geologic Time and Topographic Maps:
    Geologic Time
  • if necessary, you will have figure 8.10, page 213
  • if necessary, you will have figure 8.11, page 215
    Topographic Maps
  • I might ask you to reason on a generic map, such as that of Activity 9.5,page 257
  • I will NOT ask you to draw a section, like the one of Activity 9.6, page 258


Copyright © since 1994, Alessandro Grippo, All Rights Reserved.
Back to the Winter 2017 Page
Back to the Main Page