Santa Monica College Earth Science

GEOL 4 - Physical Geology (with Lab)

Exam # 4: Study Guide - Winter 2020

 exam date (UPDATED!): Thursday, February 13, 2020

Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.
 
General InformationLast Updated  •  February 11, 2020
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: lectureLast Updated  •  February 11, 2020

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 6 - Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks

  • Know Sedimentary Structures
    • Know where you would find (rocks and environments) all these structures, but pay special attention to, among them, Graded Bedding and Cross-Bedding
    • Know what a Turbidite is and where it would form, and its temporal meaning (how long does it take for it to form? is that a "normal" event, or a "catastrophic" event?)
  • Know what Fossils are, and what they indicate (both Time and Environment of Deposition)
  • Know what a Formation is (for instance, the Navajo Sandstone, or the Morrison Formation). Know what a "Contact" is
  • Know Interpretation of Sedimentary Rocks. Know what "Transgression and Regression" are. Study Figure 6.38, page 154

  • Know the .pdf presentation discussed in class:

    ALSO:

  • Review the summary at the end of the chapter
  • Learn the terms to remember
  • Answer questions in the "testing your knowledge" section

Chapter 7 - Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks

  • Know the Introduction
  • Know Metamorphism
  • Know Factors Controlling the Characteristics of Metamorphic Rocks
    • know the difference between confining pressure and differential stress
    • know what foliation is (and do not confuse foliation with fissility, typical of shale, a clastic sedimentary rock, see Chapter 6)
    • review in particular Figure 7.6, page 163)
  • Know Classification of Metamorphic Rocks (see also Table 7.1, page 164)
    • Know the contact metamorphic rocks: marble, quartzite and hornfels
    • Know the regional metamorphic rocks: slate, phyllite, schist, gneiss and migmatite
  • Know Types of Metamorphism
  • Know Metamorphic Grade
  • Know in particular Figure 7.18, page 171
  • Know about Plate Tectonics and Metamorphism (see also Figure 7.21, page 174)
    • Know Hydrothermal Metamorphism and Plate Tectonics
    • Know about black smokers

    • review the powerpoint Metamorphic Rocks

    ALSO:

  • Review the summary at the end of the chapter
  • Learn the terms to remember
  • Answer questions in the "testing your knowledge" section

Chapter 8 - Time and Geology

  • Know the Introduction
  • Know The Key to the Past
    • Know who Nicolaus Steno, James Hutton, Charles Lyell, William Smith, Charles Darwin, and Albert Oppel were and what was their contribution to geology (an extended guide to this can be found on the web site, on the stratigraphy pages. You do not need to study or know all of this section: just refer to the basic facts concerning the four scientist cited above and discussed during lecture.
  • Know Relative Time
    Know the whole section, review the relative time and read the transgression and regression powerpoints
    Among other things:
    • Know the Introduction
    • Know the difference between Relative Age and Numerical Age
    • Review (from chapter 6) what contacts and Formations are
    • Know the three Principles of Steno, and who Steno was
    • Know the other two Principles: cross-cutting relationships and inclusions
    • Know what Unconformities are, and the three kinds we described (You can skip the term of Paraconformity, but still know it is a possible kind of unconformity).
    • Know Correlation, and how we proceed to correlate
    • Know in particular the use of Fossils, the Principle of Faunal Succession, what is an Index Fossil, what is a Fossil Assemblage
    • Know the Standard Geologic Time Scale:
      • know the difference between periods of time and the rocks that represent those periods of time
      • know names and relative order of Eons (Eonothems), Eras (Erathems) and Periods (Systems)
      • know numerical ages for the Precambrian / Phanerozoic boundary, and for the Paleozoic / Mesozoic and Mesozoic / Cenozoic boundaries. Use Figure 8.24, page 199, for reference.
  • Skip Numerical Age
  • Know Combining Relative and Numerical Ages
  • 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 inclusion that is younger than the rock in which it is found).

    ALSO:

  • Review the summary at the end of the chapter
  • Learn the terms to remember
  • Answer questions in the "testing your knowledge" section
 
Study Guide, part 2: LabLast Updated  •  February 11, 2020

Lab Chapter 6 - Sedimentary Rocks, Processes and Environments

Know "Sedimentary Structures and Environments", pages 164 to 168

Lab Chapter 7 - Metamorphic Rocks, Processes and Resources

RKnow the whole chapter
there will be no direct questions from this chapter BUT you will need to know the details in order to identify metamorphic rocks

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

You can review this chapter, but these materials are covered in your Textbook Chapter 8 (about Geologic Time)see above). The lab manual provides a different approach to these topics and you are encouraged to read this chapter. The test questions will come from my powerpoints and from the textbook.

 
Study Guide, part 3 of 3: rock identification Last Updated  •  February 11, 2020

This part was already covered on Monday, February 10. There will be no rock identification on this test.


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