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GEOL 5 - Earth History (with Lab)

Exam # 2 Study Guide - Spring 2017

exam date: Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.

 
General InformationLast Updated  •  March 28, 2016    
PLEASE NOTE:
  • You CAN NOT USE cellular phones, iPods, Blackberries, Bluetooth, headphones, computers, pocket calculators, translators or, in general, ANY KIND of electronic device during the test.
    All electronic devices MUST BE TURNED OFF: if a cell phone rings, or if a device is on 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 other source of information than your brain.

  • You will NOT need a ruler or a blue book for this test.

  • You will ONLY need to bring:
    1. one Scantron, Form 882-E
    2. a number 2 pencil
    3. an eraser

  • This study guide must be interpreted (literally) as a guide to the study of the subject and not as a listing of possible questions.

  • On this study guide, there is no additional or extra information compared to what has been said, discussed, shown, illustrated in class.

  • It is YOUR personal responsibility to cover the materials listed below on the lecture textbook, on the lab textbook, on "Fossil Ecosystems of North America", 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 three textbooks, and you are responsible for covering that; know what the key terms and the 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.

Cambrian oncolites from the Marble Mountains, California
Cambrian oncolites from the Chambless Formation, Marble Mountains, California

 
Study Guide: part 1 - readings from "Fossil Ecosystems of North America"Last Updated  •  March 28, 2017    

There will be a few questions out of Fossil Ecosystems of North America.
Refer to the familiar assignments list for a review.

Only materials from the following chapters will be in this test:

  • Introduction
  • The Gunflint Chert
  • Mistaken Point

You will not be quizzed on previous chapters.
 
Study Guide: part 2 - LECTURELast Updated  •  March 28, 2017     

Chapter 2 - Rock-Forming Minerals and Rocks

This whole chapter was part of the previous test, except the section on sediments, sedimentary rocks, sedimentary structures.
Refer to pages 38 to 44 in your textbook for these materials.

Know names and definitions of sedimentary rocks. be able to connect them to the energy in the environment of deposition. Know all the process of mechanical and chemical weathering, their products.
Know chemical compositions for all these chemical sedimentary rocks: hematite, limonite, limestone, dolostone, chert, gypsum, anhydrite,halite.
Remember the discussion of pelagic chemical (limestones and cherts) vs. non-chemical (red clays) sediments, and their origin (see also Chapter 3 to review these protists). In particular, review your notes on the C.C.D. (Carbonate Compensation Depth).
Know the names of the planktonic organisms involved (coccolithophorids, foraminifers, diatoms, and radiolarians: which is which, in terms of phytoplankton/zooplankton and in terms of calcareous vs. siliceous shell).

Make sure to integrate these materials with the slides on sedimentary structures.



Chapter 4 - Environments and Life

  1. Know the basic facts about ecology
  2. Know about the atmosphere: its composition, patterns of air circulation on both a non-rotating and a rotating earth with no land masses; know what the Coriolis effect is, how it works, and why; know the main wind patterns (trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies) and their direction
  3. Know the web materials on oceanography, and in particular know about:
    • surface currents
    • deep currents
    • the pycnocline, the halocline, the thermocline
    • the oxygen curve and the nutrient curve
    • the photic zone
  4. Know the main Terrestrial Environments; be aware of climate change with altitude and not only with latitude
  5. Know about the Marine Realm: again, the differences between the surface, wind-driven currents and the deep, density-driven currents; know the patterns of surface ocean currents; know about the California current and the Gulf Stream; know about Equatorial currents and the West Wind Drift; know the basics about tides and the intertidal, subtidal (p.97) and supratidal zones
  6. Know the physiography of ocean bottoms, along passive and active continental margin (know the difference between a continental margin and a plate boundary!): shelf, slope, rise, abyssal plain, etc.; again, know what the photic zone is and its approximate depth in meters
  7. Know about marine life, and what plankton, nekton and benthos are; know about the influence of salinity and temperature of ocean waters on life; know about food webs
  8. Know the Freshwater Environments

 
Study Guide: part 3 - LABLast Updated  •  March 28, 2017     

Chapter 1 - Sedimentary Rocks in Hand Sample

You WILL BE asked to identify rock samples for this test. You will be provided with a copy of your lab manual flowchart (Table 1.1A, page 5) and rock identification form (Table 1.1B, page 6); bottles of diluted HCl will be available.

  1. Know the introduction to the chapter ("Basic Information")
  2. Know "The Texture of Sedimentary Rocks" (integrate this chapter with your class notes and your main textbook
  3. Know the rock names and diagnostic features, as from Table 1.1A, page 5
  4. Know what matrix and cements are; be aware that, together with grains and pores they make up for the possible four components of a clastic sedimentary rock or sediment
  5. Know about hardness, color and bedding (see also the slides on sedimentary structures)
  6. Review "terms" (pages 9 and 10)

Chapter 2 - Textural Clues to the History of Sediment

  1. Know "Particle Size and Sorting"
  2. Know "Grain Shape"
  3. Stop at the bottom of page 13. Skip "Size distribution of coarse gravel" (there will be no questions on this paragraph)
  4. Review "Questions for Discussion" (page 17)
  5. Review "Terms" (page 18)

Chapter 3 - Sedimentary Rocks under the Microscope

  1. You will not be asked to identify a rock under the microscope, BUT:
  2. Know the introduction ("Basic Information": know what thin sections and acetate peels are, but I will not ask you how to prepare an acetate peel)
  3. be able to work on a diagram such as that of Figure 3.4, page 21
  4. Know textures of sandstones
  5. Know textures of carbonate rocks (be sure to know Folk's classification, including the three components grains, cement and matrix; know the four major types of grains, as from page 23 of your lab manual; know how this classification differs from Dunham's (on the same page, and also in Table 3.2), and know the difference between micrite and sparite)
  6. review notes on sandstones and carbonates
  7. Review "Terms" (pages 26 and 27)
Make sure to check the key to this lab.


Chapter 6 - Sea-Floor Spreading and Plate Tectonics

  1. Know "An Overview of Sea-Floor Spreading and Plate Tectonics"
  2. Stop at page 56. Skip "Verification of Sea-Floor Spreading and the remaining paragraphs in this chapter
  3. Review "Terms" (page 61)


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