Alessandro Grippo's earth Sciences pages

GEOL 5 - Earth History (with Lab)

Exam # 3 Study Guide - Fall 2016

exam date: Wednesday, December 14, 2016, at 6:45 PM

Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.

 
General InformationLast Updated  •  December 9, 2016    
PLEASE NOTE:
Cellular phones, iPads, Androids, iPods, Blackberries, Bluetooth devices, headphones, computers 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 or a device is turned on in the classroom during test time, you will not be allowed to finish your test and your result will be invalidated.

You can not use any dictionary, translator, pocket calculator, flash card, or any external source of information. There will be no need for a ruler during this test. No hoods, hats, or anything that hides your ears will be allowed.

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.
It is YOUR personal responsibility to cover the materials listed in this online study guide

  • in the lecture textbook
  • in the lab textbook
  • in "Fossil Ecosystems of North America"
  • on the web pages
  • 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 others if you find it useful.
Never hesitate to ask me questions in class or during a lab.

Bowman Lake, Montana

The Rocky Mountains' glacial landscape along the U.S. / Canada border:
Lake Bowman, Glacier National Park, Montana


 
Study Guide: part 1 - readings from "Fossil Ecosystems of North America"Last Updated  •  December 9, 2016    

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:

  • The Chinle Group
  • The Morrison Formation
  • The Hell Creek Formation
  • The Green River Formation
  • Florissant
  • Dominican Amber
  • Rancho La Brea

You will not be quizzed on previous chapters.

 
Study Guide: part 2 - LECTURELast Updated  •  December 9, 2016    

Chapter 6 - Correlation and Dating of the Rock Record
This paragraph is fully integrated by the web pages on stratigraphy. In particular, Parts 5 (magnetostratigraphy), 6 (event stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, geophysical logs and coring operations), and 7 (sea-level change, sedimentary basins, sequence stratigraphy, cyclostratigraphy) are integral part of the study materials for this test. Also, do not forget to check the illustrated stratigraphy page on the web.

From the book:

  1. Review the Geologic Time Scale
  2. Review Stratigraphic Units
  3. Know Earth's Absolute Age; review the Numerical Time powerpoint
  4. Know Event Stratigraphy
Some concepts may have been discussed in class only. Refer to your notes. This is one of the most important chapters of the book. Expect detailed questions out of this chapter, and be able to apply the concepts expressed in this section to chapters.


Chapter 7 - Evolution and the Fossil Record
This chapter provides you with the foundations for the understanding of Evolution.
You should study the whole chapter and the integrating materials that you can find on the class web page. Here is a detailed summary of the materials you need to know:

  1. Know the Introduction
  2. Know Adaptations
  3. Know Charles Darwin's Contribution (there will be questions on Charles Darwin)
  4. Read, in order to better understand the ideas behind the chapter, the section "Genes, DNA and Chromosomes" (there will be no direct questions on this short paragraph)
  5. Read, in order to better understand this chapter, the section "Populations, Species and Speciations". Know what a speciation is.
  6. Read, in order to better understand this chapter, the section "Rates of Origination". Know what evolutionary radiations and adaptive breakthroughs are.
  7. Know The Molecular Clock and Times of Origination
  8. Know Evolutionary Convergence
  9. Know Extinction
  10. Know Evolutionary Trends
  11. Know the online notes on evolution

Chapter 8 - The Theory of Plate Tectonics
Know the whole chapter; expect many questions to come out of this chapter (whose materials have already been discussed at least three times between lecture and lab)

  1. Know the History of Alfred Wegener's continental drift theory
  2. Know about the rise of Plate Tectonics
  3. Know about paleomagnetism
  4. Know about deformation, strike and dip (see also the online notes for this section, parts I, II, and III)
  5. Review the Structural Geology and Tectonics powerpoint
  6. Know faults and folds (folds are mentioned in Chapter 9 on the textbook but you should have in-depth notes on both faults and folds, including materials on their classification, on strike and dip, on the hanging wall and the foot wall, etc.).
  7. Know about faulting and volcanism (seismic and volcanic activity) along Plate Boundaries
  8. Know about Plate Movements, including measuring the movement, hot spots, thermal plumes, etc.

Chapter 9 - Continental Tectonics and Mountain Chains
Know the whole chapter; expect many questions to come out of this chapter too (it has also been discussed, as the previous one, at least three times between lecture and lab)

  1. Know about the Rifting of Continents
  2. Know about Mountain Building, including examples
  3. Know about Suturing of Small Landmasses to Continents (exotic terranes)
  4. Know about the Tectonics of Continental Interiors

Chapter 10 - Major Chemical Cycles
This chapter covers topics we have discussed in class during the semester, and is integral part of the study materials for your final exam.

Know the whole chapter

  1. Know the Introduction, what the greenhouse effect is, what greenhouse gases are
  2. Know about Chemical Reservoirs
  3. Know about Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen and Biological Processes
  4. Know how Carbon isotopes are used
  5. Know the Phanerozoic Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
  6. Know the Feedbacks in the Carbon Cycle
  7. Know Oxygen Isotopes, Climate and the Water Cycle
  8. Know Ocean Chemistry and Skeletal Mineralogy
  9. Know about Chalk, Ca/Mg ions in the oceans, calcite and aragonite seas

Chapters 1 through 6: review the main concepts. I will not ask direct questions from these chapters, but you need to know about Plate Tectonics, Rocks (Sedimentary Rocks in particular), Sedimentary Environments, Paleontology, basic Chemistry, etc. in order to understand the rest of the materials.
 
Study Guide: part 3 - LABLast Updated  •  December 9, 2016    

Chapter 6 - Sea-Floor Spreading and Plate Tectonics
This chapter was only partially covered during our lab meetings; still, all of the topics have been discussed during lecture and in some of the other labs. While I will not ask direct questions out of it, I would strongly recommend that you review its pages, particularly for what concerns the sections about plate tectonics and paleomagnetism, and how different stratigraphic methods can be integrated in the analysis of a problem.

  1. Know the whole chapter
  2. Know names and location of the main plates
  3. Know what paleomagnetism is
  4. Be able to solve any problem in this chapter

Chapter 7 - Age Relations and Unconformities
This lab reviews the basic concepts of relative dating and of unconformities. Be sure to review the illustrated unconformities page on the web.

  1. Know Criteria for Age Relations
  2. Skip The Method of Multiple Working Hypotheses
  3. Know Unconformity
  4. Skip Episodes of Precambrian History

Chapter 8 - Rock Units and Time-Rock Units
This lab reviews the basic concepts of correlation.

  1. Know the Introduction
    • Know how to operate with the different units (rock units, time-rock units, time units, biostratigraphic units, etc.)
    • Know what rock units, or Formations, are
    • Know what fossils are
    • Know how to correlate (in this case, but also in general, as from textbook chapter 6)
  2. Know the Standard Geologic Column
  3. Skip Absolute Age Determination (this part will be on the next test)
  4. Know Formations of the Colorado Plateau

Chapter 9 - Ancient Shorelines

  1. Know what paleogegraphy is, and how it is possible to reconstruct it with the aid of isopach maps; what isopach lines are; how an isopach map is different from a facies map
  2. Know what a facies is
  3. Be sure to understand what a map such as that of fig. 9.1 page 89 means and how it works; know the answer to, among others, question 2 on the same page
  4. Know what transgression and regression are
  5. Know what Walther's Law says
  6. Know what formations and groups are (rock units, or lithostratigraphic units; see also lab manual chapter 8 and your textbook)

Chapter 10 - Fossils and Their Living Relatives (Fossils and Living Protoctista, Sponges, Corals, Bryozoans and Brachiopods)

  1. Review the Introduction, with special attention to the paragraphs on
    • What is a Fossil?
    • Preservation of Fossils
    but also be able to discuss the main points of "Classification and Nomenclature"
    Study these paragraphs together with materials on the Textbook and on the web
  2. Fossils and Living Protoctista: main characteristics and range of Coccoliths, Diatoms, Foraminifera, and Radiolaria
  3. Sponges: main characteristics (structure, environments) and range

    Stop here. Skip the rest of this chapter


Chapter 11 - Fossils and Their Living Relatives (Mollusks, Arthropods, Echinoderms, Graptolites, and Plants)

Skip the whole chapter


Chapter 12 - Fossils Indicators of Age, Environment, and Correlation
This chapter lets you apply the principles of biostratigraphy. We have already studied all the materials in this chapter during the semester, except the section on The Habitat of Marine Life and part of the Trace Fossils section. Be sure to include those in your study materials.

  1. Know Fossils and Age Determinations
  2. Know Biozones and Biostratigraphy
  3. skip A Graphic Method of Correlation
  4. review the concepts for Interpretation of an Outcrop in Southern Illinois
  5. review the concepts for Interpretation of an Outcrop in Central Illinois
  6. Know Fossil and Paleoenvironments
  7. Know The Habitat of Marine Life (very important! this section names marine environments)
  8. Know Invertebrate Trace Fossils

Chapter 14 - Geologic Maps and Geologic Structures
All of the materials from this chapter have been covered in Chapters 8 and 9 from the Textbook. Stop at page 194

  1. Know the Introduction
  2. Know Attitude, Strike and Dip
  3. Know Folds
  4. Know Faults
  5. There will be no questions from the other paragraphs (stop at page 200, no questions out of pages 195-217)

Chapter 15 - Canadian Shield and Basement Rocks of North America

  1. Know The Basement Rocks
  2. There will be no questions from the other paragraphs (stop at page 222, no questions out of pages 222-234)

Chapter 16 - Mountain Belts of North America

  1. Know Hypothesis for the Origin of Mountain Belts
  2. Know The Appalachian Orogenic Belt
  3. Review The Cordilleran Orogenic Belt: Pacific Ranges
  4. Review The Cordilleran Orogenic Belt: Colorado and Wyoming Rocky Mountains
  5. Review Map Interpretation of Mountain Belts

Chapter 17 - The Interior Plains and Plateaus

  1. Know Major structural Features
  2. Skip Interpretation of the Geologic Map of North America
  3. Know Interpretation of Geologic Structure Sections, part IV "Submergence of the Ozark Dome"

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