Geology Study Guide Exam With Verified
Question & Answer2024/2025
*1.1 Distinguish between physical and historical geology and describe the connections between people
and geology. - CORRECT ANSWER-Physical geology - examines the materials composing Earth and seeks
to understand the processes beneath the surface.
Historical geology - understanding the origin of the Earth and its development over time
People are effected by the geology of their areas. Like natural hazards can effect where people live
(earthquakes, etc)
1.1 Name and distinguish between the two broad subdivisions of geology. - CORRECT ANSWER-Physical
geology - examines the materials composing Earth and seeks to understand the processes beneath the
surface.
Historical geology - understanding the origin of the Earth and its development over time
1.1 List at least three different geology hazards - CORRECT ANSWER-Volcanoes, floods, earthquakes
1.1 Aside from geological hazards, describe another important connection between people and geology
- CORRECT ANSWER-Resources - where there is good water and soil, a lot of metallic and nonmetallic
resources, etc.
*1.2 Summarize early and modern views on how change occurs on Earth and relate them to the
prevailing ideas about the age of the Earth. - CORRECT ANSWER-Early - rocks were created influenced by
stars. Earthquakes happen when air collides with ground. Later, religious scholars thought the Earth was
only a few thousand years old and things were shaped based on big disasters (the flood, etc)
Then, in 1975, people realized that the rules have been the same in the past and present. Geological
processes happen over long periods of time (uniformitarianism)
, 1. 2 Describe Aristotle's influence on geology - CORRECT ANSWER-Aristotle's explanations may have
been adequate for his day they unfortunately continued to be expanded for centuries thus thwarting
the acceptance of more up-to-date accounts
1.2 Contrast catastrophism and uniformitarianism. How did each view the age of the Earth? - CORRECT
ANSWER-Catastrophism - belief that Earth's land were shaped by catastrophes (earthquakes and floods,
etc) (young Earth 4004 BC)
Uniformitarianism - that the things that happened in the past, happened over a very long time (and still
happen today) and that's what formed all the land stuff that we have today (Earth is very old)
1.2 How old is the Earth? - CORRECT ANSWER-4.6 billion years
1.2 Refer to Figure 1.6 and list the eon, era, period, and epoch in which we live. **Figure 1.6 in 1.2 of
your book - CORRECT ANSWER-Phanerozoic eon, Cenozoic Era, Quaternary Period, Holocene Epoch
1.2 Why is an understanding of the magnitude of geologic time important for a geologist? - CORRECT
ANSWER-an appreciation for the magnitude of geologic time is important because many processes are
very gradual. Things can happen and form over a very long period of time
*1.3 Discuss the nature of scientific inquiry, including the construction of hypotheses and the
development of theories. - CORRECT ANSWER-Make careful observations and create explanations. After
data is gathered, you form a hypothesis to test to explain. When only one hypothesis is left, that
hypothesis becomes a theory.
1.3 How is scientific hypothesis different from scientific theory? - CORRECT ANSWER-An hypothesis is
something which you make out of your careful observation which everyone will agree easily.
But that will become a theory only when it is proved practically with experiments.
A hypothesis becomes a theory
Question & Answer2024/2025
*1.1 Distinguish between physical and historical geology and describe the connections between people
and geology. - CORRECT ANSWER-Physical geology - examines the materials composing Earth and seeks
to understand the processes beneath the surface.
Historical geology - understanding the origin of the Earth and its development over time
People are effected by the geology of their areas. Like natural hazards can effect where people live
(earthquakes, etc)
1.1 Name and distinguish between the two broad subdivisions of geology. - CORRECT ANSWER-Physical
geology - examines the materials composing Earth and seeks to understand the processes beneath the
surface.
Historical geology - understanding the origin of the Earth and its development over time
1.1 List at least three different geology hazards - CORRECT ANSWER-Volcanoes, floods, earthquakes
1.1 Aside from geological hazards, describe another important connection between people and geology
- CORRECT ANSWER-Resources - where there is good water and soil, a lot of metallic and nonmetallic
resources, etc.
*1.2 Summarize early and modern views on how change occurs on Earth and relate them to the
prevailing ideas about the age of the Earth. - CORRECT ANSWER-Early - rocks were created influenced by
stars. Earthquakes happen when air collides with ground. Later, religious scholars thought the Earth was
only a few thousand years old and things were shaped based on big disasters (the flood, etc)
Then, in 1975, people realized that the rules have been the same in the past and present. Geological
processes happen over long periods of time (uniformitarianism)
, 1. 2 Describe Aristotle's influence on geology - CORRECT ANSWER-Aristotle's explanations may have
been adequate for his day they unfortunately continued to be expanded for centuries thus thwarting
the acceptance of more up-to-date accounts
1.2 Contrast catastrophism and uniformitarianism. How did each view the age of the Earth? - CORRECT
ANSWER-Catastrophism - belief that Earth's land were shaped by catastrophes (earthquakes and floods,
etc) (young Earth 4004 BC)
Uniformitarianism - that the things that happened in the past, happened over a very long time (and still
happen today) and that's what formed all the land stuff that we have today (Earth is very old)
1.2 How old is the Earth? - CORRECT ANSWER-4.6 billion years
1.2 Refer to Figure 1.6 and list the eon, era, period, and epoch in which we live. **Figure 1.6 in 1.2 of
your book - CORRECT ANSWER-Phanerozoic eon, Cenozoic Era, Quaternary Period, Holocene Epoch
1.2 Why is an understanding of the magnitude of geologic time important for a geologist? - CORRECT
ANSWER-an appreciation for the magnitude of geologic time is important because many processes are
very gradual. Things can happen and form over a very long period of time
*1.3 Discuss the nature of scientific inquiry, including the construction of hypotheses and the
development of theories. - CORRECT ANSWER-Make careful observations and create explanations. After
data is gathered, you form a hypothesis to test to explain. When only one hypothesis is left, that
hypothesis becomes a theory.
1.3 How is scientific hypothesis different from scientific theory? - CORRECT ANSWER-An hypothesis is
something which you make out of your careful observation which everyone will agree easily.
But that will become a theory only when it is proved practically with experiments.
A hypothesis becomes a theory
