Blinn College - Geology 1403 - 316 -
Dr.Mosely - Final Exam Q&A 100%
Solved
Name and distinguish between the two broad subdivisions of geology - ✔✔1.)
physical - examines materials composing earth & processes that operate
beneath and upon the surface
2.) historical - understand the origin of earth and its development through time
What are geologic hazards? - ✔✔volcanoes, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and
landslides
Whats the difference between catastrophism and uniformitarianism? -
✔✔catastrophism - belief that earths landscapes were shaped by great
catastrophes
uniformitarianism - the present is key to the past
How old is earth? - ✔✔4.5 billion years
Why is the understanding of the magnitude of geologic time important for
geologist? - ✔✔
How is a scientific hypothesis different from a scientific theory? - ✔✔hypothesis
- a tentative or untested explanation
1|Page
©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
,theory - a well tested and widely accepted that explains certain hypothesis with
facts
What are the basic steps followed in scientific investigations? - ✔✔1.) a
question is raised
2.) scientific data is collected
3.) one or more working hypotheses are developed
4.) observations & experiments are developed to test the hypotheses
5.) the hypotheses are accepted, modified, or rejected
6.) data and results are shared w/ scientific community
What explains the fact that continental drift is considered a hypothesis but plate
tectonics is considered a theory? - ✔✔continental drift was a hypothesis
because many people were very skeptic - but with time it was tested and
became a theory with a new name of plate tectonics
List and describe earth's four spheres - ✔✔1.) hydrosphere - water portion of
the planet
2.) atmosphere - the gaseous portion of the planet
3.) biosphere - includes all life on earth
4.) geosphere - the solid earth
2|Page
©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
, Compare the height of the atmosphere to the thickness of the geosphere -
✔✔atmosphere is a very thin layer - but the geosphere is very thick (4000 miles)
How much of earths surface do oceans cover? - ✔✔71 %
What percentage of earths total water supply do oceans represent? - ✔✔97 %
To which sphere does soil belong to? - ✔✔geosphere
What is a system? - ✔✔a group of interacting, or interdependent, parts that
form a complex whole
What are three examples of a system? - ✔✔
What are two sources of energy for the earth system? - ✔✔1.) the sun - drives
external processes that occur
2.) heat - rom earths interior
Predict how a change in the hydrologic cycle, such as increased rainfall in an
area, might influence the biosphere & geosphere in that area - ✔✔
Name and briefly outline the theory that describes he formation of our solar
system - ✔✔nebular theory - the bodies or our solar system evolved fro an
enormous rotating cloud called the solar nebula
What are the inner planets? - ✔✔Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
What are the outer planets? - ✔✔Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
3|Page
©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
Dr.Mosely - Final Exam Q&A 100%
Solved
Name and distinguish between the two broad subdivisions of geology - ✔✔1.)
physical - examines materials composing earth & processes that operate
beneath and upon the surface
2.) historical - understand the origin of earth and its development through time
What are geologic hazards? - ✔✔volcanoes, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and
landslides
Whats the difference between catastrophism and uniformitarianism? -
✔✔catastrophism - belief that earths landscapes were shaped by great
catastrophes
uniformitarianism - the present is key to the past
How old is earth? - ✔✔4.5 billion years
Why is the understanding of the magnitude of geologic time important for
geologist? - ✔✔
How is a scientific hypothesis different from a scientific theory? - ✔✔hypothesis
- a tentative or untested explanation
1|Page
©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
,theory - a well tested and widely accepted that explains certain hypothesis with
facts
What are the basic steps followed in scientific investigations? - ✔✔1.) a
question is raised
2.) scientific data is collected
3.) one or more working hypotheses are developed
4.) observations & experiments are developed to test the hypotheses
5.) the hypotheses are accepted, modified, or rejected
6.) data and results are shared w/ scientific community
What explains the fact that continental drift is considered a hypothesis but plate
tectonics is considered a theory? - ✔✔continental drift was a hypothesis
because many people were very skeptic - but with time it was tested and
became a theory with a new name of plate tectonics
List and describe earth's four spheres - ✔✔1.) hydrosphere - water portion of
the planet
2.) atmosphere - the gaseous portion of the planet
3.) biosphere - includes all life on earth
4.) geosphere - the solid earth
2|Page
©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
, Compare the height of the atmosphere to the thickness of the geosphere -
✔✔atmosphere is a very thin layer - but the geosphere is very thick (4000 miles)
How much of earths surface do oceans cover? - ✔✔71 %
What percentage of earths total water supply do oceans represent? - ✔✔97 %
To which sphere does soil belong to? - ✔✔geosphere
What is a system? - ✔✔a group of interacting, or interdependent, parts that
form a complex whole
What are three examples of a system? - ✔✔
What are two sources of energy for the earth system? - ✔✔1.) the sun - drives
external processes that occur
2.) heat - rom earths interior
Predict how a change in the hydrologic cycle, such as increased rainfall in an
area, might influence the biosphere & geosphere in that area - ✔✔
Name and briefly outline the theory that describes he formation of our solar
system - ✔✔nebular theory - the bodies or our solar system evolved fro an
enormous rotating cloud called the solar nebula
What are the inner planets? - ✔✔Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
What are the outer planets? - ✔✔Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
3|Page
©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025.
