GEOLOGY 1301 Final Exam UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Name the Earth's four spheres? - CORRECT ANSWER Biosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere,
Geosphere
The geosphere consists of three major layers: - CORRECT ANSWER Core, Mantle, Crust
The rock of the crust of the Earth is composed of ______ (continents) and ______ (ocean basins). -
CORRECT ANSWER Granite; Basalt
The central portion of the Earth, called the core, contains a solid inner sphere surrounded by a
__________ outer layer. - CORRECT ANSWER Liquid
The ________ includes all of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle and is _______km thick.
- CORRECT ANSWER Lithosphere; 100
The Hydrosphere contains all of Earth's... - CORRECT ANSWER Water
Only about _____ of Earth's total water is freshwater. - CORRECT ANSWER 2.5%
Oceans cover ________ of the Earth's surface and contain about _______ of its total water. -
CORRECT ANSWER 71% 97.5%
Almost 2% (1.8%) of Earth's water (almost 80% of the total freshwater) is: - CORRECT ANSWER
temporarily locked up as glaciers
What % of Earth's total water is surface water (rivers and lakes)? - CORRECT ANSWER
0.01%
The four major components of Earth's atmosphere, in decreasing abundance L to R are: - CORRECT
ANSWER Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Carbon Dioxide
,The Biosphere is the realm of ________ organisms. - CORRECT ANSWER living
who is called the father of modern geology? - CORRECT ANSWER Hutton
Geologists estimate that the Earth formed approximately ________ years ago. - CORRECT
ANSWER 4.6 billion
_______________ is the general principle stating that the geologic processes active in the past are the
same processes active today. - CORRECT ANSWER Uniformitarianism
sometimes a small initial disturbance affects another component of the system, which amplifies the
original effect disturbing the system more, and so on is called: - CORRECT ANSWER A
feedback mechanism
What is a limitation to scientific knowledge? - CORRECT ANSWER the properties of the
natural world, the instruments available to extend human senses, the paradigms that guide scientific
inquiry, socially imposed missions
What is an area that science can address? - CORRECT ANSWER phenomena in the natural
world
steps in the application of the scientific method... - CORRECT ANSWER observation,
formation of hypothesis, testing of hypothesis, construction of a theory which can be tested and
observed
scientific theories must have all of these characteristics: - CORRECT ANSWER capable of
prediction, can explain the data, capable of being proven wrong (falsifiable), capable of being
overturned
List the 5 characteristics a mineral must possess: - CORRECT ANSWER crystalline structure,
definite chemical composition, naturally occurring, inorganic
, Every mineral is unique because it has a unique combination of chemical composition and
_____________. - CORRECT ANSWER crystalline structure
Fundamental components of matter that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical
processes are _____________. - CORRECT ANSWER elements
How many minerals are known? - CORRECT ANSWER 4,000
________ with a hardness of 10 is the hardest mineral known. - CORRECT ANSWER
diamond
_________ minerals are the source of a valuable metallic element. - CORRECT ANSWER Ore
Minerals are formally classified according to their: - CORRECT ANSWER chemical
composistion
Which mineral class contains most of the abundant rock-forming minerals? - CORRECT ANSWER
Silicates
The two most abundant minerals in Earth's crust are: - CORRECT ANSWER feldspars and
quartz
The two most abundant elements in Earth's crust are: - CORRECT ANSWER Silicon and
Oxygen
Limestone and dolostone are formed from the carbonate minerals: - CORRECT ANSWER
Calcite dolomite
Why is the mineral barite critically important to the economy of Texas? - CORRECT ANSWER
it is used to make heavy mud for drilling oil and gas wells
List the three characteristics gems possess: - CORRECT ANSWER rare, beautiful, hard
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Name the Earth's four spheres? - CORRECT ANSWER Biosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere,
Geosphere
The geosphere consists of three major layers: - CORRECT ANSWER Core, Mantle, Crust
The rock of the crust of the Earth is composed of ______ (continents) and ______ (ocean basins). -
CORRECT ANSWER Granite; Basalt
The central portion of the Earth, called the core, contains a solid inner sphere surrounded by a
__________ outer layer. - CORRECT ANSWER Liquid
The ________ includes all of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle and is _______km thick.
- CORRECT ANSWER Lithosphere; 100
The Hydrosphere contains all of Earth's... - CORRECT ANSWER Water
Only about _____ of Earth's total water is freshwater. - CORRECT ANSWER 2.5%
Oceans cover ________ of the Earth's surface and contain about _______ of its total water. -
CORRECT ANSWER 71% 97.5%
Almost 2% (1.8%) of Earth's water (almost 80% of the total freshwater) is: - CORRECT ANSWER
temporarily locked up as glaciers
What % of Earth's total water is surface water (rivers and lakes)? - CORRECT ANSWER
0.01%
The four major components of Earth's atmosphere, in decreasing abundance L to R are: - CORRECT
ANSWER Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Carbon Dioxide
,The Biosphere is the realm of ________ organisms. - CORRECT ANSWER living
who is called the father of modern geology? - CORRECT ANSWER Hutton
Geologists estimate that the Earth formed approximately ________ years ago. - CORRECT
ANSWER 4.6 billion
_______________ is the general principle stating that the geologic processes active in the past are the
same processes active today. - CORRECT ANSWER Uniformitarianism
sometimes a small initial disturbance affects another component of the system, which amplifies the
original effect disturbing the system more, and so on is called: - CORRECT ANSWER A
feedback mechanism
What is a limitation to scientific knowledge? - CORRECT ANSWER the properties of the
natural world, the instruments available to extend human senses, the paradigms that guide scientific
inquiry, socially imposed missions
What is an area that science can address? - CORRECT ANSWER phenomena in the natural
world
steps in the application of the scientific method... - CORRECT ANSWER observation,
formation of hypothesis, testing of hypothesis, construction of a theory which can be tested and
observed
scientific theories must have all of these characteristics: - CORRECT ANSWER capable of
prediction, can explain the data, capable of being proven wrong (falsifiable), capable of being
overturned
List the 5 characteristics a mineral must possess: - CORRECT ANSWER crystalline structure,
definite chemical composition, naturally occurring, inorganic
, Every mineral is unique because it has a unique combination of chemical composition and
_____________. - CORRECT ANSWER crystalline structure
Fundamental components of matter that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical
processes are _____________. - CORRECT ANSWER elements
How many minerals are known? - CORRECT ANSWER 4,000
________ with a hardness of 10 is the hardest mineral known. - CORRECT ANSWER
diamond
_________ minerals are the source of a valuable metallic element. - CORRECT ANSWER Ore
Minerals are formally classified according to their: - CORRECT ANSWER chemical
composistion
Which mineral class contains most of the abundant rock-forming minerals? - CORRECT ANSWER
Silicates
The two most abundant minerals in Earth's crust are: - CORRECT ANSWER feldspars and
quartz
The two most abundant elements in Earth's crust are: - CORRECT ANSWER Silicon and
Oxygen
Limestone and dolostone are formed from the carbonate minerals: - CORRECT ANSWER
Calcite dolomite
Why is the mineral barite critically important to the economy of Texas? - CORRECT ANSWER
it is used to make heavy mud for drilling oil and gas wells
List the three characteristics gems possess: - CORRECT ANSWER rare, beautiful, hard
