MEA 101 Exam #1 [2026] NEWEST VERIFIED
QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED ANSWERS
• Explain what kinds of things geologists figure out by examining rocks, fossils
and/or landscapes. -✓✓ 1) Type of mineral or material
2) Age
3) How they were formed
• Describe what types of images Earth's surface scientists use. -✓✓ 1) Shaded
Relief map = used to expose the shape of the land by using light and dark for the
hills and valleys
2) Topographic map = used to expose the depth and elevation of a landscape by
using contour lines that follow specific elevations
3) Satellite image = used to expose the different wavelengths of light that reflect
from the surface, thus showing the various rocks, plants, and other geological
aspects of the Earth's surface
4) Geologic map = shows the distributions of various rock units and other features
exposed on the surface of the Earth.
• Discuss the types of data geoscientists collect (and give examples of each). -✓✓
Qualitative data - primarily descriptive in nature (the person has money)
Quantitative data - more specific to giving a number to the description (the person
has 23 dollars)
• Identify four types of jobs that different geologists might have for their careers. -
✓✓ 1) Seismologist
2) Oceanographer
3) Petroleum geologist
4) Paleontologist
, • Sketch the relative positions of Earth's main compositional layers (the crust,
mantle, and inner and outer core). -✓✓
• Draw a labeled sketch of the components of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. -
✓✓
• Describe the principal differences between Earth's compositional layers. -✓✓
Crust - makes up less than 1% of Earth mass, consisting of oceanic crust and
continental crust (often more felsic rock)
Mantle - represents 68% of Earth's mass (mostly iron metal)
• Explain Wegner's continental drift hypothesis and his supporting observations. -
✓✓ Hypothesis = The continents were once part of a supercontinent called Pangea.
- Wegner first noticed on the map of the Earth that the continents seemed to fit
together like a giant puzzle.
- Data of similar minerals in rocks on different continents and glacial deposits
• Explain why some scientists did not agree with the concept of continental drift. -
✓✓ Observations were based on southern hemisphere data which was unfamiliar to
most geologists.
• Describe the reasons behind the development of the "land bridge" hypothesis and
identify the observations necessary to falsify it. -✓✓ Hypothesis = Scientists found
fossils of the same land animals in South American & Africa. Scientists proposed a
hypothesis that long ridges of land once linked the two continents allowing animals
to walk between them. The bridges later collapsed or were submerged beneath the
oceans.
QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED ANSWERS
• Explain what kinds of things geologists figure out by examining rocks, fossils
and/or landscapes. -✓✓ 1) Type of mineral or material
2) Age
3) How they were formed
• Describe what types of images Earth's surface scientists use. -✓✓ 1) Shaded
Relief map = used to expose the shape of the land by using light and dark for the
hills and valleys
2) Topographic map = used to expose the depth and elevation of a landscape by
using contour lines that follow specific elevations
3) Satellite image = used to expose the different wavelengths of light that reflect
from the surface, thus showing the various rocks, plants, and other geological
aspects of the Earth's surface
4) Geologic map = shows the distributions of various rock units and other features
exposed on the surface of the Earth.
• Discuss the types of data geoscientists collect (and give examples of each). -✓✓
Qualitative data - primarily descriptive in nature (the person has money)
Quantitative data - more specific to giving a number to the description (the person
has 23 dollars)
• Identify four types of jobs that different geologists might have for their careers. -
✓✓ 1) Seismologist
2) Oceanographer
3) Petroleum geologist
4) Paleontologist
, • Sketch the relative positions of Earth's main compositional layers (the crust,
mantle, and inner and outer core). -✓✓
• Draw a labeled sketch of the components of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. -
✓✓
• Describe the principal differences between Earth's compositional layers. -✓✓
Crust - makes up less than 1% of Earth mass, consisting of oceanic crust and
continental crust (often more felsic rock)
Mantle - represents 68% of Earth's mass (mostly iron metal)
• Explain Wegner's continental drift hypothesis and his supporting observations. -
✓✓ Hypothesis = The continents were once part of a supercontinent called Pangea.
- Wegner first noticed on the map of the Earth that the continents seemed to fit
together like a giant puzzle.
- Data of similar minerals in rocks on different continents and glacial deposits
• Explain why some scientists did not agree with the concept of continental drift. -
✓✓ Observations were based on southern hemisphere data which was unfamiliar to
most geologists.
• Describe the reasons behind the development of the "land bridge" hypothesis and
identify the observations necessary to falsify it. -✓✓ Hypothesis = Scientists found
fossils of the same land animals in South American & Africa. Scientists proposed a
hypothesis that long ridges of land once linked the two continents allowing animals
to walk between them. The bridges later collapsed or were submerged beneath the
oceans.
