Geo 101 Test 1 Stowell Actual study with
Questions and correct/verified Answers
cosmology - ANSWER-the study of the overall structure and history of the universe
Big bang Theory - ANSWER-The theory that the universe originated in a huge explosion that released all
matter and energy. Created chemical elements. (14 billion years ago)
Nebular Hypothesis - ANSWER-dust collided and stuck together to form planetesimals. Collision and
accretion of planetesimals.
Precambrian - ANSWER-"hell on earth". Time period in Earths early history. Full of magma, atmosphere
was poisonous. (4600-3800 Ma)
Zicron - ANSWER-A material found that provides another way to look at early Earth. Maybe some water
during Precambrian due to it.
Cooling Earth - ANSWER-heavy elements sank to center and lighter materials floated. Earth seperated
into 2 layers - lowest to highest density. Layers slowly evolved into 3 layers today - Crust, Mantle
Intermediate, and Core.
Alfred Wegener - ANSWER-A German scientist who proposed the theroy of continental drift. PANGEA. 4
observations.
sea-floor spreading - ANSWER-The process by which molten material adds new oceanic crust to the
ocean floor through subduction zones. (Recycling system part 2)
subduction zone - ANSWER-The region where oceanic plates sink down into the asthenosphere. Old
oceanic crust consumed. (Recycling system part 1)
Paleomagnetism - ANSWER-symmetrical magnetic stripes across the sea-floor. Proves sea-floor spreading
and reversal of magnetic fields.
"magnetic north" - ANSWER-moves with time. So compasses in the past would point in slightly different
direction. Response to earths magnetic field.Changes because Earths magnetic poles are not fixed.
magnetic declination - ANSWER-Offset angle between magnetic north and geographic north. Angle
varies depending on where you are on Earth.
Magnetite - ANSWER-A lot like hematite, except it is magnetic, gray or black streak
Mid-ocean ridges - ANSWER-a large system of underwater mountains that have a deep crack, called a rift
vally running through their center. Youngest rocks found near these.
Where is sediment mostly found in ocean? - ANSWER-Thinnest near mid-ocean ridges and thickest near
the ocean edges. No sediment is as old as Earth.
Where are the youngest rocks found? - ANSWER-near mid-ocean ridge
How old is oceanic crust? - ANSWER-200 million years old
, oceanic crust vs continental - ANSWER--is mafic in composition whereas average continental crust is
felsic to intermediate. (basalt vs. granodiorite)
Plate Tectonic Theory - ANSWER-20 rigid 'tectonic' plates in Earth that shift throughout time. PANGEA.
(float on 'plastic' atomosphere"
Plate movement - ANSWER-due to mantle flow
What happens when plates interact? - ANSWER-mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
lithospheric plate - ANSWER-crust and upper part of mantle
Linear belts - ANSWER-indicate divergent plate boundaries and subduction zones at convergent plate
boundaries.
Volcanic arcs - ANSWER-A curving chain of active volcanoes formed adjacent to a convergent plate
boundary
Fracture zones - ANSWER-faults running perpendicular to a mid-ocean ridge
Seamounts - ANSWER-An underwater mountain rising from the ocean floor and having a peaked or flat-
topped summit below the surface of the sea. (once were volcanos)
Seismic belt - ANSWER-narrow geographic zone on the Earth's surface along which most earthquake
activity occurs
Magnetic inclination - ANSWER-the angle between the magnetic field and the surface of the Earth at a
given location
Paleopole - ANSWER-The position of the Earth's magnetic pole in the past, with respect to a particular
continent.
apparent polar-wander path - ANSWER-the successive positions of dated paleopoles trace out a curving
line
Chron - ANSWER-major interval of time with polarity
subchron - ANSWER-short duration intervals of opposite polarity
Divergent plate boundaries - ANSWER-Areas where plates move away from each other, forming either
mid oceanic ridges or rift valleys.
Constructive plate boundary - ANSWER-Plates that move away from each other creating new land.
(Divergent plate boundary)
Element - ANSWER-defined by the number of protons in the nucleus.
Metallic bond - ANSWER-when adjacent atoms share electrons
Van der Waals - ANSWER-weakening chemical bonding
Minerals - ANSWER-A solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence. Have an ordered arrangement of
atoms)
Questions and correct/verified Answers
cosmology - ANSWER-the study of the overall structure and history of the universe
Big bang Theory - ANSWER-The theory that the universe originated in a huge explosion that released all
matter and energy. Created chemical elements. (14 billion years ago)
Nebular Hypothesis - ANSWER-dust collided and stuck together to form planetesimals. Collision and
accretion of planetesimals.
Precambrian - ANSWER-"hell on earth". Time period in Earths early history. Full of magma, atmosphere
was poisonous. (4600-3800 Ma)
Zicron - ANSWER-A material found that provides another way to look at early Earth. Maybe some water
during Precambrian due to it.
Cooling Earth - ANSWER-heavy elements sank to center and lighter materials floated. Earth seperated
into 2 layers - lowest to highest density. Layers slowly evolved into 3 layers today - Crust, Mantle
Intermediate, and Core.
Alfred Wegener - ANSWER-A German scientist who proposed the theroy of continental drift. PANGEA. 4
observations.
sea-floor spreading - ANSWER-The process by which molten material adds new oceanic crust to the
ocean floor through subduction zones. (Recycling system part 2)
subduction zone - ANSWER-The region where oceanic plates sink down into the asthenosphere. Old
oceanic crust consumed. (Recycling system part 1)
Paleomagnetism - ANSWER-symmetrical magnetic stripes across the sea-floor. Proves sea-floor spreading
and reversal of magnetic fields.
"magnetic north" - ANSWER-moves with time. So compasses in the past would point in slightly different
direction. Response to earths magnetic field.Changes because Earths magnetic poles are not fixed.
magnetic declination - ANSWER-Offset angle between magnetic north and geographic north. Angle
varies depending on where you are on Earth.
Magnetite - ANSWER-A lot like hematite, except it is magnetic, gray or black streak
Mid-ocean ridges - ANSWER-a large system of underwater mountains that have a deep crack, called a rift
vally running through their center. Youngest rocks found near these.
Where is sediment mostly found in ocean? - ANSWER-Thinnest near mid-ocean ridges and thickest near
the ocean edges. No sediment is as old as Earth.
Where are the youngest rocks found? - ANSWER-near mid-ocean ridge
How old is oceanic crust? - ANSWER-200 million years old
, oceanic crust vs continental - ANSWER--is mafic in composition whereas average continental crust is
felsic to intermediate. (basalt vs. granodiorite)
Plate Tectonic Theory - ANSWER-20 rigid 'tectonic' plates in Earth that shift throughout time. PANGEA.
(float on 'plastic' atomosphere"
Plate movement - ANSWER-due to mantle flow
What happens when plates interact? - ANSWER-mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
lithospheric plate - ANSWER-crust and upper part of mantle
Linear belts - ANSWER-indicate divergent plate boundaries and subduction zones at convergent plate
boundaries.
Volcanic arcs - ANSWER-A curving chain of active volcanoes formed adjacent to a convergent plate
boundary
Fracture zones - ANSWER-faults running perpendicular to a mid-ocean ridge
Seamounts - ANSWER-An underwater mountain rising from the ocean floor and having a peaked or flat-
topped summit below the surface of the sea. (once were volcanos)
Seismic belt - ANSWER-narrow geographic zone on the Earth's surface along which most earthquake
activity occurs
Magnetic inclination - ANSWER-the angle between the magnetic field and the surface of the Earth at a
given location
Paleopole - ANSWER-The position of the Earth's magnetic pole in the past, with respect to a particular
continent.
apparent polar-wander path - ANSWER-the successive positions of dated paleopoles trace out a curving
line
Chron - ANSWER-major interval of time with polarity
subchron - ANSWER-short duration intervals of opposite polarity
Divergent plate boundaries - ANSWER-Areas where plates move away from each other, forming either
mid oceanic ridges or rift valleys.
Constructive plate boundary - ANSWER-Plates that move away from each other creating new land.
(Divergent plate boundary)
Element - ANSWER-defined by the number of protons in the nucleus.
Metallic bond - ANSWER-when adjacent atoms share electrons
Van der Waals - ANSWER-weakening chemical bonding
Minerals - ANSWER-A solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence. Have an ordered arrangement of
atoms)
