discussion questions

Question 1

why study the formation and structure of the ocean floor

Answer 1

to understand organisms

Question 2

what is the continental drift hypothoesis

Answer 2

tectonic plates move apart as new crust is formed at the boundary

Question 3

what is uniformitarianism

Answer 3

the forces are still working and the earth is still changing

Question 4

what is bathymetry

Answer 4

mapping ocean floor

Question 5

what is echo sounding used for

Answer 5

bounces sound off the floor and times to see how long it takes to come back to work out distance to the floor

Question 6

what is the principle of satellite altimetry

Answer 6

gravity pulls water towards objects

Question 7

what is a gravimeter

Answer 7

spring that extends over denser materials

Question 8

what does seismology tell us about the earths interior

Answer 8

heterogeneous layers

Question 9

compare and contrast P and S waves

Answer 9

P type goes through solid and liquid but S can only travel through solid

Question 10

what are some other sources to determine Earth’s structure and composition

Answer 10

rock sampling, lava, magma and comets and asteriods

Question 11

what are the major layers of the Earth

Answer 11

crust, lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, core

Question 12

what is the densest layer of the earth

Answer 12

inner core

Question 13

which layer is liquid

Answer 13

outer core

Question 14

besides liquid outer core what materials are the other layers

Answer 14

lithosphere and mesosphere and inner core are rigid. asthenosphere is plastic

Question 15

what is isostatic equilibrium

Answer 15

a cool ridged lithosphere is supported by hot asthenosphere. solid material on top displaces melted material below

Question 16

what is older, oceanic or continental crust

Answer 16

continental

Question 17

where can you find earths oldest rocks

Answer 17

on the continent 280 million years

Question 18

what is pangea

Answer 18

supercontinent

Question 19

what are mid ocean ridge basalts and where are they formed

Answer 19

formed at diverging ocean plates, mid-atlantic and east pacific rise

Question 20

what is granite and how does it differ from basalt

Answer 20

on continent and low iron

Question 21

what are magnetic stripes and how are they formed

Answer 21

formed by reversal of magnetic field, particles cool and solidify with certain direction

Question 22

what is the seafloor spreading hypothesis

Answer 22

new oceanic crust formed as plates pulled apart

Question 23

what are the major sources of the earths heat

Answer 23

radioactive decay

Question 24

how does heat move from the interior to the surface of the earth

Answer 24

conduction and convection

Question 25

Hawaii islands are generally classified as what type of volcanism

Answer 25

hot spot mantle plume at a fixed point as crust is moving

Question 26

where is earths fresh water mainly sorted

Answer 26

glaciers

Question 27

would global warming reduce or increase fresh water

Answer 27

reduce

Question 28

which is larger, average depth of the ocean or average land elevation

Answer 28

ocean

Question 29

where is earths tallest mountain

Answer 29

hawaii

Question 30

where is earths tallest elevation

Answer 30

everest

Question 31

where is earths deepest part

Answer 31

mariana trench

Question 32

where are earths seismic activities located

Answer 32

seismic plate boundary

Question 33

what is the pacific ring of fire

Answer 33

converging plate boundaries

Question 34

what are the 3 major types of plate boundaries

Answer 34

diverging, converging and transform

Question 35

what is the difference between abyssal hills, guyots and atolls

Answer 35

abyssal hills are faulted plate movement guyots - volcanoes that didn't break the surface, extinct and flat atolls - formed when volcanic islands subsides from barrier reef

Question 36

what does a hypsometric curve tell us about the surface area of the earth

Answer 36

deepest trench is taller than shortest mountain

Question 37

what are the two main subdivisions of the seafloor

Answer 37

continental margin and deep ocean basin

Question 38

what are the two types of continental margins

Answer 38

active- converging plate boundaries and passive

Question 39

what are the 4 components of the continental margins

Answer 39

continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise and shelf break

Question 40

what kind of plate boundary do oceans form

Answer 40

diverging

Question 41

how can you tell the difference between a slow-spreading and fast-spreading center?

Answer 41

fast spreading has little variation in height - pacific | slow spreading has abysall hills - atlantic

Question 42

describe igneous

Answer 42

formed by cooling magma or lava

Question 43

describe sedimentary

Answer 43

layers of sediment under pressure form sedimentary rocks

Question 44

describe metamorphic

Answer 44

other rock types change into this due to heat, pressure and other physical and chemical conditions

Question 45

why do dominant rock types differ between the most abundant within the crust and on the earth's surface

Answer 45

ingenous on crust and sedimentary on the surface. weathering and biological process on the surface

Question 46

what are the two main types of sediment

Answer 46

clastic - pre existing rocks physically transported | non-clastic - chemical or biological precipitation

Question 47

differentiate between neritic and pelagic sediments

Answer 47

neritic is mainly terrigenous sediments | pelagic is biogeneous

Question 48

what are the common organisms that cause oozes

Answer 48

diatoms - siliceous | forminifera - calcium carbonate