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Geology > EES 1 Exam 1 > Flashcards

EES 1 Exam 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

How do we know about the earth’s interior?

A

Seismic Waves

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2
Q

What is the approximate distance from the surface to the center of the Earth?

A

6,371 kilometers (3,959 miles).

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3
Q

Which layer of Earth makes up most of Earth’s volume

A

Mantle

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4
Q

Which layer in the Earth does not transmit S-waves

A

Outer Core

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5
Q

Which crust is thicker, continental or oceanic

A

Continental

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6
Q

Which crust is more dense, continental or oceanic

A

Oceanic

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7
Q

What element makes up most of the Earth’s core?

A

(Fe) Iron

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8
Q

What was Andrija Mohorovicic’s major contribution to geology?

A

He was the first to say that the earth’s
interior had layers

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9
Q

Who discovered each of the layers of the Earth?
a. Crust/mantle boundary
b. Core/mantle boundary
c. Inner core/outer core boundary

A

a. Mohorovičić Discontinuity
b. Gutenberg Discontinuity
c. Inge Lehmann

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10
Q

Which region in in Earth is molten?

A

Outer Core

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11
Q

What is the importance of the outer core?

A

Generates Earth’s magnetic field and effects seismic waves

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12
Q

In which region of the Earth does convection take place

A

Mantle and Outer Core

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13
Q

What are reflected and refracted waves?

A

Reflected: When a seismic wave bounces back after hitting a boundary between two different materials.

Refracted: When a seismic wave changes direction and speed as it passes into a different material.

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14
Q

What process has caused the Himalaya Mountains to become so high

A

The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plate creating Crustal Compression and Uplift.

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15
Q

What happens when two continental plates collide? Two oceanic plates? Continental + oceanic?

A

Two Continental Plates: Neither Plate Subducts
Two Oceanic: Subduction of One Plate
Continental + Oceanic: Subduction of the Oceanic Plate and BOOM BOOM Mountains.

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16
Q

What is the relationship between plate boundaries and earthquake depth?

A

Divergent & transform boundaries → Shallow earthquakes.
Subduction zones (convergent boundaries) → Shallow, intermediate, and deep earthquakes.
Deeper earthquakes only occur in subduction zones because rigid rock must be present to store and release stress.

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17
Q

Even though Wegener had a lot of evidence, he was not taken seriously. Why?

A

He couldn’t explain why the continents moved?

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18
Q

What are the four pieces of evidence that Alfred Wegener used for continental drift?

A
  1. Fossil Evidence
  2. Rock and Geological
  3. Climate Evidence (glaciers)
  4. Puzzle Like fit
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19
Q

What plant fossil was found on several continents in the southern hemisphere?

A

Glossopteris.

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20
Q

What was Harry Hess’s contribution to plate tectonics?

A

Seafloor Spreading Theory

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21
Q

What was Marie Tharp’s contribution to plate tectonics?

Study These Flashcards
A

Used sonar to create the first map of the Atlantic Sea Floor

22
Q

What was Arthur Holmes’ contribution to plate tectonics?

Study These Flashcards
A

Arthur Holmes’ idea of mantle convection was a key breakthrough that helped explain why and how plates move, laying the foundation for the modern plate tectonics theory.

23
Q

What are magnetic anomalies? What would likely occur if the magnetic field reversed today

Study These Flashcards
A

Magnetic anomalies provide evidence for seafloor spreading, supporting plate tectonics. If a magnetic reversal occurred today, it could disrupt navigation, satellites, and power grids, but life on Earth would ultimately adapt.

24
Q

What does magnetic inclination tell us about where a rock formed?

Study These Flashcards
A

The closer a rock is to the center the newer it is

25
What two plates does the San Andreas Fault separate?
Pacific and North American
25
What is the tectonic setting of the Hawaiian Islands?
It is on a mantle hot spot
26
What is the Benioff zone?
a sloping zone of earthquake activity that occurs along subduction zones
27
How does sedimentation contribute to the evidence for seafloor spreading?
by showing that ocean floor sediments get thicker and older as you move away from mid-ocean ridges.
28
Why are there mountain ranges in the middle of oceans?
and they form due to seafloor spreading at divergent plate boundaries.
29
which of the following types of seismic waves arrive at a seismometer first?
P- Waves
30
What is the minimum number of seismograph stations needed to locate the epicenter of an earthquake?
3
31
The energy released during a magnitude 8 earthquake is approximately ____ times greater than the energy released during a magnitude 6 earthquake
900
32
How well can scientists predict earthquakes?
Not at all. They can maybe give a 30ish second warning.
33
What is a dip-slip fault?
When one plat moves over another
34
Which foundation material is most stable during earthquake shaking?
Bedrock
35
The ______ magnitude scale is a measure of the energy released. It does not directly measure the extent of building damage.
Moment
36
Given that the epicenter was more than 200 miles away, why was there such massive damage during the 1985 Mexico City earthquake.
The foundation of the city was a wet dried out lake bed.
37
Be able to recognize a fault and name the type
See diagram at right and view the Earthquake PowerPoint
38
What are the top four earthquakes ever recorded? Know the locations, dates, and magnitudes.
1. 1960 China 9.5 scale 2. 2004 Indian Ocean 9.1-9.3 3. 1964 Alaska 9.2 4. 2011 Japan 9.1
39
What is the relationship between earthquakes and plate boundaries? i.e. what types of faults occur at each boundary. What type of stress occurs at each boundary?
Earthquakes are directly linked to plate boundaries, with different types of faults and stress shaping their location, depth, and intensity. Subduction zones produce the strongest earthquakes, while transform boundaries create frequent, shallow quakes.
40
What kind of fault is the San Andreas Fault? How large of an earthquake (magnitude) can the San Andreas produce?
Strike-slip fault 8.0 Magnitude
41
What types of stress are associated with each type of fault?
Normal faults → Tensional stress (divergent). Reverse faults → Compressional stress (convergent). Strike-slip faults → Shear stress (transform).
42
What types of things occur during an earthquake?
Ground shaking, landslides, Tsunamis, and a lot of damage
43
What can cause a tsunami?
An earthquake
44
What is the general location of the highest-recorded earthquakes?
The ring of fire: Everything touching the Pacific Ocean
45
What is an anticline? Why are they important?
An anticline is a type of fold in rock layers that forms an arch-like shape, with the oldest rock layers in the center and younger layers on the outside
46
Know the difference between ductile and brittle deformation
Ductile deformation = bending (deep crust, folds). Brittle deformation = breaking (shallow crust, faults). Understanding these helps in earthquake studies, oil exploration, and geologic mapping.
47
Who designed the first seismometer?
China
48
What is the difference between Richter Magnitude, Moment Magnitude, and the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (MMI)? i.e., what types of information is used to determine these scales?
Richter (ML): Good for small quakes, but outdated for large ones. Moment Magnitude (Mw): Most accurate for big quakes and is now the global standard. MMI: Describes shaking intensity and damage, useful for disaster response.
49
Know how to read a seismogram, i.e. the P-S arrival times and amplitude
Find P-wave arrival time → First small waves. Find S-wave arrival time → Larger shaking starts. Calculate P-S time difference → Determines distance to epicenter. Measure amplitude → Helps determine earthquake magnitude. Use multiple stations to triangulate the epicenter.
50
Who is Your Lab Instructor
Sergio Diaz

Geology (4 decks)

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