1st Semester Exam Study Guide Review

1. What is the difference between weathering and erosion?Weathering = breaking down of

rocks into sedimentsErosion = transport of sediments

away from source

2. What is the difference between chemical and mechanical weathering?

Chemical weathering - breaking down of rocks by chemicals

Mechanical weathering - breaking down of rocks physically

3. List examples of chemical weathering?Rusting (air)WaterAcid precipitationAcids in living thingsAcids in groundwater (makes

caves)

4. List examples of mechanical weathering?WaterWindGravityIcePlantsAbrasion Animals

5. List examples of ways rocks and sediments can be eroded?Glaciers (ice)Rivers (water)Ocean waves (water)Wind Precipitation (water = rain, snow,

sleet)

6. What is soil?Soil – loose mixture of organic

material, rock particles, minerals, air, and water that can support vegetation

7. Why is soil important for humans?Through the food chain, energy

(food) is provided for us because of soil

8. How do igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks form?Igneous – cooling of molten rockSedimentary – weathering and

erosion of sediments that become compacted

Metamorphic – heat and pressure

9. What is the difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks?

Intrusive – magma cools into rock beneath the surface

Extrusive – lava cools into rock on the surface

10. How are rocks classified?By how the are formed

11. How are sediments created?The weathering (breaking down)

of rocks.

12. Which type of rocks can have fossils?Sedimentary rocks

13. What is the difference between foliated and non-foliated metamorphic rock?

Foliated – has bands Non-foliated – does NOT have

bands

14. What are the 7 ways to identify minerals? Describe each.Color – what it looks likeLuster – shinyFracture – how it breaksHardness – how resistant to

breakingDensity = mass / volumeStreak – powder it leaves behind

15. How do you find volume of a mineral using a graduated cylinder?Fill cylinder to a certain amount

(ex. 20mL)Place mineral in cylinderWater will rise, look at new water

level (ex. 25mL)Subtract (ex. 25mL – 20mL =

5mL)Answer is the volume of mineral

(ex. 5mL

16. How do you calculate density of a mineral?Mass / Volume = Density

17. What is a volcano?An opening on the Earth’s

surface where molten rock, gases, and ash erupt from.

18. What is the difference between effusive and explosive eruptions?Effusive – quiet eruptions that

produce fast moving lava due to low silica content

Explosive – violent eruptions that produce slow moving lava and ash du to high silica content

19. What are the three main types of plate boundaries? Describe the motion of plates.

Convergent – plates crash into each other

Divergent – plates move away from each other

Transform – plates slide past one another

20. What are tectonic plates?Broken up pieces of the Earth’s

lithosphere

21. What is Pangaea?One giant “supercontinent” that

existed a few hundred million years ago.

22. What landforms would be created for each of the following:Continental-

continental collisionOceanic-oceanic

collisionContinental-oceanic

collisionContinental-

continental divergence

Oceanic-oceanic divergence

Mountains

Volcanic island chains

Volcanoes on land

Rift valley

Mid-ocean ridge

23. What do we call the exact point underground where an earthquake occurs?

Focus

24. What is the point on the Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake’s origin called?

Epicenter

25. What is a fault?A break in the Earth’s crust

26. What is a tsunami?A giant ocean wave created

when an earthquake, volcano, or underwater landslide displaces and moves a large amount of water

27. What is a wave energy that travels through the Earth and away from an earthquake’s origin?

Seismic wave

28. What is the difference between an S, P, and L-wave? Describe what type it is, motion and name.

S-wave

P-wave

L-wave

Secondary waveSide-to-side motionBody wavePrimary wavePush-pull motionBody waveLast waveSide-to-side AND

up-and-down (like an ocean wave)

Surface wave

29. What is the difference between the Mercalli and Richter Scale?Mercalli Scale – measures

damage of earthquakeRichter Scale – measures

magnitude (energy) of earthquake

30. What are the three main (compositional) layers of the Earth? Describe each.

Crust – outer layer of Earth made of rocks

Mantle – middle layer of Earth made of magma

Core – center of Earth made of iron

31. What are the five physical layers of the Earth? Describe each.Lithosphere – outer solid layer of

Earth (includes Crust)Aesthenosphere – plastic layer of

Earth (upper part of Mantle)Mesosphere – middle layer of

Earth (Mantle)Outer core – made of liquid ironInner core – made of solid iron

32. List the 5 steps of the scientific method. Explain each.1. Recognize the problem – use

observations & inferences to research your problem

2. Form a hypothesis – educated guess3. Experiment – test your hypothesis4. Analyze data – turn data into charts

& graphs for better understanding5. Conclusion – summary of your

experiment and results that can be communicated to others

33. In a scientific experiment, what are the four parts of an experiment? Describe each.

Independent variable – being tested

Dependent variable – what you’re measuring

Constants – factors that stay the same

Control – comparison experiment