GEOL 1500 MIDTERM 1- FARRIS
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS(RATED
A+)
What is science? - ANSWERThe use of observation, experiment, and calculation to
explain how nature operates
What is the scientific method? - ANSWERA sequence of steps for systematically
analyzing scientific problems in a way that leads to verifiable results.
Observe some aspect of the physical world, invent a hypothesis that is consistent
with what you have observed, use the hypothesis to make predictions, repeatedly
test those predictions by experiments or further observations, modify the hypothesis
in the light of your results, go to step 3 and repeat if necessary.
What is a falsifiable hypothesis? - ANSWERGood science is falsifiable, it is capable
of being proven wrong. If there is no way to prove a hypothesis or theory wrong, it is
not testable within the framework of the scientific method, and therefore is not
science
Discuss the difference between science and pseudo-science. -
ANSWERPseudoscience is a belief or practice portrayed as science, but not
adhering to scientific methods or supported by adequate research (astrology,
telekinesis, phrenology, ancient astronauts). Science however is the use of
observation, experiment and calculation to explain how nature operates
What is studied within the earth sciences and why it is useful? - ANSWERAll of
geology and it tells us how the planets function, history of planet and life, natural
resources, what might happen to planet, understanding plate tectonics, and
volcanos. Allows us to understand the planet we live on.
What is the Sun composed of? - ANSWERComposed almost entirely of hydrogen
and helium
How did the Earth form? - ANSWERAccretion from the Solar Nebular, and
gravitational attraction of solar system material, and then underwent the differential
process
How did the moon form? - ANSWERThe moon formed during the earliest
bombardment stage of Earth evolution. It formed when a Mars sized body impacted
the Earth. Both had iron cores, but most of the iron from the smaller planet ended up
in the Earth.
How do we know about the structure and composition of the Earth's core -
ANSWERInner Core: Solid, hard ball of extremely hot iron
Outer Core: Liquid, molten iron and nickel
, Name one sub-discipline within geology. - ANSWERGeo- chemsitry, geo-physics
What is the age of the universe? - ANSWERAbout 13.8 billion years
What is The Big Bang, and what are the primary data sets that support this idea? -
ANSWERA tremendous explosion started the expansion of the universe about 13.8
billion years ago. At the point of this event all of the matter and energy of space was
contained at one point with infinite density.
Primary data sets that support the big bang theory is Hubble's Law which discovered
galaxies beyond the Milky Way and the Cosmic red shift.
Cosmic microwave cosmic radiation
What galaxy we are in? - ANSWERMilkyway
How was the solar system formed? - ANSWERSolar Nebular Hypothesis: This
describes the formation of our solar system from a nebula cloud made from a
collection of dust and gas Formed from earlier supernova (star explosion and death),
solar ignition at 4.6 billion years ago, the sun starts to shine
List and provide basic information about each planet - ANSWERMercury: no
atmosphere so heat is not retained, has an 88 day long orbital period or year. There
is a North Pole of Mercury: water ice exists in the permanently shaded regions of
specific craters. Also there appears to contain evidence for contractional tectonics
Venus: Heavy greenhouse effect, enough to melt many metals. CO2 is 96% of
atmosphere. Similar to Earth in size, but with runaway greenhouse effect. Venus
may be characterized by stagnant lid tectonics, no subduction occurs, but every few
hundred million years the planet is resurfaced by crustal overturn.
Mars: Year length is 687 earth days, there are north pole ice caps on mars.
Jupiter: The largest planet, Jupiter's Great Red Spot- A hurricane the size of Earth
lasting several centuries. No hard surface, so this may allow for different winds at
different speeds. Many moons, Ganymede (largest moon in the solar system), Io
(most volcanically active body in the solar system), Callisto, Europa
Saturn: Has many rings composed of dust and relatively small particles. A moon of
Saturn is Titan, has a nitrogen atmosphere.
Uranus: Axial tilt on its side with respect to the rest of the solar system. Small gas
giant, only 14-15 times the size of the Earth. Composed of hydrogen and helium but
with a greater component of ices (water, ammonia, methane)
Neptune: 13 known moons, but the largest is Triton which is geologically active.
Nitrogen and methane ice cap
Earth: is able to support life
What is the difference between inner rocky and outer gas giants - ANSWERGas
giants is a large planet composed mostly of gases, like hydrogen and helium, with a
small rocky core. They have many moons, and rings, far from the sun, low density
and high mass. They also have no solid surface. (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
Inner rocky planets are small and rocky planets with a solid surface. They have low
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS(RATED
A+)
What is science? - ANSWERThe use of observation, experiment, and calculation to
explain how nature operates
What is the scientific method? - ANSWERA sequence of steps for systematically
analyzing scientific problems in a way that leads to verifiable results.
Observe some aspect of the physical world, invent a hypothesis that is consistent
with what you have observed, use the hypothesis to make predictions, repeatedly
test those predictions by experiments or further observations, modify the hypothesis
in the light of your results, go to step 3 and repeat if necessary.
What is a falsifiable hypothesis? - ANSWERGood science is falsifiable, it is capable
of being proven wrong. If there is no way to prove a hypothesis or theory wrong, it is
not testable within the framework of the scientific method, and therefore is not
science
Discuss the difference between science and pseudo-science. -
ANSWERPseudoscience is a belief or practice portrayed as science, but not
adhering to scientific methods or supported by adequate research (astrology,
telekinesis, phrenology, ancient astronauts). Science however is the use of
observation, experiment and calculation to explain how nature operates
What is studied within the earth sciences and why it is useful? - ANSWERAll of
geology and it tells us how the planets function, history of planet and life, natural
resources, what might happen to planet, understanding plate tectonics, and
volcanos. Allows us to understand the planet we live on.
What is the Sun composed of? - ANSWERComposed almost entirely of hydrogen
and helium
How did the Earth form? - ANSWERAccretion from the Solar Nebular, and
gravitational attraction of solar system material, and then underwent the differential
process
How did the moon form? - ANSWERThe moon formed during the earliest
bombardment stage of Earth evolution. It formed when a Mars sized body impacted
the Earth. Both had iron cores, but most of the iron from the smaller planet ended up
in the Earth.
How do we know about the structure and composition of the Earth's core -
ANSWERInner Core: Solid, hard ball of extremely hot iron
Outer Core: Liquid, molten iron and nickel
, Name one sub-discipline within geology. - ANSWERGeo- chemsitry, geo-physics
What is the age of the universe? - ANSWERAbout 13.8 billion years
What is The Big Bang, and what are the primary data sets that support this idea? -
ANSWERA tremendous explosion started the expansion of the universe about 13.8
billion years ago. At the point of this event all of the matter and energy of space was
contained at one point with infinite density.
Primary data sets that support the big bang theory is Hubble's Law which discovered
galaxies beyond the Milky Way and the Cosmic red shift.
Cosmic microwave cosmic radiation
What galaxy we are in? - ANSWERMilkyway
How was the solar system formed? - ANSWERSolar Nebular Hypothesis: This
describes the formation of our solar system from a nebula cloud made from a
collection of dust and gas Formed from earlier supernova (star explosion and death),
solar ignition at 4.6 billion years ago, the sun starts to shine
List and provide basic information about each planet - ANSWERMercury: no
atmosphere so heat is not retained, has an 88 day long orbital period or year. There
is a North Pole of Mercury: water ice exists in the permanently shaded regions of
specific craters. Also there appears to contain evidence for contractional tectonics
Venus: Heavy greenhouse effect, enough to melt many metals. CO2 is 96% of
atmosphere. Similar to Earth in size, but with runaway greenhouse effect. Venus
may be characterized by stagnant lid tectonics, no subduction occurs, but every few
hundred million years the planet is resurfaced by crustal overturn.
Mars: Year length is 687 earth days, there are north pole ice caps on mars.
Jupiter: The largest planet, Jupiter's Great Red Spot- A hurricane the size of Earth
lasting several centuries. No hard surface, so this may allow for different winds at
different speeds. Many moons, Ganymede (largest moon in the solar system), Io
(most volcanically active body in the solar system), Callisto, Europa
Saturn: Has many rings composed of dust and relatively small particles. A moon of
Saturn is Titan, has a nitrogen atmosphere.
Uranus: Axial tilt on its side with respect to the rest of the solar system. Small gas
giant, only 14-15 times the size of the Earth. Composed of hydrogen and helium but
with a greater component of ices (water, ammonia, methane)
Neptune: 13 known moons, but the largest is Triton which is geologically active.
Nitrogen and methane ice cap
Earth: is able to support life
What is the difference between inner rocky and outer gas giants - ANSWERGas
giants is a large planet composed mostly of gases, like hydrogen and helium, with a
small rocky core. They have many moons, and rings, far from the sun, low density
and high mass. They also have no solid surface. (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
Inner rocky planets are small and rocky planets with a solid surface. They have low
