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