Description
Make sure to be able to write out short answers for the following questions:
Chapter 1
1. Briefly describe the steps in the formation of the Universe and the origin of the Solar System (using the nebular hypothesis). Can be answered from chapter 8
2. Differentiate between a hypothesis and a theory. Know the Scientific Method steps.
3. Define a mineral; what is the difference between a mineral and glass, and a rock?
Chapter 3
4. Know the types of chemical bonds.
5. Define a mineral; what is the difference between a mineral and a glass?
6. Diamond is a polymorph of graphite. What is a polymorph, and explain how a piece of graphite could be turned into a diamond by geologic processes.
Chapter 4
7. What are the main causes of melting inside the Earth? Know how to explain each in detail.
8. Describe the process of decompression melting.
9. List the four major magma compositions in order of decreasing silica content.
10. What is partial melting compared to the complete melting of a rock? Why is it that rocks do not usually experience complete melting inside the Earth? When rocks partially melt underground, briefly describe what happens to the rocks as it partially melts and what happens to the magma that is formed.
11. Does the lava that erupts from volcanoes here on Earth ever come from the outer core? Explain your answer.
12. If temperature inside the Earth is steady and is not the main reason for the creation of magma, what does change inside the Earth to cause rocks to partially melt?
13. Briefly describe the following types of igneous intrusive/plutonic structures: pluton, batholith, sill (flat-lying sheet), and dike. Know how to recognize in a figure.
14. Why are some eruptions explosive and some effusive? Which types of volcanoes tend to have explosive eruptions? Which types are generallyeffusive?
15. What is the difference between intrusive/plutonic and extrusive/volcanic igneous rocks? How the resulting rock looks like in each of the above two types? Give an example of each type.
16. What causes a volcano to take on a particular shape? In other words, why are there different types of volcanoes?
17. Describe how explosive eruptions occur. Make sure to address viscosity, gas content, and the process for building pressure.
18. Be able to visually identify 3 volcano types on photo (cinder cone, stratovolcano, shield volcano); know their eruptive style, and dominant rock you could expect to find at them.
