The exam covers Text book (Jakosky): Pages 1 - 71, Lecture notes Early Earth: 1 - 25.
For Multiple Choice Section (25 questions, each worth one point)
Concepts for Essay Section (Worth 5 pts) I will ask you exactly ONE of these sets of
questions from the following four topics. You'll need to know them all to be fully
prepared. Full sentences are required, though tabular presentations are fine, where
appropriate. Note, that these questions may also appear in the multiple choice section,
if not used for the essay, so study them all!
[Geological Eons] List the names of the four geological eons and their
approximate dates. What was the nature of the earth's land, ocean and air
during these four eons? What was the nature of life during these four
eons?
1) What astronomical processes made the elements H, He? What about the other elements?
2) How old is the Universe and Solar System? How did they form? How do we know this?
3) What do we know about the meteoroid that killed the dinosaurs: when, how big, crater size.
4) What's the difference between Comets and Asteroids? What's a meteor? Meteoroid? Meteorite?
5) How big a meteoroid (diameter) would wipe out most of humanity? How fast do they travel?
6) About every century, a meteor of what size hits earth? What level of damage will it cause?
7) Know the four primary evidences for a super-continent. How long ago did it break apart?
8) What evidence suggests the magnetic field on Earth switches from time to time?
9) What is plate tectonics? What happens when plates meet? Know continental versus oceanic.
10) What drives plate tectonics? Which mechanisms heat Earth? Which are still at work?
11) Know plate boundaries: mid-ocean ridges (divergent), subduction, transform, convergent.
12) What happens at these plate boundaries? How and where is the continental crust created?
13) Why is the ocean floor so young? How and where is the oceanic crust created?
14) What is an atoms atomic weight? Atomic number? What is an isotope? What defines an element?
15) What evidence exists that the early Earth had a thick atmosphere? Where did it come from?
16) Know the four eon: major events which occured and their ages. Which are we currently in?
17) What is the fundamental difference between 'pre-Cambrian' and Phanerozoic rocks?
18) What significant events happened 3.5 b.y.a? About 2.5 b.y.a? 570 m.y.a? 65 m.y.a?
18) How does changing temperatures of the Earth's ocean affect carbonate formation levels?
19) How does the carbon cycle keep the earth from extreme temperature changes?
20) What was the pre-biotic earth like? When was oxygen introduced? How?
21) What are stromatolites? What are they made of? Is this form of life extinct?
22) What evidence suggests there may have been life as far back as 3.8 b.y.a?
[Plate Tectonics and the Earth's Crust] How is continental Crust created?
How has the amount changed with time? What drives Plate Tectonics? When did
it start? Why is all the oceanic crust so young?
[Carbon Cycle] What molecules are involved? What are the stages? How does
the Carbon pass through the various stages? How has the Carbon Cycle
been important to the development of Life on Earth? How has fossil fuel burning
changed the balance?(This question will NOT appear on the essay)
[Near-Earth Objects] What size object hit the Earth when the dinosaurs became
extinct? How often do such collisions occur? How often do objects like that causing
the Tunguska incident occur? What type of devastation comes from such a hit?
How large an object will likely cause 25% loss of humanity? How often do such
collisions occur?