Geologic Disasters & the Environment
	(GLG 110)
	Fall 2009

MCC Geo Home/ Kaatje's Home/ Class Schedule for Southern & Dobson (Monday/Wednesday) / Class Schedule for Red Mountain (Tuesday/Thursday)/ WebCT / Review Questions/ Where's Kaatje?

Nature of Science (and Geoscience) Discussion

1. How is the definition of "scientific theory" different from the "everyday" definition of the word theory?
2. What is the role of a scientific theory in science? Why is it inappopriate to say you can "prove" a theory?
3. What is the difference between a scientific theory and a hypothesis?
4. How is communication used among scientists?
5. Is there one "scientific method" for geology? Describe an example of how a problem may be soloved in geology.
6. Why is observation critical for geologists?
7. How is modelling used to increase understanding of geologic events? Describe one example of how modelling was used to better understand a geologic problem.

Massive Destruction

1. What are some ways that mass extinction has most likely occurred in the past? What evidence supports those claims?
2. What evidence would you look for in the rock & fossil record to determine if a mass extinction had occurred in the past?
3. Will Apophis be as dangerous to life on Earth as some think the meteor that created Chixculub crater was? Justify your response.

Earthquakes

1. What is the difference between the Richter scale and the Mercalli Intensity Scale? Each is very useful for different reasons, explain how they are each useful. Explain how they can also be deceiving.
2. What is an earthquake?
3. What are the different kinds of seismic waves? Which ones are more destructive?
4. Draw a cross-section of a fault, draw in the focus and the epicenter.
5. What is the relationship between an earthquake and seismic waves?
6. How does a seismometer work? What does the seismograph measure?
7. Describe how one could locate an earthquake.
8. Describe the difference between a 6.0 and an 8.0 on the Richter Scale in terms of damage and mathematically.
9. How is the Moment Magnitude the most accurate measurement of earthquake magnitude? What does it specifically measure?
10. How are the different scales commonly confused? Explain.
11. Describe the three types of plate boundaries (types of plate motion, & how they move relative to each other). What are the two types of motion associated with a convergent boundary?
12. What is the difference between a subduction zone & a collision zone? What types of plates are involved in each?
13. What is the difference between an oceanic plate and a continental plate?
14. Why are there varying depths of earthquakes? Where would you expect to find deep earthquakes and why? Shallow earthquakes and why?
15. Describe three different general locations you would expect an earthquake to occur and rank them the likelihood of occurring in each listed location.
16. How does ground material affect the intensity of an earthquake?
17. Does ground material/rock type affect the magnitude of an earthquake? Explain.
18. Two houses are built right next to each other, one on a sandy ground, the other on top of gneiss. Which house would be more stable in an earthquake? Why?
19. An earthquake occurs off the coast of Japan. How powerful of an earthquake might this be? Why? What types of hazards might Japan be subject to?
20. If two earthquakes occur with the same magnitude but result in very different amounts of damage, what might be some possible explanations as to why the variation exists (e.g., in December 2003, there were two earthquakes with the same magnitude (approximately 6.5). In California, three people died as a result of the earthquake. In Iran, 15,000 people died)?
21. Describe 4 hazards associated with earthquakes. Draw diagrams where appropriate to help explain your hazards.
22. How do tsunami occur? With which type of boundary are they most frequently associated?
23. What types of questions would you want to ask before buying a home in an earthquake-prone region?
24. Is there magma underlying transform faults? Explain.
25. Will California "fall off" into the ocean? Explain.
26. Draw a diagram of Earth and label the different layers. Identify whether each layer is solid, liquid or gas.
27. Distinguish between the different parts of the mantle and which parts of Earth make up "plates."
28. We have never been to the center of Earth, so how do we know it has these layers and what they're made of?
29. What are the more commonly (and reliably) used methods for predicting earthquakes? How consistent are these methods?
30. What is the difference between forecasting and predicting an earthquake? Which one are we better at doing? Explain.
31. What kinds of building construction help to reinforce a building in an earthquake-prone region?
32. What kinds of building construction would you want to avoid if you lived in an earthquake prone region?
33. What are general precautions both cities and individuals can take to minimize the effect of an earthquake?

Volcanoes

1. How do volcanoes vary?
2. Describe at least one volcano in detail (eruptive style, expected hazards, plate tectonic location, types of rocks associated, other points of interest, etc...).
3. What are the three general types of compositions?
4. Name the volcanoes and match them to the appropriate composition.
5. In general, what is the difference between a volcano with a VEI of 0 vs. one with a VEI of 5? How would you determine these numbers?
6. Be able to predict general properties of a volcano given a set of circumstances (composition, gas content [high or low], ash or lava producing, and VEI style [mild, explosive, violent]) and where you think it would most likely occur (type of plate boundary).
7. What are the two greatest factors that influence the explosivity of a volcano?
8. What are the different ways a rock can melt & at what plate tectonic boundary do they correspond?
9. Describe one location where you would expect to find a volcano--describe why it occurs there and what type of eruption it would be.
10. Why are composite (Stratocone) volcanoes so explosive (what kind of melting occurs at that type of plate boundary)?
11. Describe one deadly volcanic hazard, and describe one less-than deadly hazard. Determine which type of volcano these hazards are associated.
12. Be able to fill in the details on your plate tectonic concept sketch.
13. What methods are commonly employed in helping volcanologists predict volcanic eruptions (both long term & short term)?
14. What methods are most reliable when predicting a volcano? Explain.

Mass Wasting

1. What are major types of mass movement? Describe each of them and how fast they move and how much water is involved.
2. What are the most common rocks/materials involved in mass movement? Why?
3. What is the slowest type of mass movement? What is most costly type of mass movement? What is the deadliest?
4. Describe the different factors that affect the stability of a slope.
5. How is subsidence different from other types of mass movement? Where does it occur?
6. What are some triggering mechansims that may cause mass wasting to occur?
7. How does human behavior add to the risk potential for mass wasting? Describe some specific examples.
8. Based on different factors that influence mass wasting, what are ways to mitigate (prevent) those individual factors?
9. Be prepared to identify a type of mass wasting, describe the factors in a given geologic setting (like examples from class) and how one might prevent this event from occuring in the future.

Groundwater

1. Describe the difference between porosity and permeability.
2. Describe an aquifer and give an example of a material that satisfies the definition. Do the same for aquiclude (aquitard).
3. What is the difference between a confined aquifer and an unconfined aquifer?
4. Make sure you can label all the features defined on the handout from class.
5. Why is snow better at replenishing an aquifer than rainfall?
6. Make sure you can determine the difference between a contaminated well and a non-contaminated well--just like the handout from class.
7. What is a cone of depression?
8. What is a spring?
9. What are some possible contaminants that have been put into the groundwater, what is their source and what were the effects on humans?
10. What happens to the aquifer as well as the surface when too much water is pumped out without recharge recovery (overpumping)?

Floods

1. What are the different kinds of floods?
2. What are the different types of sources of floods? Identify each type and the associated source/cause.
3. What is the definition of a land-based (rver) flood?
4. How is water in a river measured?
5. What is the relationship between sediment load and discharge? Explain.
6. What are some commonalites between the different types of floods. What are some differences?