First third of Geol quiz
How does the scientific method work
Curiosity- Reason plan and hypothesis- experiment- understand results- communicate results- modify rethink and reinitiate curiosity. The scientific method is a continuously changing spiral that slowly leads scientists to a better and more correct understanding of how the world works.
What is the difference between science and pseudoscience
Science is a claim that can be tested and proven falsifiable
Pseudoscience is an explanation that cannot be tested, or not based on evidence.
What are Objective vs. Subjective observations
Objective is more factual without your personal biases.
While Subjective is an observation based on your feelings or beliefs.
What are Quantitative vs. Qualitative measurements
Quantitative means to create results with a numerical value.
Qualitative means to give a general description of those results.
What is the difference between a theory in everyday language, and a theory in science
A theory in everyday language is more like what a hypothesis is. It’s a idea in the start not a proven idea
A theory in science is a idea that has been tested and so far been shown to explain how our world works, for example gravity is still just a theory despite it being essentially factual we don’t know everything and that could change
What is a temperate climate?
A temperate climate is one that is warm year round. Almost always following the equator.
Why does the earth have different climatic zones
Almost entirely due to where along the latitude lines they are. There are some factors that change it like the oceans and wind currents.
What defines an ecosystem?
A system that includes all living organisms (BIOTIC) in an area. It also includes the (ABIOTIC) non living parts of the environment.
What are some examples of biotic factors and abiotic factors in an ecosystem?
Biotic- birds, plants, wolves, Bacteria (any living being)
Abioutic- Ocean, Mineral, Sunlight (non living)
What happens when an ecosystem is altered?
It can have disastrous outcomes. For example Wolves were killed out of Idaho meaning elk and deer population skyrocketed eating vegetation which harmed other species like song birds that lost their previous habitats.
What defines the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?
The GYE has diverse and natural life. With Hydrothermal features, wildlife, lakes, and geologic wonders
How is the GYE different from other areas
Very high elevation that is surrounded by mountains, hydrothermal features, contential divide, etc
What is the GYE's Charectoristics
Elevation(High), Geology inside of it(large part Rhyolite which is rather poor in nutrient value but Lodgepole pines love), Hydrology, Flora, Fauna, Microbial life
What are the boundaries?
Along most of Eastern Idaho's border into Wyoming, and Montana
How does the GYA relate to Yellowstone National Park?
Yellowstone national park is inside of the boundaries of the GYA, but doesn’t hold all of it. The GYA extends further outward then the park does.
What are some ways that the unique geology of Yellowstone affects different parts of the GYE ecosystem?
WhitePine Trees are one of the best examples as they really love to grow in the andesite here. And they attract other creatures like Grizzly bears.
Why does the GYE receive more annual precipitation as compared to other areas in the region?
Due to the mountains and wind currents it creates a funnel over the great planes to us.
What is the continental divide with respect to water?
The continental divide is which side of the continent water will flow towards.
Where did everything come from?
The big bang collapsed 13.8 Billion years ago expanding matter outwards. This matter was mostly Hydrogen and Helium. The matter slowly condensed itself into stars. Fusion then started to create other elements by joining atoms together. The process will repeat itself slowly creating more and more matter.
When did the universe began
13.8 Billion years ago
How did the earth form
A supernova happened sending space dust out. Then a Solar nebula forms (giant area of gas's and dusts), Planets form as gravational attractors, Bombarment slows, and the early crust starts to be recycled, Earth Cools down enough to support lasting crust, an atmosphere, then life
Why does earth have an abundance or heavier elements?
The cyle of stars creates heavier elements providing the material to create planets.
How do we divide up time in the earth’s past?
Eons, Eras, and Ephocs. These are divided based on life on earth appearing, or different major geographical situations. The life will change based on major events like plants-animals, or dinosaurs dieing due to volcanic/astral means.
How or why are the Eons, Eras, and Epochs in the geologic column divided the way they are?
Eons are the largest descriptor there are 4 on them and are only introduced based on Very Major changes. Next is Eras these are marked by Major changes like extinction events, or the start of life. Next is Ephocs also changed by extinction or life forming events.
What happened over the last 4.5 billion years?
The world was created. Then all the events after.
What is the difference between relative and numerical time?
Relative: The order that differenet features formed. The relative sequence of events
Numerical age (absolute age): the age of a feature given in years
What is fossil succession?
A technique that shows the relative age of a fossil. Shows rock layers where the fossils are gound and can place them in order.
How do we know the age of geologic events or materials?
Absolute dating, half lives.
What is the difference between an isotope and an ion?
Ion: an element that has no neutral charge.
Isotope: atoms that have the same number of protons and electrons but a different amount of neutrons
How are radioactive isotopes used to date geologic events?
Using the halflife of an element, we can see the ratio of parent to daughter atoms.
How do radioactive half-lives work?
Elements decay at a fairly consistant rate, seeing what the ratio of parent to daughter atoms is.
What is the sequence of geologic events that resulted in the Yellowstone that we see today?
3 different Caldara events in the past 2.1 Million years. The land has been an ocean then land than an ocean again.
How can we know that present day Yellowstone was a marine/beach environment ~500 million years ago?
The main way we can till is the sedimentary rocks. The rocks show evidence of sea life.
When did the 3 most recent supereruptions occur?
2.1 Million years ago Ago Huckleberry Ridge Tuff
1.3 Million years ago Mesa falls tuff
0.64 Million years ago Lava creek Tuff
What defines and characterizes matter?
Anything and everything that can take up space and be weighed
What distinguishes different elements?
There atomic composition and different arangments.
What distinguishes minerals from matter? In other words, what criteria do geoscientists use to decide if something is a mineral?
1 Natural (debated)
2 Solids
3 Inorganic no carbon bompounds
4 Crystalline
What gives a mineral its unique physical character?
There atomic structure, and bonding forces
What distinguishes rocks from minerals?
Rocks are made up of multiple minerals.
What are the most common mineral class on earth. Why?
Silicates, It's the most abundent element on earth. And Silicon and Oxygen make a very stable bond together.
How do we classify rocks?
Igneous: Melted and reformed
Sedimentary: conglomeration of other rocks
Metamorphic: Formed from transformation of other rocks.
What are the different compositions of igneous rocks? On what basis do we define these different compositions?
Igneous rocks can be Intrusive meaning they were cooled beneath the earth. Or extrusive meaning they went through a rapid cooling
What are the different layers of earth and how do we define them (compositional vs. mechanical)
Compositional: Contential layers, OIcreanic crusts, Crust-Mantal-Core
Mechanical Lithosphere, aestheonosphere, mesosphere, outer core, inner core
What distinguishes oceanic from continental crust?
Oceanic: Basalt extruded at ocean ridges
Continental: less dense rock (granite) much thicker.
What defines a plate and its boundaries?
A area where the plate is moving in a different volocity
What are the 3 main plate boundary types?
Divergent, Transorm, Convergent
What defines a fault and distinguishes its behavior?
A fault is an area where two plates move past each other
Normal fault
The block above moves downward
Thrust Fault
the block above continues to move up
reverse (thrust) faul
A block moves up and over another block (Japan)
strike-slip fault
Two blocks go past each other.
Which lava composition is sticky and thick
Felsic: more silica like Rhyolite
Which lava composition is Runny and thinner
Mafic less silica
3 products of volcanic eruptions
Gas, ash,Lava
What are volcanoes and why do they have different eruption and hazard styles?
Volcanoes are formed from different different magma chambers that form pressure and leak through the top. Different types of magma will create different hazards
What is the Volcanic Explosivity Index
A scale that describes the saize of explosive volcanic eruptions based on magnitude and intensity
What is the origin and consequence of plumes?
Plumes are pockets of magma thats raising through the layers of the crust. They create hotspots that can cause eruptions.
How is Yellowstone a part of a plume system?
Yellowstone sits over a plume which is hot but not melted rocks warming things
What does the magma chamber below Yellowstone look like?
It's not very full, indicating an eruption won't happen anytime soon.
What compositions of lava/magma are erupted from Yellowstone?
Rhyolite and basalt
What are the sequence of events in a caldera forming eruption?
Earthquake activity, Heat flow(magma gets warmed),Changes in shape/ Emision changes
How many super eruptions have occurred in the last 2.1 million years?
2.1 Million Island hucklebery ridge duff
1.3 Mya Henry's fork
0.640 Yellowstone caldera