Geology Question

Overview

question 1

What are the two main divisions of geology?

• What is studied in each division?

• Why is geology important to human society?

• What are some practical applications of geology, things that are beneficial, useful for human society?

Question 2

• Discuss the significance of the Principle of Uniformitarianism.

• What is it? Who developed it, when?

• What were the ideas about the age of the Earth prior to this principle being adopted?

• Is Uniformitarianism still in use today?

• Does the principle that all geological processes occur at the same uniform rate still hold true with our modern understanding of geological processes?

Question 3

• Compare and contrast relative dating and absolute (radiometric) dating.

• What types of rocks can be used for radiometric dating, and why?

• When was radiometric dating developed?

• Which type of dating method (relative or radiometric) was used to first develop the geologic time scale, and why was this method selected?

Question 4

Discuss the major developments, tectonically and biologically of each geological eon and era.

Question 5

• Discuss how glaciers form

• where they are found today as compared with the Pleistocene Epoch (Ice Age)

• how do they transform (change) the landscape

• What are some landforms created by glaciers as they move across the landscape and as they melt?

• how would you know that a glacier (ice sheet) passed through your neighborhood?

Question 6

• Discuss possible causes for the Pleistocene continental ice sheets (Ice Age)

• Are we still in an ice age, why, or why not?

Question 7

• Who was Alfred Wegener?

• What did he propose?

• What were the four forms of evidence to support his hypothesis?

• Why weren’t his ideas accepted by the scientific community?

Question 8

• What is the significance of the Plate Tectonics Paradigm?

• How many super continents have there been in Earth’s history?

• Will there be another one, why or why not?

• Would life exist on earth as we know it without plate tectonics, why or why not?

Question 9

Discuss the methods used to interpret paleo (ancient) environments?

Question 10

• How will global climate change affect humans, and the future of the Earth?

• Is it real or imagined? Natural or human caused? Defend your answers.