Don Barrie, Geoscience Educator

Final Exam Study Guide 

Note:  The final exam is comprehensive.  Approximately 60% will focus on course material presented since the last exam, with the other 40% on previous material.  To prepare for the final exam, you should do three things: (1) review your course notes and previous exams, (2) make sure you can answer every question on the study guides for Exams #1 and #2, in addition to the questions below, and (3) complete the textbook reading listed in the course syllabus and the third homework assignment.

Know the difference between an earthquake focus and epicenter.  Be able to describe the various types of seismic wave and the elastic deformation they cause.  Be able to distinguish between P waves, S waves, and Surface waves on a seismogram.  Understand the difference between seismic wave amplitude (wave height), seismic wave period (time between successive wave crests), and S-P time difference (time delay between first P waves and first S waves).  What is the minimum number of seismogram records (each from a different location) needed to locate the source of an earthquake? For each increase of 1 on the Richter scale, approximately how much more energy is released?  

What factors contribute to earthquake damage?   

Understand the difference between compressional stress, tensile stress, and shear stress.  Understand the difference between elastic strain, plastic (ductile) strain, and brittle strain.   

Be able to draw simple sketches of the following geologic structures: (1) normal fault, (2) reverse fault, (3) thrust fault, (4) strike slip fault, (5) anticline, (6) syncline.  Know what stress/strain conditions produce normal faults, reverse and thrust faults, and strike-slip faults. 

Which types of geologic structures would you expect to find along convergent, divergent, and transform plate boundaries?  What is the difference between joints and faults?  

Why is oceanic crust generally geologically young in comparison with continental crust?  What distinguishes active from passive continental margins?  Be familiar with the following passive margin features: shelf, slope, rise, submarine canyons, submarine fans.  Be familiar with the following deep ocean basin features: mid-ocean ridges, axial valleys, deep marine trenches, seamounts, guyots, transform faults, fracture zones, hydrothermal vents (black smokers), trenches, island arcs.  Be able to draw a cross section (slice) through a typical ocean basin along both a passive and an active continental margin, and also through the deep ocean basin.  Where on earth can organisms be found that derive energy from Earth's interior rather than from the sun?

What lines of indirect evidence give us information about Earth’s interior?  How do we know that the Earth’s interior is layered?  How do we know that the outer core is liquid?  How do we know that the mantle is solid?  Where does Earth’s magnetic field originate? Has Earth’s magnetic field always been oriented toward the present-day North Pole?  Explain. 

What processes are associated with orogenesis (mountain building)? By which orogenic process do the continents grow laterally with time?  Understand the principal of isostasy, and how it applies to orogenesis. Contrast subduction-style and collisional mountain belts.

Be able to explain the term, “mass movement" (also called "mass wasting"), and summarize the principal types of mass movement.

Important Vocabulary Words