Geology Exam III: Review of Glaciers, Wind, Deserts, Soils, Water Resources - Prof. Barbar, Study notes of Geology

Download Geology Exam III: Review of Glaciers, Wind, Deserts, Soils, Water Resources - Prof. Barbar and more Study notes Geology in PDF only on Docsity! Geol 101 Exam III Review Exam III will be held on 03 Dec 2010 during the regular class time in our normal classroom in Hoover. The topics included in Exam III will be glaciers, wind, deserts, soils, water resources, water pollution, and mineral resources. Glaciers 1. What is a glacier? -A glacier is a land bound mass of moving ice. 2. How is a glacier formed? -Forms from snow accumulation over many years. 3. What is firn? -The end result of a snowflake to ice. 4. What is the impact on sea level during an Ice Age or in a warming period? -During an Ice Age, the sea level would drop -During a warming period, the sea level would raise 5. How do we use glacial ice to determine past climate conditions? -By the air bubbles that get trapped in the ice- methane. 6. What are the two major types of glaciers? Be able to give two examples for each type. You should know their geographic locations on a map. -Continental glaciers- they cover large tracts of land and are also known as ice sheets -Alpine glaciers- the occur in higher altitudes and are also known as mountain Glaciers 7. How many Ice Ages has Earth experienced during its history? - Five different major glacier filled periods. 8. What is the Pleistocene Epoch and why is it significant where glaciers are concerned? -It is a time in the geologic past (1.6 million years to 10,000 years ago). It was the last ice age so this is why it is significant to where glaciers are concerned. 9. Where are most of Earth's glaciers today? -10% of Earth’s land area is covered by ice and the Antarctica ice sheet is the largest one in the world- it is big enough to cover all of the United States. 10. What would be the impact if all of the ice in alpine glaciers melted? all of the ice in Greenland melted? all of the ice in Antarctica melted? 11. What is permafrost and why is it environmentally important? -Permafrost is the layer of permanently frozen ground. 12. How did glaciation have an effect on Iowa? 13. How did glaciation affect the Great Lakes? How old are the Great Lakes? 14. What is the impact of climate change on Kilimanjaro? The Grinnell Glacier? What types of glaciers are located in these two locations and geographically where is the Grinnell Glacier and Kilimanjaro? Wind 1. What is a sand dune? -A sand dune is a low mound or ridge usually made of sand. 2. What is loess? -A loess is windblown silt, usually of glacial origin. 3. What is the origin of the Loess Hill, Iowa? Where else are large deposits of loess found? It was derived from Pleistocene glaciers. Large deposits are also in the Gobi desert, and China. 4. What is rock flour and how is it related to loess and glaciation? -It is rock ground up by ice. It makes up a lot of loess and glaciation contains nutrients. 5. What is the major environmental aspect of loess in Iowa? Erosion- it causes major erosion problems in roads, especially after rain. Deserts 1. What is the definition of a desert? -A region receiving less than ten inches of rain a year. 2. Where are some of the major deserts of the world located? -The US, Sahara Desert and in China. 3. What is special about the Atacama Desert? Where is it located? -It is the driest place on earth -South America 4. You should be able to name and locate the following deserts on a map: Gobi-China, Simpson-Australia , Sahara-Africa , Atacama-South America, Mojave-Las Vegas, Sonoran- Mexico/California 16. Where is water stored in an aquifer? - Water is stored in the pores of the rocks 17. What is the definition of aquifer? Aquitard? - Aquaifer- layer of rock or sediment that readily transmits water -Aquitard- layer of rock with low hydraulic conductivity 18. What are the three major sources of fresh drinking water in the U.S. Virgin Islands? -Cisterns (main) -Ground water -Desalination of Caribbean Sea Water. 19. What is the difference in an unconfined aquifer and a confined aquifer? - Confined- sealed off from the surface -Unconfined- in hydraulic contact with the surface, open to atmosphere and surface water. 20. What is a spring? Is spring water better for you than water from a water well? -a place that groundwater discharges onto the surface. -No 21. What is groundwater mining? I listed four areas where groundwater mining is a problem. Where are these four areas? - taking out more water than putting back in. - Bejing, China - -Tucson, Arizona -Los Angeles, California 22. What happened in the San Joaquin Valley, CA, as a result of groundwater mining? - When the land sank in 28ft in 52 years. 23. Why is saltwater intrusion an issue in coastal environments? - Salt water comes into the fresh water zones. 24. What is the Ogallala Aquifer and why is it important? What are the problems facing this aquifer? - High Plains aquifer -irrigated crops&fed cattle -supplies most of the high plains. -use at current rate=not sustainable -“bread-Basket” 25. How does toilet to aquifer/tap work? - sewage water treated to remove solids &most pathogens -filtered by reverse osmosis -further treated with peroxide and ultraviolet light 26. List a few of the conservation practices used in water management. -Engineering= low flow toilets, shower heads, timed sprinklers. -Behavioral=xeriscaping(landscaping with native plants to area), shorten showers, run dishwasher when full, Water Pollution 1. What is water pollution? What is the definition of a pollutant? -Water Pollution- Degradation of water quality as measured by biological, chemical, or physical criteria -Pollutant- Substance in excess known to be harmful to desirable living organisms 2. What is the primary water pollution problem worldwide? - lack of clean drinking water. 3. What are the 7 different water pollutants discussed in class? Why are they a problem? What is being done about them? Be able to give examples of each. - 4. What is BOD? What are the primary sources of BOD? - Biological Oxygen Demand. - Agricultural, urban areas, pathogenic organisms (algae on pond) 5. Which of the water pollutants discussed in class is an issue in Haiti today? Why is it a problem? - Cholera -Diarrhea, dehydration, death 6. What was the problem with pig farming in North Carolina with respect to water pollution? Would this be considered point or nonpoint source pollution? - Hurricane Floyd(1992) -Washed 250 million gallons of pig waste into local waterways -Non-Point source pollution. 7. What is the difference in point and nonpoint source pollution? -Point- discrete and defined, effluent from plants and typically onsite and regulated by permits. -Nonpoint- diffuse and intermittent, runoff from streets and farm fields and forested areas. 8. What is acid mind drainage(AMD)? What is the major culprit that forms AMD? - originating from sulfite containing materials. -pyrite -sphalerite -galena -exposed to air that oxygen and natural bacteria break down mineral to form sulfuric acid. 9. What is the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974? What does it do? -standards set to guarantee quality of drinking water. 10. How is sewage treated at a municipal treatment plant? How is it treated in a septic system? - removes solids, Aeration, breaks down some pathogens, removal of more pathogens/phosphorous/nitrates. -Sludge may go to landfill or incinerator - Septic- solids allowed to settle, liquid flow into lateral pipes, allowed to filter into the soil. 11. How do politics and elections affect environmental policies in the U.S.? - May change with each election year Mineral Resources 1. What is mined at the Broken Hills Mine, Australia? - largest Lead(Pb) Zinc, and Silver deposit on Earth. 2. Why is this an issue environmentally? - 3. What determines whether a mineral is mined or not? - Whether there is any demand for it or not. 4. What are the rare earth elements (REEs)? Rare earth oxides (REOs)? Why are they important? Where is the bulk of the world's known supplies of REOs? Do we have any REOs deposits in the U.S.? If so, where? - the two bottom rows of the periodic table. - -they are used to military defense equipment, also used in cell phones -China -Yes, in Missouri 5. What are the different mining methods discussed in class? How do they differ from each other? -Surface Mining- open pit mining -large, deep open hole -Strip Mining- mined in parallel strips - mineral close to surface -Underground Mining- underground excavations - series of interconnected rooms -recent mishap in Chile -Place Mining- ass. With streams & beach sediments. 6. What is the Bingham Canyon mine? - Copper mine, largest open pit mine in the world.