Earth Science Questions and Answers

Graph of P & S Wave Travel Times, showing Travel time in minutes across distance in kilometers for P and S waves. S wave starts at zero kilometers, zero minutes, and increases to 10,000 kilometers, 25 minutes. P wave starts at zero kilometers, zero minutes and increases to 10,000 kilometers, 13 minutes. About how far does the S wave travel through Earth in 13 minutes? A. 2,000 km B. 4,000 km C. 6,000 km D. 8,000 km

Earth and Planetary Surface Processes Winter 2017 Problem set 6 Due in class Wed 8 March, 3pm. Office hours 10am-11am, Hinds 467 Monday 6 March (note change in time from 9am). Q1. Plot the expected steady-state pattern (as a function of distance from the crest) of discharge of regolith on a convex hillslope in a climate in which the production rate of regolith is 20 mm/yr. Report your answer in m2/year. If the regolith was 0.8 m thick, what would be the spatial pattern of the mean downslope velocity of the regolith? How would these numbers change if 25% of the mass loss occurred in solution (dissolved in rainwater)? (From Anderson & Anderson) Q2. From Hartley et al., Nature Geoscience, 2011: Seismic reflection profiling between Iceland and the UK shows a drowned landscape that was above sea level 55 Ma. The landscape was cut into mudstones and is now buried beneath >1 km of sediment, plus 700m of water. The landscape (black square in the below figure) was uplifted and then reburied due to the arrival of the head of mantle plume whose “stalk” now fuels volcanism at Iceland: River profiles (gray is data, black is model): What is the slope of the knickpoint marked β? What is the (range of) approximate drainage areas at β? Assuming n=1 in the streampower law (so that knickpoint shape is preserved on retreat), what is the knickpoint retreat rate vAm ? You can assume v = 2.75 Myr-1 and m = 0.5 for this question. Approximately how many years prior to the landscape becoming “drowned” (frozen in shape) was the knickpoint initiated? Refer to Figure 1. Assume the initiation of knickpoint β corresponds to the arrival of the “mushroom head” of the mantle plume, and the drowning of the landscape corresponds to the switch to the modern, narrow “plume tail” configuration. What is the area over which uplift occurred? Assuming the red-circled area was horizontal and below sea level before the plume arrived, what is the volume of uplifted rocks? Assuming the drowned landscape under investigation is representative of the fractional erosion of the uplifted landscape across the whole red-circled area, what is the volume of rocks fluvially eroded in the plume area during the plume event? What is the erosion flux in km3 yr-1? How does this compare to the Holocene pre-dam global sediment flux of 8 km3 yr-1? Q3. In lecture we discussed accumulation of a stable cosmogenic isotope in a rock undergoing exhumation, and we also discussed accumulation of a radioactive cosmogenic isotope in a rock that has no erosion. In this question we will combine exhumation and decay. Assume a production rate of 10Be of 5 atoms/(gram quartz)/yr at the surface, with an e-folding depth of 1 m (so the production rate is 1.84 atoms/(gram quartz)/yr at 1m depth). 10Be decays exponentially with a half-life of 1.4 Myr. Plot the expected concentration of 10Be at the surface, as a function of erosion/exhumation rate, for a quartzite rock. Make sure to consider the endmembers of very slow erosion/exhumation (for which the 10Be concentration will reach equilibrium between production and decay), and the endmember of very fast erosion/exhumation (for which decay is unimportant in setting the 10Be concentration)

why is the s-p interval used to determine the distance of an earthquake

what are seismic waves

"If Earth were the size of a basketball, how big would the Moon be? How far away would it be? A. The Moon would be the size of a grapefruit and would be about 5 feet away. B. The Moon would be about the size of a tennis ball and would be 30 feet away. C. The Moon would be the size of a golf ball and would be about 5 feet away. D. The Moon would be the size of a basketball and would be about 20 feet away."

"Which choice best describes the phosphorus cycle? A. Movement of phosphorus between the atmosphere and land. B. Movement of phosphorus in the atmosphere. C. Movement of phosphorus between land, ocean, and living organisms."

State at least five differences between solstice and equinox.

"Graph of P & S Wave Travel Times, showing Travel time in minutes across distance in kilometers for P and S waves. S wave starts at zero kilometers, zero minutes, and increases to 10,000 kilometers, 25 minutes. P wave starts at zero kilometers, zero minutes and increases to 10,000 kilometers, 13 minutes. About how far does the S wave travel through Earth in 13 minutes? A. 2,000 km B. 4,000 km C. 6,000 km D. 8,000 km"

Which description best describes a rainshadow effect? A rain shadow is a dry area on the leeward side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain - producing weather systems and cast a "shadow" of dryness behind them. Cold, moist air is blown into the mountain where it drops all of its moisture. Cold air comes off the ocean and travels up the mountain dumping rain on the leeward side. An area having relatively vast precipitation due to the effect of a topographic barrier, especially a mountain range, that causes the prevailing winds to lose their moisture on the leeward side.

What are the three dominant colors of Earth as seen from space?

Arrange the layers of Earth's atmosphere according to the altitude. Highest altitude 口 Lowest altitude Arrange the layers of Earth's atmosphere according to the altitude.

What are the seven steps of the rock cycle? What are the five stages of the rock cycle? What are the four types of rocks in the rock cycle? What is the diagram of the rock cycle?

What are the 7 stages of the rock cycle?

What are the 7 major ecosystems?

The regularity of El Niño weather events is determined by: A. the amount of gases that volcanoes create each year on the seafloor near Australia. B. changes in the size of a warm pool of water in the seas near Indonesia. C. a decrease in the frozen glaciers at Earth's poles. D. the magnetic strength of Earth's inner core.

Explain how the atmosphere and hydrosphere interact to create weather.

Identify some abiotic characteristics of the rainforest biome.

List 5 disadvantages of soil erosion. Also, list 5 advantages of soil erosion. Disadvantages: Loss of fertile topsoil. Decreased agricultural productivity. Increased sedimentation in waterways. Damage to infrastructure such as roads and buildings. Loss of plant and animal habitats. Advantages: Creation of new landforms and landscapes. Redistribution of soil nutrients. Formation of sedimentary layers beneficial for fossil studies. Natural process contributing to soil renewal in some areas. Potential to expose mineral deposits.

Which of these best describes the asthenosphere inside of the Earth's mantle? A. It is not quite liquid or solid, similar in texture to toothpaste. B. It is molten liquid metal. C. It is solid due to the extreme pressure of the Earth's other layers smashing down on it. D. It is a firm, rocky outer layer.

What percentage of fresh water is trapped in glaciers or underground aquifers? A. 99% B. 15% C. 75% D. 40%

What is the difference between a gorge and a ravine? How does a canyon fit in?

Which best describes how fossil fuels form? A. Over a period of millions of years B. When nuclear reactions occur C. At the end of each agricultural season D. Quickly and efficiently

What percentage of Earth's freshwater is found in lakes, rivers, and streams as surface water? A. 71% B. 30% C. 1% D. 69%

Fossil fuels are an important natural resource used by society. Which of the following best describes fossil fuels? A. They are any liquid fuel derived from once-living matter. B. They are organic fuels derived from ancient plants and animals. C. They are fuels in which dinosaur fossils are commonly found. D. They are naturally occurring inorganic fuels like coal and petroleum.

Compared to the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean is which of the following? A. Warmer, more saline B. Colder, less saline C. Colder, more saline D. Warmer, less saline

What is a carbon reservoir? Describe the Earth's carbon reservoirs and give an example of carbon found in each reservoir.

What is considered high and low barometric pressure (mb)?

What are the types of clouds and what weather do they indicate? Cumulus clouds - indicate fair weather Stratus clouds - indicate overcast or foggy weather Cirrus clouds - indicate fair weather Nimbostratus clouds - indicate rain or snow

What percent of Earth's water is salt water? A. 22% B. 3% C. 97% D. 50%

What is the composition, state of matter, and thickness of the crust, mantle, and inner and outer core?

What are the four elements that make up most of the mass of the Earth's oceans?

What are two differences between oceanic crust and continental crust?

How long did it take the Statue of Liberty to turn green?

"Which characteristics describe the troposphere? Check all that apply. is the innermost layer contains the ozone layer has the highest air pressure spans 12-50 km above Earth is a good place for planes to fly"

What are the composition and structure of the geosphere?

Explain how the biosphere interacts with the atmosphere.

List the three zones around the globe where most earthquakes occur.

In what eon, era, period, and epoch do we now live?

Explain the difference between cumulus clouds and cumulonimbus clouds.

What are some 5th grade science words that start with the letter "Y"?