GEOL110 Reading Assessment 1: Earth's Systems

our current estimates suggest that Earth is ______ years old

4.6 billion

in scientific theory, how does a principle differ from a law a. laws are absolute truths, whereas principles are general truths b. laws are derived from many repeated experiments, whereas principles are quick guesses c. laws must be repeatable and hold under a variety of conditions, whereas principles never hold under different conditions d. laws are general truths, whereas principles are absolute truths

a. laws are absolute truths, whereas principles are general truths

Ockham's Razor states that: a. of all reasonable possibilities, the simplest answer is the best one b. always trust our senses c. repeated experimentation is critical for proving scientific truth d. scientists should accept only claims that can be proven beyond doubt

a. of all reasonable possibilities, the simplest answer is the best one

as Lyell formulated it, the Principle of Uniformitarianism was a response to: a. the doctrine or Principle of Catastrophism b. the Principle of Faunal Succession c. the Principle of Equilibrium d. the Principle of Superposition

a. the doctrine or Principle of Catastrophism

Which of the following is NOT an example of an anthropogenic activity that affected Earth systems? a. volcanic eruptions near tourist destination b. plastic in the ocean c. burning fossil fuels d. large-scale agriculture

a. volcanic eruptions near tourist destinations

when humans affect the Earth systems, their actions are referred to as ________ change

anthropogenic

the four basic systems regulating Earth surface environments are the solid Earth system, the hydroshphere, the biosphere, and the _______.

atmosphere

What is another term for "Ockham's Razor"? a. Principle of Uniformitarianism b. Principle of Parsimony c. secular change d. an open system

b. Principle of Parsimony

the concept or doctrine which states that the outcome of processes is dependent on historical circumstances is called: a. superposition b. contingency c. uniformitarianism d. faunal succession

b. contingency

a critical component of the traditional scientific method that is missing from the study of Earth history is: a. hypothesis b. control c. predictions d. examination of data

b. control

the fundamental principle which underlies all of science is the: a. principle of superposition b. principle of uniformitarianism c. principle of faunal succession d. principle of equilibrium

b. principle of uniformitarianism

Geologists use the geologic column and the law of superposition to assign ages using: a. radiometric dating b. relative dating c. absolute dating d. radioactive decay

b. relative dating

Catastrophism states that: a. Earth's surface evolved gradually over time b. all of Earth's modern surface was carved by Noah's Flood c. Changes in Earth's systems were rare and rapid d. all of Earth's modern surface appearance resulted from a catastrophic meteor impact that killed the dinosaurs

c. Changes in Earth's systems were rare and rapid

Charles Lyell viewed the Earth as being in equilibrium. By this he meant that: a. the Earth exhibits directionality-or secular change-through time b. the Earth has a beginning c. There is no net change to the Earth through time d. the Earth has evolved

c. There is no net change to the Earth through time

the type of dating used when an age or a year of an event is given. a. radiometric dating b. relative dating c. absolute dating d. radiometric decay

c. absolute dating

the directionality, or secular change, of the Earth through time is due basically to: a. the flow of matter b. the flow of energy c. both a and b d. none of the above

c. both a and b

carbon dioxide gas dissolves into rain to produce which kind of acid? a. nitric b. sulfuric c. carbonic d. hydrochloric

c. carbonic

Open systems are characterized by which of the following traits? a. the flux of matter only between the systems and the environment b. no flux of energy or matter between the system and the environment c. the flux of both matter and energy between the system and the environment

c. the flux of both matter and energy between the system and the environment

the Principle of Faunal Succession: a. states that different groups of plants, animals, and/or bacteria, which become fossils, follow each other in a characteristic order b. led to the Development of the Geologic Time Scale c. can be observed in local fossil assemblages, and sometimes even in the global, fossil assemblages d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Viewing nature as a machine that can be taken apart, a crucial mindset for scientists, is termed __________. a. determinism b. multiple causation c. evolution d. Reductionism e. Contingency

d. reductionism

systems in steady state: a. are always open systems b. are always in equilibrium c. are always closed systems d. are undergoing rapid and observable change e. are undergoing no net observable change

e. are undergoing no net observable change

it is often said that "history repeats itself" though historical conditions can resemble modern ones, this axiom can never be completely true because of _______. a. principles b. determinism c. theories d. reductionism e contingency

e. contingency

t/f Earth would be the same temperature with or without the presence of greenhouse gases.

false

t/f The Earth's average temperature has decreased over the last half-century.

false

Certain gases in the atmosphere - water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide - can trap solar radiation and cause the atmosphere to warm. These are called:

greenhouse gases

In the geologic cycle of carbon, weathering of the continents exerts which kind of feedback on atmospheric carbon dioxide?

negative

in the geologic cycle of carbon, volcanism exerts which kind of feedback on carbon dioxide?

positive

Using the Principle of Superposition, which layer is the oldest in an undisturbed rock bed?

the bottom

define the principle of Uniformitarianism

the processes operating today have always been operating

t/f Ideally, scientists should never work on an important scientific problem with one solution in mind, and should instead favor multiple working hypotheses

true

t/f modern geologists believe that Earth's features are shaped by both uniformitarians as well as catastrophism

true

t/f: a key difference between experimental sciences and historical sciences is that experimental sciences are based on repetition whereas historical sciences are primarily concerned with unique events or episodes

true