Geology Lab Final

Erosional landforms are _______ energy, depositional landforms are _________ energy.

** ? high, low?

Name and describe the different low energy coastal landforms.

**?? (lab 7) Beaches Barrier split bay mouth bar lagoon tombolo

Name and describe the different high energy coastal landforms.

**??maybe these go here not sure (describe from lab 7) Sea cliffs Wave-cut notches Caves Sea stacks Sea arches

What are the four variables that affect karst formation and how do they affect it?

-Precipitation -Temperature -Organic Matter -Turbulence **how

What are the different types of dunes? (4 different types)

1. Barchans: crescent shaped dunes predominantly formed by a unidirectional wind 2. Transverse Dunes: large and elongated dunes formed perpendicular to wind direction, usually in a sand rich environment 3. Parabolic Dunes: found in humid coastal areas where erosion of sand leads to U shaped depression 4. Longitudinal dunes: Elongate parallel to the prevailing wind and often form behind and obstacle in a sand rich environment

What are the three desert types?

1. Erg: a broad, flat area of desert covered with wind swept sand and little or no vegetation 2. Reg: a vast stony desert plain, also called a desert pavement 3. Hamada: consists of high, largely barren, hard, rocky plateaus, with very little sand because it has all been removed by deflation

What are the three types of coral reefs and how are they different?

1. Fringing Reef: distinguished by it having an entirely shallow back-reef zone (lagoon), or none at all. close to shoreline 2. Atoll: ring shaped reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral 3. Barrier Reef: a long narrow ridge of coral or rock parallel to and relatively near a coastline, separated from the coastline by a lagoon too deep for coral growth

What was the most damaging hurricane? The second? How much did they cost in damage?

1. Hurricane Katrina ($108 Billion) 2. Hurricane Sandy ($50 Billion)

How does a sinkhole form (3 ways)?

1. Solution: most commonly seen in areas that have a very thin cover of soil on the surface, exposing the bedrock below to continual erosion by water that eventually or sometimes suddenly leads to a sinkhole 2. Subsidence: formed over a period of time. The bedrock here is covered by soil and materials which are not well knitted together. Once the bedrock starts to erode, the clay or sand starts permeating through the cracks and settles into the spaces left behind. Over time, this creates a cavity 3. Collapse: rocky soil begins to crack and eventually gives in, sudden.

What is the ozone? Where does it lie?

A region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the suns UV radiation. It contains high amounts of O3 relative to other parts of the atmosphere

What is a tornado? Are there other names for it?

A violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground -twister?

How does the altitude impact weather? How does the altitude impact climate?

Altitude affects climate in that the higher up you get, the more the temperature drops. Weather is affected because the climate is affected, which determines the weather

What feature below the surface could form a disappearing stream?

An underground cavern

Which countries pollute the most?

Asia & Oceania North America Europe

What is the difference between the two crescent shaped dunes?

Barchans & Parabolic Parabolic are formed in coastal areas by erosion of sand, barchans are formed by a unidirectional wind. Also, for parabolic (<, and for barchans )<

Does the sun influence our climate? How do you know it does/doesn't?

Because our entire climate system is driven by the suns energy, if the suns energy changed then so would our climate

What types of rocks does Karst usually form in? What are the names of two rocks in that group?

Carbonate Rocks: -Limestone -Dolomite

What is the composition of the atmosphere?

Composition: Nitrogen 78% oxygen 21% other gases 1%

What happens to the water when the tide cycles between the two phases?

Gets higher/ Lower to sea level

What is a groin? What are jetties? How are they different/similar?

Groin- constructed across the beach, perpendicular to the shoreline, and is designed to trap sand moving in the longshore transport system Jetties- Built at tidal inlets to stabilize the locations of the inlets. (the pic of just two of them) Think about similarities and differences.

What cells make up the atmosphere and surround the earth? (3 types)

Hadley cell Polar cell Feral cell

What is the effect of a rip current on a shoreline? Is it dangerous?

Hazardous to swimmers because they can get pulled into it, it flows outwardly from the shore. rips an opening in sandbar

If the northern hemisphere is tilting toward the sun, what would you expect the climate/temperature to be (think July in Oklahoma)? What would you expect for the southern hemisphere at the same time?

Hot, summer Cold, winter

What are well-defined storms?

Hurricanes Tornadoes Thunderstorms Snow Storms and Blizzards

Which is larger, a tornado or a hurricane? Which can travel over 100km? How wide can each be?

Hurricanes are larger, but tornados are more dangerous. tornado record: 4000m (2 mi) hurricane record: 940 miles

Know the trends for ozone depletion? Are we currently depleting the ozone?

It's gone down but we are still depleting it I think

Which has more rain: karst landform or an arid landform?

Karst Landform

Under which states have the highest geothermal resources?

Nevada, Oregon, California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah

Is rain naturally acidic? How does acid rain differ from normal rain?

Normal, clean rain has a pH value of between 5.0 and 5.5, which is slightly acidic. However, when rain combines with sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides—produced from power plants and automobiles—the rain becomes much more acidic. Typical acid rain has a pH value of 4.0.

Is Smog the same as air pollution? What is photochemical smog?

Photochemical smog is the chemical reaction of sunlight, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere, which leaves airborne particles and ground-level ozone -It is a part of air pollution

What are the pros and cons of geothermal energy?

Pros Almost entirely emission free Zero carbon The process can scrub out sulfur that might have otherwise been released No fuel required (no mining or transportation) Not subject to the same fluctuations as solar or wind Smallest land footprint of any major power source Virtually limitless supply Inherently simple and reliable Can provide base load or peak power Already cost competitive in some areas Could be built underground Some level of geothermal energy available most places New technologies show promise to utilize lower temperatures Cons Prime sites are very location-specific Prime sites are often far from population centers Losses due to long distance transmission of electricity Water usage Sulfur dioxide and silica emissions High construction costs Drilling into heated rock is very difficult Minimum temperature of 350F+ generally required Care must be taken to manage heat and not overuse it

What affects regional climate?

Regional climate variation can be affected by factors such as latitude, proximity to water, regime of winds, average temperature and humidity and altitude

What are the two tide phases?

Spring Tides: occur in higher tides when the moon is E & W of the Earth Neap Tides: occur in higher tides with the moon is N & S of the Earth

What is a star dune?

Tend to accumulate in areas with winds that go in multiple directions, literally look like a star. They grow upward.

In what states do tornadoes form the most?

Texas, Florida, Kansas

What is the ITCZ?

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), is the area encircling the earth near the equator where the northeast and southeast trade winds come together.

Why does the earth come closer and further away from the sun? What is this cycle called?

The Milankovich cycles are caused by changes in the shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun, the tilt of the Earth's rotation axis, and the wobble of our axis. The mass and movement of the other planets in our solar system actually affect the Earth orbit just as our planetary mass similarly affects their orbits.

Which areas of the Earth will heat up the most by the 2080s?

The arctic

What is desertification? List 2 causes for the problem and a solution to fix the problem.

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture. -enriching soil with nutrients -planting trees

What is the structure of the atmosphere? Where does temperature and pressure change?

Thermosphere: temps increase as alt increases Mesosphere: temps decrease as alt increases Stratosphere: temps increase as alt increases Troposphere: temps decrease as alt increases pressures decrease as alt increases

What is the relative size of a hurricane? Is it larger or smaller than a tornado?

They last 10-14 days, and are the largest and most destructive storms on Earth. The size of a hurricanes wind field is usually a few hundred miles across

What is the difference between the two elongated dunes?

Transverse & Longitudinal longitudinal usually form behind an obstacle and are parallel to wind, transverse dunes form perpendicular to one uniform wind

What is a Tsunami? What is a Hurricane?

Tsunami- (seismic sea wave) large waves caused by movement of large amounts of water caused by earthquakes, landslides, etc. Hurricane- Large storm system characterized by strong winds and thunderstorms

How is Climate different from Weather? What expectations do we have from climate and weather? What is an example of climate? An example of weather?

Weather is short term (changes daily) climate should stay the same over time. Climate Ex- what you expect (a very hot summer) Weather Ex- what you get (a hot day with pop up thunderstorms)

What is atmospheric disturbance?

a broader and more general term than storms, and it includes variations in the secondary circulation of the atmosphere

What is inversion?

a deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude and in many cases it refers to a "temperature inversion", i.e. an increase in temperature with altitude

What are greenhouse gases?

a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation, e.g., carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons.

What is a Hurricane? What are the other names for a hurricane?

a large rotating cyclonic storm system born in the tropics. -typhoons (East Asia) -willy-willies (Australia) -Bagyos (The Phillipines) -Cyclones (South Asia)

What is the ozone hole? Where is it located? Why does the ozone hole form (hint: what is it about the temperature)?

a region of marked thinning of the ozone layer in high latitudes When temps drop below -78C thin clouds form of ice, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid mixtures. Chemical reactions on the surfaces of ice crystals in the clouds release active forms of CFCs. located in Antartica

What is a disappearing stream? Why does it disappear and where does it go?

a stream or river that loses water as it flows downstream. The water infiltrates into the ground recharging the local groundwater, because the water table is below the bottom of the stream channel.

What are the side effects of acid rain? Has acid rain decreased or increased over time?

acid rain has been decreasing side effects: Acid rain causes acidification of lakes and streams and contributes to the damage of trees at high elevations (for example, red spruce trees above 2,000 feet) and many sensitive forest soils.

How fast are the winds associated with a tornado? Are they significantly higher or lower than a hurricane?

b/w 40-318 mph. Winds are significantly higher than a tornado

How ocean circulation works. Is it similar to the circulation of hot and cold air?

caused by a variety of factors including thermohaline circulation which is slightly similar to circulation of hot and cold air.

What's the difference between stalactites and stalagmites? What forms if these connect?

cites- come from ceiling mites- come from floor columns form if they connect

What forms a thunderstorm?

cumulonimbus cloud, and warm air pushes up into cold air

Does the earth orbit the sun in a circular or ellipsoid fashion?

ellipsoid

How does karst form?

formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum.

How are hot springs, geyser, fumaroles, boiling mud pots, and travertines different?

hot springs- emergence of geothermally heated groundwater that rises from Earth's crust geysers- VENT in the Earth's surface that periodically ejects a column of hot water and steam fumaroles- opening in Earth's surface, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes that emits gases like CO2 & SO2 boiling mud pots- literally just boiling mud travertines- weird little pretty pool things or maybe a type of rock

What is a climate projection? What is required to have a projection or model? Is a prediction model 100% accurate? What proxies are used for these projections?

how a climate will change in the future under certain projections (amount of greenhouse gases etc) not 100% accurate

How much has the temperature changed since the late 19th century? Why?

increased by 0.8C human activity has increased amount/concentration of greenhouse gases, increasing greenhouse effect

What are some indicators of Global Warming?

increases: humidity, temperatures, sea level, ocean heat, species migrating poleward and upward, tree lines shifting poleward and upward decreasing: sea ice, ice sheets, spring coming earlier, glaciers, snow cover

Which type of pressure system is a hurricane?

intense low pressure systems

Which type of pressure system is a tornado?

intense narrow system of low pressure

Know the difference between karst landforms, cave geomorphology, hydrothermal features, and arid landscapes. What formations are a part of each?

karst landforms- a landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes, dolines, and caves. cave geomorphology- specifically cave karst formation hydrothermal features- noting or pertaining to the action of hot, aqueous solutions or gases within or on the surface of the earth. arid landscapes- dry landscape

What is more important to these cells and the ITCZ, latitude or longitude?

latitude?

What is the relationship between longshore current and longshore drift? How do you determine longshore current direction?

longshore current: ocean current that moves parallel to the shore and interacts with the shoreline at an angle longshore drift: process where beach material is gradually shifted laterally as a result of waves meeting shore at an oblique angle -longshore drift is caused by longshore current -current flows in the direction of the waves and vis versa

Are greenhouse gases 100% pollution?

no

Where on Earth and in what cells are the following: northeasterly trade winds, southeasterly trade winds, and westerlies.

northeasterly trade winds: just above equator, hadley cell southeasterly trade winds: just below equator, hadley cell westerlies: feral cell, after trade winds on either side

Are there particular areas where hurricanes prefer to form? At what latitudes do these form?

occur more commonly along equator

What is precession? What is tilt? What is eccentricity?

precession: the slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis due to a torque (such as gravitational influence) acting to change the direction of the first axis. tilt: also known as obliquity, is the angle between an object's rotational axis and its orbital axis eccentricity: the amount by which an orbit deviates from a circle

What makes up acid rain?

sulphuric and nitric acid

What are tides?

the alternate rising and falling of the sea, usually twice in each lunar day at a particular place, due to the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the earth

What else, other than wind, is a damaging aspect of hurricanes?

the dangerous flooding/storm surges, tornadoes, and lightning that often accompany (or are spawned by) a hurricane.

What is atmospheric circulation?

the large-scale movement of air, and the means (together with the smaller ocean circulation) by which thermal energy is distributed on the surface of the Earth.

What is the greenhouse effect? What atmospheric layer is key to this? What atmospheric feature lies within this layer?

the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface. **atmosphere

Is the atmosphere thicker on certain parts of the globe? Why or why not?

thicker at equator for various reasons. use common sense

What is the relationship wavelength, wave height, and wave period?

wavelength: distance from one wave crest to the next wave height: the distance between trough and crest wave period: the time it takes for two crests to pass a point

What are orographic barriers? How do they work? Why are they important to the weather?

when a weather set approaches mountains they get trapped Rapidly rising air forced up by mountains creates rain or snow

Is CO2 a greenhouse gas? How about H2O vapor?

yes

Is there a correlation between ocean current temperature and ocean current speed?

yes

Have these greenhouse gases been increasing? What would happen if the concentration increases?

yes global surfaces increase = global warming