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Author Topic:   Introduction To Geology quiz
petrophysics1
Inactive Member


(2)
Message 1 of 29 (697935)
05-01-2013 7:00 PM


{This message is from message 281 of the "Introduction To Geology" topic. I thought that it deserved to be and would be best as its own topic. - Adminnemooseus}
So here is a rather good quiz that you should do well on if you have read and understand what Dr.A has written here.
19 topics with 10 questions each about geology. I regard a test/quiz not as a test to see what you know but as a way to point you to what you don't understand so you can find out about it.
http://homepage.smc.edu/...richard/rocktest/physical_geology
I think this quiz is good and covers a lot of what Dr.A has talked about. It is, from my viewpoint as a working geologist, very simple, but I think if you can get around 70% on the quizes Dr.A has done a good job.
What do you think?

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by Pressie, posted 05-02-2013 6:13 AM petrophysics1 has replied

  
Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 2 of 29 (697941)
05-01-2013 9:19 PM


Moose results
190 questions.
21 wrong.
89% correct.
Some sections were very easy, some sections had a lot of "haven't a clue".
Some questions were a bit ambigeous and/or I take issue with the correct answer. Notably, I take issue with #4 of 7)Geologic time - which concerns the "geologic column".
Maybe I'll say more later. I kept track of which ones I got wrong.
Moose

  
Pressie
Member
Posts: 2103
From: Pretoria, SA
Joined: 06-18-2010


Message 3 of 29 (697965)
05-02-2013 6:13 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by petrophysics1
05-01-2013 7:00 PM


Some questions have very little to do with geology or what geology actually is. Some really have more do do with history or philosophy.
A prime example is the first question in the introduction:
Leonardo da Vinci realized that fossils were the remains of once living organisms.
A. True B. False
Maybe so. Does that qualify as a question about geology or history? Why is it important to know? What did Confucious have to say about fossils?
That question and answer really doesn't matter in geology. Maybe it is important for history of geology courses.....but it won't change anything in geology or paleontology.
Edited by Pressie, : Changed lots of paragraphs.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by petrophysics1, posted 05-01-2013 7:00 PM petrophysics1 has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 4 by NoNukes, posted 05-02-2013 10:32 AM Pressie has not replied
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NoNukes
Inactive Member


(1)
Message 4 of 29 (697983)
05-02-2013 10:32 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by Pressie
05-02-2013 6:13 AM


190 Questions!
Here is a table of contents for people who might want to try an open book approach to the exam. I've included some links to Dr. Adequate's text.

    Introduction
  • Course objectives
  • Course outline
  • Note on sources
  • Acknowledgments





    Igneous rocks
  • Introduction
  • Texture
  • Chemistry
  • Igneous structures
  • How do we know?
  • Note on vocabulary
  • Theory
  • Prediction
  • Observation
  • Explanatory inference
  • Another prediction
  • Observation
  • Explanatory inference

    Sedimentary rocks
  • Introduction
  • Types of sedimentary rocks
  • Clastic sedimentary rocks
  • Chemical sedimentary rocks
  • Biochemical sedimentary rocks
  • Modes of deposition
  • How do we know?
  • Note on vocabulary

    Metamorphic rocks
  • Introduction
  • Types of metamorphism
  • Chemical changes
  • Metasomatism
  • Textural changes
  • How do we know?


    Chemical weathering
  • Introduction
  • Agents of chemical weathering
  • Chemical weathering of common minerals
  • Summary
  • How do we know?

    Glaciers
  • Introduction
  • Formation and motion of glaciers
  • Types of glacier
  • Erosion associated with glaciers
  • Deposition associated with glaciers
  • Former glaciers: how do we know?

    Deserts
  • Introduction
  • Causes of deserts
  • Deserts and water
  • Deserts and wind
  • Lithified deserts: how do we know?
  • Case study: the Navajo sandstone

    Volcanic Ash
  • Introduction
  • Origin and dispersal of volcanic ash
  • Tuff
  • Volcanic ash: the igneous sediment
  • Volcanic ash and tuff: how do we know?


    Rivers
  • Introduction
  • Braided and meandering rivers
  • Sedimentary structures
  • Vanished rivers: how do we know?
  • Note on superposed and antecedent rivers

    Deltas
  • Introduction
  • The dynamics of a delta
  • Types of delta
  • Former deltas: how do we know?

    Peat swamps and coal
  • Introduction
  • Deposition of peat
  • Peatification and coalification
  • Coal from swamps: how do we know?

    Nearshore sediments
  • Introduction
  • Waves and the nearshore
  • A note on terminology
  • Varieties of nearshore environment
  • Some nearshore sedimentary structures
  • Lithified sedimentary rocks: how do we know?

    Marine sediments
  • Introduction
  • The sea in profile
  • Distribution of marine sediments
  • Types of marine sediment
  • Marine sediments and plate tectonics

    Turbidites
  • Introduction
  • Turbidity currents
  • Turbidity sediments and turbidites
  • Turbidites: how do we know?

    Reefs
  • Introduction
  • What is a reef?
  • Reef-forming organisms
  • Reefs: how do we know?
  • A puzzle and a solution


    Calcareous ooze
  • Introduction
  • Calcareous ooze: what is it?
  • The CCD
  • Rocks from calcareous ooze: how do we know?

    Siliceous Ooze
  • Introduction
  • Siliceous ooze
  • The opal compensation depth
  • Rocks from siliceous ooze: how do we know?

    Pelagic clay
  • Introduction
  • Origin and distribution of pelagic clay
  • Appearance
  • Lithified pelagic clay: how do we know?


    Glacial marine sediment
  • Introduction
  • Deposition of glacial marine sediment
  • Glacial marine sedimentary rocks: how do we know?

    Saline giants
  • Introduction
  • Evaporation of seawater
  • Models for the formation of saline giants
  • Saline giants: what do we know and how do we know it?

    Physical properties of rocks
  • Introduction
  • Stress and strain
  • Tension, compression, and shear
  • Elastic and plastic behavior
  • Application to rocks
  • How do we know?

    Seismic waves
  • Introduction
  • Surface waves and body waves
  • P-waves and S-waves
  • Refraction and least time
  • Partial reflection
  • How do we know?
  • Seismic tomography


    Geomagnetic reversals
  • Introduction
  • Paleomagnetism
  • Geomagnetic reversals
  • Geomagnetic reversals; how do we know?

    Plate tectonics: overview
  • Introduction
  • Plate tectonics: the mechanism
  • Plate tectonics: history
  • A deeper theory?
  • Plate tectonics: how do we know?

    Continental drift
  • Introduction
  • The drift theory
  • How did they know? The initial evidence for drift
  • How do we know? More modern evidence for drift
  • The drift controversy: a historical footnote

    Sea-floor spreading
  • Introduction
  • The nature and role of sea-floor spreading
  • Sea floor spreading: how do we know?

    Subduction
  • Introduction
  • Subduction: an overview
  • Evidence for subduction

    Hotspots
  • Introduction
  • Aseismic ridges
  • Hotspots
  • Hotspots: how do we know, and what do they tell us?

    Terranes
  • Introduction
  • What is a terrane?
  • Terranes: how do we know?
  • Note on vocabulary

    Ophiolites
  • Introduction
  • What is an ophiolite?
  • Ophiolites: how do we know?
  • Note on varieties of ophiolite

    Orogeny
  • Introduction
  • Note on the word "orogeny"
  • Orogenic mechanisms
  • How do we know?
  • Case study: the Himalayas

    Actualism
  • Introduction
  • What is actualism and why?
  • Actualism as a theory
  • Actualism as a methodological principle
  • Naturalism
  • Uniformitarianism

    Steno's principles
  • Introduction
  • The principle of superposition
  • The principle of original horizontality
  • The principle of original continuity
  • Steno's principles and actualism


    Fossils
  • Introduction
  • Formation of fossils
  • Conditions for fossilization
  • Mineralized fossils: how do we know?


    Index fossils
  • Introduction
  • Why do we need index fossils?
  • What makes a good index species?

    The geological column
  • Introduction
  • Construction of the geological column
  • Prolog to a sketch of the geological column
  • A sketch of the geological column
  • The geological column and the geological record
  • The geological column: how do we know?

    Unconformities
  • Introduction
  • What are unconformities, and why do they exist?
  • What do unconformities look like?






    Dendrochronology
  • Introduction
  • How dendrochronology works
  • Limitations of the technique
  • Dendrochronology: how do we know?

    Varves
  • Introduction
  • What is a varve?
  • Varves and absolute dating
  • Varves and cross-dating
  • Varves: how do we know?


    Radioactive decay
  • Introduction
  • Isotopes
  • Radioactive decay
  • Statistics of radioactive decay
  • Invariance of the half-life
  • Radiometric dating

    K-Ar dating
  • Introduction
  • Decay of
  • K-Ar dating
  • Limitations of K-Ar dating

    Ar-Ar dating
  • Introduction
  • The isotopes
  • The method
  • Advantages of the Ar-Ar method

    Rb-Sr dating
  • Introduction
  • The isotopes
  • Strontium in rocks
  • The isochron diagram
  • Confounding factors
  • Mixing



    Radiocarbon dating
  • Introduction
  • The isotopes
  • The terrestrial carbon cycle
  • The method
  • Limitations of the method
  • Comparison with known dates
  • Calibrated dating



    Paleomagnetic dating
  • Introduction
  • Polar wander and dating
  • Magnetic reversals and dating
  • Strengths and weaknesses of the method

    Sclerochronology
  • Introduction
  • Growth patterns in shells and corals
  • Tidal braking
  • Tidal braking and sclerochronology
  • Weaknesses of the method



    Absolute dating: an overview
  • Introduction
  • Basis of the methods
  • Sea-floor spreading
  • Marine sediment
  • Radiometric dating and paleomagnetism
  • Comparison with historical dates
  • Radiocarbon dating, varves, and dendrochronology
  • Radiometric dating, sclerochronology and rhythmites
  • Agreement with relative dating
  • Internal consistency of radiometric dates
  • Mutual consistency of radiometric dates
  • Summary






    Dendroclimatology
  • Introduction
  • How dendrochronology works
  • Difficulties of the method
  • How do we know?

    Scleroclimatology
  • Introduction
  • Oxygen isotopes
  • Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca
  • Difficulties of the method
  • How do we know?

    Uk'37
  • Introduction
  • Alkenones
  • Alkenones in nature
  • Limitations of the method
  • How do we know?
  • Note on terminology

    TEX86
  • Introduction
  • GDGTs
  • Crenarchaeota and temperature
  • How do we know?

    Ice cores
  • Introduction
  • Ice layers
  • Ice core data
  • How do we know?
  • Difficulties with the method


    Climate models
  • Introduction
  • Climate and climate models
  • Accuracy of the models
  • Paleoclimatology in deep time

    Ice ages
  • Introduction
  • Definition of an ice age
  • Glaciations in the geological record
  • Causes of ice ages
  • Ice ages: how do we know?

    Sea level variations
  • Introduction
  • Causes of sea-level changes
  • Local variations
  • The Vail and Hallam curves


    Folds
  • Introduction
  • Origin and appearance of folds
  • Folds: how do we identify them?

    Faults
  • Introduction
  • Causes and appearance of faults
  • Fault rocks

    Lakes
  • Introduction
  • Lakes
  • Lacustrine sediments: how do we know?
  • Note on identifying freshwater organisms

    Chemistry for geologists
  • Introduction
  • Structure of an atom
  • Chemical bonds and molecules
  • Chemical notation
  • Solvents and solutes
  • Isotopes

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also in prison. Thoreau: Civil Disobedience (1846)
I would say here something that was heard from an ecclesiastic of the most eminent degree; ‘That the intention of the Holy Ghost is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how the heaven goes.’ Galileo Galilei 1615.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. Frederick Douglass

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by Pressie, posted 05-02-2013 6:13 AM Pressie has not replied

  
petrophysics1
Inactive Member


Message 5 of 29 (698010)
05-02-2013 1:56 PM
Reply to: Message 3 by Pressie
05-02-2013 6:13 AM


Pressie,
Perhaps you would enjoy this short article by Univ. California Museum of Paleontology on Leonardo Da Vinci.
His remarks about the flood and basic observations about geology are very close to what you we trying to get across to Faith earlier today. Maybe Leonardo would have had more luck.
I'm sure you know who discovered x-rays, radium, that F=ma, or who the volt, and ampere were named after. Is Darwin mentioned in begining biology textbooks? I mean, who cares what he said?
BTW I didn't make this test but if it was in the text it's fair game on a quiz.
Would this be better? Here are 20 minerals please outline for me the steps, simple tests, observations and descriptions you would follow to indentify them yourself. (However that is not covered in the course so, I guess all anyone knows is to ask a geologist what they are.)

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by Pressie, posted 05-02-2013 6:13 AM Pressie has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 6 by Pressie, posted 05-03-2013 1:04 AM petrophysics1 has not replied

  
Pressie
Member
Posts: 2103
From: Pretoria, SA
Joined: 06-18-2010


(1)
Message 6 of 29 (698092)
05-03-2013 1:04 AM
Reply to: Message 5 by petrophysics1
05-02-2013 1:56 PM


Hi petrophysics1
I didn't mean to criticize the whole test, it was quite interesting.
However, asking such a question about Leonardo really is not really important.
I also found some questions and answers 'a bit ambigeous and/or I take issue with the correct answer' (as a previous poster said).
I would love to read that article on Leonardo, but you didn't include the link.
You'll never change Faith's mind, no matter how much evidence is show, she'll always ignore everything she doesn't want to hear. It's more for the lurkers who only hear the creationist untruths to start thinking about what actually has been discovered in real life.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 5 by petrophysics1, posted 05-02-2013 1:56 PM petrophysics1 has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by NoNukes, posted 05-03-2013 10:05 AM Pressie has not replied

  
NoNukes
Inactive Member


Message 7 of 29 (698121)
05-03-2013 10:05 AM
Reply to: Message 6 by Pressie
05-03-2013 1:04 AM


However, asking such a question about Leonardo really is not really important.
I see a point to such questions. The history of geology is as important as say the history of models of the atom, some of which don't even work, or the development of physics leading to quantum theory. In most courses on those subjects that I've seen at least some of that stuff is testable.
Yes, we could leave the history out of a bare bones course, but why is that necessary here?

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also in prison. Thoreau: Civil Disobedience (1846)
I would say here something that was heard from an ecclesiastic of the most eminent degree; ‘That the intention of the Holy Ghost is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how the heaven goes.’ Galileo Galilei 1615.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. Frederick Douglass

This message is a reply to:
 Message 6 by Pressie, posted 05-03-2013 1:04 AM Pressie has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 8 by Dr Adequate, posted 05-03-2013 10:34 AM NoNukes has replied

  
Dr Adequate
Member (Idle past 284 days)
Posts: 16113
Joined: 07-20-2006


(1)
Message 8 of 29 (698124)
05-03-2013 10:34 AM
Reply to: Message 7 by NoNukes
05-03-2013 10:05 AM


I was wondering about doing a short history of geology as an appendix. I'm not sure if I'd include Leonardo, though, so far as I know his musings on the subject had no effect on the development of the field, and are of interest only 'cos they show what a clever chap he was, a point which hardly needs belaboring.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by NoNukes, posted 05-03-2013 10:05 AM NoNukes has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 9 by NoNukes, posted 05-03-2013 11:08 AM Dr Adequate has replied

  
NoNukes
Inactive Member


Message 9 of 29 (698138)
05-03-2013 11:08 AM
Reply to: Message 8 by Dr Adequate
05-03-2013 10:34 AM


a point which hardly needs belaboring
I think Leonardo's musings do attach a reasonably early date (pre 17th century) to some fairly reasonable views about geology, which might be of some use in a Evolution vs Creationism debate. Whatever Leonardo's own religious beliefs may have been, we surely know that his views are not formed out of hatred for the Church.
In any case, here is one vote for a 'history of geology appendix.

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also in prison. Thoreau: Civil Disobedience (1846)
I would say here something that was heard from an ecclesiastic of the most eminent degree; ‘That the intention of the Holy Ghost is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how the heaven goes.’ Galileo Galilei 1615.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. Frederick Douglass

This message is a reply to:
 Message 8 by Dr Adequate, posted 05-03-2013 10:34 AM Dr Adequate has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 10 by Dr Adequate, posted 05-03-2013 6:07 PM NoNukes has seen this message but not replied
 Message 12 by Pressie, posted 05-06-2013 6:49 AM NoNukes has replied

  
Dr Adequate
Member (Idle past 284 days)
Posts: 16113
Joined: 07-20-2006


Message 10 of 29 (698184)
05-03-2013 6:07 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by NoNukes
05-03-2013 11:08 AM


In any case, here is one vote for a 'history of geology appendix.
I'll look around for some materials. Lyell is quite good up to people before Lyell. And I used to have a great second-hand book called Ever Since The Deluge written by some German guy, but it stopped before the discovery of plate tectonics --- which is probably why it was second-hand. But it was full of good stuff up 'til then, I wish I could lay my hands on it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by NoNukes, posted 05-03-2013 11:08 AM NoNukes has seen this message but not replied

  
foreveryoung
Member (Idle past 582 days)
Posts: 921
Joined: 12-26-2011


Message 11 of 29 (698191)
05-03-2013 7:25 PM


I was doing very well for the first ten or so subjects and then I noticed the questions began to cover more of geomorphology and hydrology of which I don't know as much as about just yet.

  
Pressie
Member
Posts: 2103
From: Pretoria, SA
Joined: 06-18-2010


Message 12 of 29 (698363)
05-06-2013 6:49 AM
Reply to: Message 9 by NoNukes
05-03-2013 11:08 AM


This is a difficult subject.
Chinese civilizations got their 'Dragons' from fossils they uncovered way before Leonardo or the 17th century.
Then they added their take on it such as fire-breathing. It suits Chinese culture.
As this is the www, why should Western civilization be preferenced?
Also, I don't think the Chinese had any views on the Christian Church before the Christian Churches originated.
Maybe just leave it and start with modern geology?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by NoNukes, posted 05-03-2013 11:08 AM NoNukes has replied

Replies to this message:
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NoNukes
Inactive Member


Message 13 of 29 (698400)
05-06-2013 5:30 PM
Reply to: Message 12 by Pressie
05-06-2013 6:49 AM


As this is the www, why should Western civilization be preferenced?
Such a focus would be useful for a reference used by EvC readers. In any event, even if we expand to a more multicultural view, we might still be able to leave out the 'dragons'.
And why is leaving out history completely preferable to omitting Chinese history? I don't get that at all.

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also in prison. Thoreau: Civil Disobedience (1846)
I would say here something that was heard from an ecclesiastic of the most eminent degree; ‘That the intention of the Holy Ghost is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how the heaven goes.’ Galileo Galilei 1615.
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. Frederick Douglass

This message is a reply to:
 Message 12 by Pressie, posted 05-06-2013 6:49 AM Pressie has not replied

  
ringo
Member (Idle past 411 days)
Posts: 20940
From: frozen wasteland
Joined: 03-23-2005


Message 14 of 29 (698496)
05-07-2013 1:49 PM


I was going to keep going until I got less than 50% but when I had gotten through 3/4 of the sections with only one 50, I decided to finish the quiz. I didn't keep a running tab but I got a surprizing number of 90s. Admittedly, there were a lot of educated guesses and a fair number of wild guesses.
My one peeve is that a lot of questions of the form, "X causes Y," could be interpreted as either, "X can cause Y," or, "Only X can cause Y."
All in all, I was surprised at how well I did. I think I'll start my own oil company tomorrow.

  
pandion
Member (Idle past 3000 days)
Posts: 166
From: Houston
Joined: 04-06-2009


Message 15 of 29 (702549)
07-09-2013 1:18 AM


Barely passed
I scored 50% twice and 100% twice. The rest of my scores were between those. For someone who knows little about geology, I scored 137/53 (72.1%).
Some questions were obvious: like whether older sedimentary layers were above or below younger layers, or whether a pluton incursion into sedimentary layers was older or younger.
The technological terminology was beyond me.
I didn't do the open book version.
Edited by pandion, : No reason given.

  
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