Geology Study Guide

GEOLOGY 101 Exam 1 Study Guide Geology | * The science that examines Earth, its form and composition, and the changes that it has undergone and is undergoing * The processes are slow, but none the less dynamic * Physical geology: examines Earth materials and seeks to understand the many processes that operate on our planet * Historical geology: seeks an understanding of the origin of Earth and its development through time | Scientific Method | * It is a rigorous process whereby new ideas about how some part of the natural world works are put to the test * The result of testing must be reproducible * It is believed that the universe is orderly and that by observing it objectively, we can learn how it works * How does testing take place? * Starts with a question * Collect evidence/data that answers the question | Hypothesis | * A tentative conclusion/explanation about natural processes being questioned * It can be revised/changed as needed * Scientists are actually trying to prove the conclusion wrong | Scientific Theory | * A conclusion/explanation that is supported by experimental or factual evidence but has not been conclusively proved * Theories explain the data in a concise manner * Example: E = mc2 theory of relativity | Natural Law | * Never ever false | Alfred Wegener | * “Father of Plate Tectonics,” German meteorologist * Introduced his hypothesis in “Origins of Continents and Oceans” in 1915 * Suggested that a super continent called Pangaea (all lands) existed during most of the Paleozoic * 200 Ma (Mz) Pangaea began breaking up into smaller pieces (continents) and moved to their present location | Evidence that supports continental drift | * Fit of continents looked like pieces of a puzzle * Fossils * Mesosaurus: snaggle toothed reptile; found exclusively in South America and Africa; lived in fresh water * Glossopteris: seed fern associated with polar climates; found in