Midterm Exam Cheat Sheet

Chapter 1: Geology is the science that studies the history of Earth and its life. Anthropogenic (human generated) activities such as fossil fuel combustion impacting Earth has led to the study of Earth as a series of systems (series of components that interact to produce a larger, more complex whole). Geology is the science that examines the evolution of the natural processes on Earth, the evolution of life and the evolution of these interactions and how they caused the earth to evolve towards its present state. The solid Earth system consists of the nonliving solid Earth from its center to its surface, including continents and seafloor. The atmosphere comprises the gaseous envelope surrounding Earth. The hydrosphere consists of oceans, rivers and streams, lakes and ice in glaciers and ice caps (the latter is sometimes termed the cryosphere). The biosphere consists of all living organisms and their dead remains. Some compartments (smaller parts of a system) may serve as reservoirs in which certain types of matter may be stored for some length of time. Most natural systems are open systems, meaning that they exchange matter and energy with the surrounding environment. This is termed a flux (flow of matter and energy through systems and their exchange of matter and energy with other systems and the surrounding environment); an example is the operation of Earth’s convection cells, both in Earth’s interior and in the atmosphere. Earth’s systems interact through feedback. Positive feedback promotes an effect whereas negative feedback counters an effect. The Principle of Uniformitarianism states that processes we observe today have always operated; it underlies all scientific inquiry. Blowing (wind: atmosphere) dust (lithosphere) plays a major role in Earth’s climate and biological systems, participating in cloud and raindrop (hydrosphere) formation, absorbing and reflecting solar energy and fertilizing land and ocean (HY) ecosystems with iron and other land based