Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Geology

Our Solar System

The Sun is the center of the place we call the Solar System. The eight planets that orbit the Sun are:

• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune

There are also five additional celestial bodies classified as dwarf planets. The five recognized dwarf planets are Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.

The Sun

The Sun is a large ball of hydrogen, helium, and plasma. It is around four and a half billion years old and appears white in color from space. Its real name is Sol. From Earth, it appears to move along an imaginary line called the Ecliptic.

The Planets

Mercury

Mercury is the smallest planet and the closest to the Sun. You could fit 19 Mercurys inside Earth. It is gray in color and lacks an atmosphere, moons, and a ring system.... Continue reading "Planets, Moons, and Stars in Our Solar System" »

Earth Science Final Exam Review

April 14, 2025 – Lecture 18: Natural Resources – Energy and Mineral Resources

Natural Resources: An Introduction

Natural resources are materials or substances that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain. Humanity cannot create natural resources; they take millions, even billions, of years to form within Earth. Therefore, we are limited to what nature provides. Natural resources are broadly classified into eight groups: wildlife, air, wind, soil, water, fossil fuels, sunlight, and minerals (including precious metals like copper, gold, silver, nickel). Mineral resources, by definition, are inorganic, meaning they are not derived from living things (for example, coal is considered organic because it... Continue reading "Earth's Interconnected Systems: Resources, Climate, and Impact" »

Soybean

Requires warm areas and medium-textured soils.

Neutral pH preferred; drought-tolerant.

Sowing from August 20th to August 30th.

Seeding rate: 2.5–4 kg/ha, spacing: 12.5 cm.

Nutrition and Fertilization

Nitrogen (N) requirements vary, with 0–30 kg N/ha. 9 Phosphorus (P), 30 Potassium (K).

Herbicides applied pre-emergence; insecticides for pest thresholds.

Harvest

Chemical desiccation harvest, 10 days after, at 12-16% moisture.

Dry seeds to 8% for storage.

Oilseed Rape

Typical rotation: Winter wheat, oilseed rape, spring barley.

Avoid planting oilseed rape within 4 years on the same field.

Medium-textured soils with good aeration.

Frost-resistant; requires adequate nutrient supply. Needs vernalization.

Early sowing by late August.

Plant density: 30-... Continue reading "Cultivation Practices for Key Crops: From Sowing to Harvest" »

117 Ways to Pass the Earth Science Regents

1. The same substance always has the same density.

2. As pressure increases, density increases.

3. As temperature increases, density decreases.

4. Water expands when it freezes.

5. Most changes are cyclic.

6. Water is most dense at 4^oC, when it is a liquid.

7. The true shape of the Earth is an oblate spheroid, but from space it looks like a sphere.

44. As temperature increases, air pressure decreases.

45. As moisture increases, pressure decreases.

46. Air pressure decreases with altitude.

47. Highs are cool and dry; lows are warm and wet.

48. Wind is due to air pressure differences.

49. Wind blows from high to low pressure.

50. Wind is named from the direction that it is coming from.

51. The accepted value is the... Continue reading "Earth Science Regents: 117 Key Concepts" »

Causes of Soil Pollution

• Industrial Activities

  • Chemical Spills and Discharges: Factories and manufacturing plants often handle chemicals that, if spilled or improperly disposed of, can seep into the soil.
  • Mining Operations: Mining activities expose and disperse heavy metals and other pollutants, which can contaminate surrounding soils.
  • Industrial Waste: By-products of industrial processes, such as slag and sludge, are often disposed of in landfills or directly onto land, leading to soil contamination.

• Agricultural Practices

  • Pesticides and Herbicides: These chemicals are used to control pests and weeds but often contain harmful substances that can persist in the soil and disrupt ecosystems.
  • Fertilizers: Excessive use of nitrogen and phosphorus-based

1. What are the innermost layers of Earth?

The inner core is the innermost physical layer of the Earth. The core is the innermost chemical layer.

2. What evidence indicates that the outer core is liquid?

Evidence from earthquake waves indicates that the outer core is liquid.

3. How does Earth generate a magnetic field?

It surrounds Earth.

4. Compare the lithosphere and the asthenosphere

The lithosphere is a rigid layer. The asthenosphere is a plastic layer.

5. How is the crust different from the mantle?

The mantle has more iron. The crust is less dense than the mantle.

6. What are the four layers of the mantle?

• Lithosphere
• Asthenosphere
• Uppermost mantle
• Lower mantle

7. Which layer of the mantle has the greatest pressure? Explain

The lower mantle because pressure... Continue reading "Earth's Layers and Systems: Composition and Properties" »

Brief Definition

Global warming refers to the gradual increase of the earth's average surface temperature, due to excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Possible Solutions

While this may seem like a small change, we can avoid the consequences by being aware of the problem generated by the gases or other chemicals that we use every day in our lives. This could reduce GHG emissions.

Main Factors

• The build up of the gases in the atmosphere.
• Burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil.

My Opinion

I think we need to have control of what we do or use. We must have a lot of information on the subject and contribute with our small but essential grain of sand.

Volcanic Eruptions

Molten rock and gases are ejected through the Earth's crust.

Continental Drift

A slow horizontal movement of the continents.

Earthquakes

A violent trembling of the Earth's crust which lasts a short time and varies in intensity.

Isostasy

Slow vertical movement of the Earth's crust.

Our atmosphere was formed about 4,000 million years ago.

The Magnetic Field

Around the Earth originates in the outer core.

Hot Rocks

Allow the installation of geothermal plants that take advantage of the heat to vaporize water and produce electricity.

Hydrothermal Phenomena

Occur when water seeps into the crust through cracks, it gets into contact with rocks at high temperatures.

The Earth's crust is a rigid and cold layer. Magma is a mixture of gases and molten... Continue reading "Earth's Geology and Natural Phenomena" »

Diphthongs

Described as vowel glides, since in their production the tongue begins in one place and moves to another. This movement of the tongue, however smooth, results in a change of vowel quality, which is why diphthongs are sometimes looked upon as 'combinations of 2 vowels'.

Diphthongs are usually classified according to whether they are:

• Falling or rising
• Wide or narrow
• Front or back
• Closing or centering

The diphthongs of RP are all stressed on the first element, described as falling. Those stressed on the finishing point (rising), can also be wide or narrow, according to the movement of the tongue from the first to the second target. Those in which the position of the tongue body changes quite noticeably are described as 'wide diphthongs'.... Continue reading "English Phonetics: Diphthongs and Consonants" »