20 Questions
Which geological processes are included in the internal (endogenic) processes?
Volcanic activity, folding, orogenesis
What do the external (exogenic) processes act upon?
Volcanic and structural landforms
Which Era is known as the age of mammals?
Cenozoic Era
What is the largest unit of time in the geological time scale?
Eon
What was believed to have been formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago?
The Earth
Which unit of time on the geological time scale encompasses a period of millions of years?
Epoch
What was the name of the supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener?
Pangaea
What evidence did Wegener use to support his Continental Drift Theory?
All of the above
What is the principal focus of geology?
Study of Earth's materials and structures
Which term refers to the processes responsible for changes in Earth's materials, structures, and organisms?
Endogenic forces
During which period did the dinosaurs go extinct?
Cretaceous
Which period saw the beginning of the breakup of Pangaea?
Jurassic
During which period did the first mammals and dinosaurs appear?
Triassic
What technique uses geological evidence to assign comparative ages of fossils?
Relative dating
What is the main purpose of absolute dating techniques in geology?
To establish the actual numerical age of rocks
What problem may arise when using the Potassium-Argon technique for dating rocks?
Leakage of argon from the rock
What is the significance of the half-life of a radioactive element in radiometric dating?
It measures the intensity of radioactive decay
Which geological process was a major event during the Precambrian Era?
Intense folding leading to orogenesis
What do radioactive elements such as uranium (U) and thorium (Th) naturally decay into?
Different elements or isotopes of the same element
What do endogenic processes in geology primarily involve?
Changes in Earth's materials, structures, and organisms
Study Notes
Geological Processes
- Internal (endogenic) processes include geological processes that occur within the Earth's interior, such as plate tectonics, volcanic activity, and mountain building.
- External (exogenic) processes act upon the Earth's surface, such as weathering, erosion, and deposition.
Geological Time Scale
- The largest unit of time in the geological time scale is the Eon.
- The Era known as the age of mammals is the Cenozoic Era.
- The unit of time on the geological time scale that encompasses a period of millions of years is the Epoch.
Continental Drift
- The supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener is Pangaea.
- Wegener used evidence such as fit of the continents, similarity of coastlines, and fossil distribution to support his Continental Drift Theory.
Focus of Geology
- The principal focus of geology is the study of Earth's materials, structures, and organisms.
- The term that refers to the processes responsible for changes in Earth's materials, structures, and organisms is geology.
Periods and Eras
- The period during which the dinosaurs went extinct is the Cretaceous Period.
- The period that saw the beginning of the breakup of Pangaea is the Jurassic Period.
- The period during which the first mammals and dinosaurs appeared is the Triassic Period.
Dating Techniques
- The technique that uses geological evidence to assign comparative ages of fossils is relative dating.
- The main purpose of absolute dating techniques in geology is to determine the exact age of rocks and fossils.
- A problem that may arise when using the Potassium-Argon technique for dating rocks is contamination with atmospheric argon.
- The significance of the half-life of a radioactive element in radiometric dating is that it allows for the calculation of the age of the rock.
Precambrian Era
- A major event during the Precambrian Era was the formation of the Earth's crust.
Radioactive Elements
- Radioactive elements such as uranium (U) and thorium (Th) naturally decay into lead (Pb).
- Endogenic processes in geology primarily involve the movement of tectonic plates and the resulting geological activity.
Earth's Formation
- The Earth is believed to have been formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.
Test your knowledge about the Continental Drift Theory, which suggests that the Earth's continents were once connected as a supercontinent called Pangaea before drifting apart to form the present arrangement of continents.
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