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GEOL 305
Final Exam
41
Geology
Undergraduate 3
05/03/2009

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Cards

Term
For every ton of iron purified, _____ tons of waste are created.
Definition
5-6 tons
Term
The U.S. has iron reserves in
Definition
Lake Superior region
Term
Aluminum is purified from ____.
Definition
bauxite
Term
Purifying bauxite requires a lot of ____.
Definition
energy
Term
Natural metal purification:
Definition
The metal bonds with sulfur in a hot liquid environment and settles to the bottom of the liquid.
Term
Fe2+ is found in ____ environments.
Definition
oxygen-poor
Term
Fe3+ is found in ____ environments.
Definition
oxygen-rich
Term
Four important mineral resources:
Definition
Iron, aluminum, phosphorus, salts
Term
Aluminum can only be found in ____ environments.
Definition
wet, tropical
Term
Three ways in which mineral ores are enriched:
Definition
Chemical weathering (leeching), hydrothermal cycling, sedimentary processes (salts from evaporites)
Term
Coal is formed by
Definition
Plant matter decaying in a high-pressure, anaerobic environment (terrestrial)
Term
Oil and natural gas are formed when
Definition
Dead plankton are deposited on sea floor, become covered in tons of sediment and heat up in an anaerobic environment.
Term
Albedo:
Definition
ability of a surface to reflect light
Term
Six factors affect global climate change:
Definition
Milankovitch cycles, atmospheric composition, ocean circulation, 11-year solar cycle, plate tectonics, albedo
Term
Plate tectonics affects climate because:
Definition
glaciation occurs when land is distributed at poles, and dry lands occur in the middle of large continents
Term
Oxygen-16 is distributed in the ____.
Definition
atmosphere
Term
During periods of glaciation, shells show higher levels of ____.
Definition
Oxygen-18
Term
Positive feedback and CO2 levels:
Definition
Decomposition releases CO2. Increased CO2 levels cause warmer temperatures. Warmer temperatures speed decomposition.
Term
Water density is determined by ____ and ____.
Definition
temperature and salinity
Term
Water density affects its ____.
Definition
circulation
Term
The Sun's output increases by __% every ___ years.
Definition
0.1% every 11 years
Term
Substances analyzed in ice cores:
Definition
isotopes of hydrogen (deuterium) and oxygen (O-16 and O-18), dust (desert aerosols), and marine aerosols (salts)
Term
Natural aerosols are caused by:
Definition
volcanism, water vapor, wind (dust), sea salt
Term
Deposition of contaminated aerosols is most likely to occur in areas of:
Definition
high elevation, high vegetation, high precipitation
Term
Two types of deposition:
Definition
wet deposition (aerosols are knocked out of suspension by precipitation) and dry deposition (aerosols stick to vegetation or rock)
Term
Global temperatures fluctuate ___° between glacial and interglacial periods.
Definition
8°-9°C
Term
When lead is deposited onto soils, it ____.
Definition
binds with the minerals in the top layer of the soil and remains inert.
Term
Acid and metal pollution is caused by:
Definition
Coal-fire power plants, combustion of leaded gasoline
Term
pH = ____
Definition
-log [H+ concentration]
Term
If pH = 4, H+ concentration = ___.
Definition
10^-4 M
Term
The acids produced by coal fire power plants are usually deposited in areas of ____.
Definition
high elevation
Term
Acids dissolve ___ in the soil, which is then free to poison aquatic organisms.
Definition
aluminum
Term
Trees take up nutrients by secreting ____ which displace ____.
Definition
secreting acids, which displace cationic nutrients.
Term
Acid rain displaces _____ that plants need.
Definition
cationic nutrients
Term
Acid rain causes _____ in trees.
Definition
calcium deficiencies
Term
Calcium deficiency is a problem in trees where ____.
Definition
the bedrock is quartzite or granite
Term
Deposition of pollutants is most obvious at high elevations because of ____.
Definition
deposition from clouds
Term
Elemental mercury can easily change ___.
Definition
phase - from a liquid to a gas
Term
How does mercury get into the soil?
Definition
Trees breathe in mercury, it accumulates in the plant tissues and is deposited as leaf litter.
Term
Formula for methylmercury:
Definition
HgCH3
Term
Methylization occurs in ____.
Definition
stagnant swamps
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