Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Assignment: Minerals
Conduct the mineral lab and use the mineral worksheet found in Appendix C to record
your observations and results in identifying different minerals.
Write a summary answering the following:
What are the four requirements for a material to be classified as a mineral?
Review Ch.1 in Visualizing Geography. This chapter discusses the Earth as a system
comprised of four subsystems.
Write a 200- to 300-word description of how these four subsystems interact with one
another. In your response, identify one type of resource from each subsystem on
which people depend.
Discussion Questions
Your instructor will assign you one of the following methods of evaluating geologic
time: Absolute Dating/Numerical Age or Relative Dating. Describe your assigned
method and how it is used to evaluate geologic time. Review another students
method that is different from yours. Reply to another student who describes a
different method than yours and comment on which method you think is more reliable
or accurate
Discussion Questions
Your instructor will assign you one of the following methods of evaluating geologic
time: Absolute Dating/Numerical Age or Relative Dating. Describe your assigned
method and how it is used to evaluate geologic time. Review another students
method that is different from yours. Reply to another student who describes a
different method than yours and comment on which method you think is more reliable
or accurate.
Scientists debate about the use of fossils as a tool to determine records of various
events, such as the vanishing of the dinosaurs or the origin of our ancestors. Based
on what you know of fossils from your
Assignment: Earthquakes
Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in APA format that distinguishes the types of plate
margins and how they move. Also, discuss why earthquakes are common along plate
margins or boundaries.
Respond to the following in your paper:
When the Earth does quake and shake, how does it move?
Your younger brother is in 5th grade. He comes home and tells you to look at an
animation his teacher showed him in geology class.
Review the Continents of the Past animation on the student Web site.
After viewing the animation, your brother has a look of disbelief on his face, Cmon,
really? Our whole
Discussion Questions
Describehow plate tectonics is related to the formation of volcanoes.
Which type of plate margin commonly forms volcanoes? Name one of the most
popular volcanoes in the United States or the world. If you need assistance, review
the Ring of Fire animation on the student Web site or
http://nationalatlas.gov/dynamic/dyn_volcano.html. Discuss whether or not the
volcano is active and how it has impacted the area.
Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions
Geologic events, such as volcanic activity, play an important role in forming many of
our valuable resources, such as fossil fuel, lead, copper, and gold. For example, fig.
15.21 on p. 476 of the textbook shows the role of basaltic magma in forming one of
the most valuable ores to our civilization, chromium. Select an important ore mined in
your state or region, and discuss how geologic events played a role in forming this
ore. Discuss the importance of this ore in the economy of your selected area and the
United States as a whole.
Capstone Checkpoint
Discuss in 200- to 300-words, the importance of the science of geology to us as a
civilization. Provide at least two examples. For example, the ability to predict
earthquakes and other disasters, or understanding mining and the use of natural
resources.