HONR 115-Earth Resources and Environment

Study Guide for the Last Exam (to be held on December 9, 2008)

There will be 10 definitions (3 points each), 5 short answer questions (10 points each), and 1 essay question (20 points).

Keep in mind that the final exam is comprehensive. As I mentioned in the class, you will be expected to know the major and fundamental concepts in geology (e.g. rock cycle, hydrologic cycle, common rocks/minerals names, plate tectonics, topographic maps, cross section/profile, surface water and groundwater pollution, etc.). There will be a few definitions and maybe (just maybe) one short-answer question from the comprehensive materials.

Mineral Resources: Metals

Terms: Identified reserve, proven reserve, probable reserve, abundant metals, scarce metals, beneficiation, mining, smelting, by products, atomic substitutes, steel, Banded Iron Formation (BIF), Pig iron, Porphyry copper, Sedimentary stratiform type, Kupferschhifer type deposits, Bushveld Complex, Floatation, Blister copper.

Short answer questions:

v What are some principal iron ore minerals? How do the iron ores form (i.e. what geologic processes are responsible for their generation)?

v Describe the smelting process of iron. Be able to explain chemical processes that occur (verbal explanation or chemical reactions involved) during smelting process.

v What is the difference between iron and steel? What are some uses of iron and steel? What are some of the elements added to iron to give desirable properties to steel?

v How did the iron mining and smelting process evolve in terms of ingredients used during smelting process? Why and how did the iron mining impact the environment in central PA?

v What are some uses of aluminum? What are common aluminum ore minerals? How do these ores form? Where (geographic locations) do the most aluminum ores come from?

v What is the most common use of manganese? What are ore minerals for manganese? What geologic process(es) is/are responsible for generation of manganese ores? Where are most of the manganese ores located in the world?

v What are the most common uses of titanium? What are ore minerals for titanium? What geologic process(es) is/are responsible for generation of titanium ores?

v What are the most common uses of copper? What are ore minerals for copper? Know at least two geologic process(es) that are responsible for generation of copper ores? Describe the smelting process of copper and the by products that are recovered from copper smelting.

v Know some common uses of zinc-lead- chromium. How do these metal ores form? How doe the future reserve and market look for US?

Agricultural and Chemical Minerals:

Terms: The Big Three, Harber-Bosch method, Potash, Phosphoria Formation, Guano, Upwelling, gypsum, lime, salt (halite).

Short answer questions:

v What are the most common chemical elements that plants need for their survival? What functions do these chemicals perform in plant growth ?

v What are some natural sources of major agricultural minerals? What role nitrogen play in agricultural production and in prosperity of society? How do the potassium and phosphorus minerals form? What are some major sources of phosphorus in the US?

v Know some of the most common mineral-derived chemicals (lime, sulfur, arsenic, etc.) and their uses.

Industrial (Building) Materials:

Terms: dimension stone, flagstone, bluestone, flux stone, Pozzolan cement, Portland cement, glass, plaster, china clay, asbestos

Short answer questions:

v What is the difference between untreated and chemically treated industrial materials)? Know examples of these two types of materials . What role do the industrial materials play in economy of PA?

v What are the ingredients of Portland cement? How is it different from Pozzolan cement? What processes are involved in making cement? What happens to cement when water is added to it ?

v What are some common uses (know at least 5 uses) of clay? What are the source minerals for clay? What geologic process(es) is/are involved in formation of clay minerals?

v What are some uses of asbestos? What are common asbestos minerals? Why is the asbestos considered to be a public health risk? Do all asbestos pause threat to health?

Energy and Alternative Energy Resources

Terms: Fossil fuel, Oil/gas Window, source rocks, reservoir, cap rock, anticline, Energy Flow Diagram, alternative energy

Short answer questions:

v Why are petroleum, gas, and coal termed as fossil fuel? How do the fossil fuels form? How are these fossil fuels related to each other in terms of geologic processes and setting in which these resources are found.

v Know the changing uses of energy sources, nature of energy supply, and generation of electricity in the US.

v Know geographic distribution of petroleum, natural gas, and coal and the role this distribution play in geopolitics.

v How does the rate of world oil/gas production and total recoverable reserve compare with each other? Be able to analyze these figures and describe in your own words as to what is happening to oil/gas reserve, production, and future potential.

v What are some alternative sources of energy (know at least two in detail)? What are some pros and cons in developing these alternative sources of energy?

Sustanibale Development (Things You Can Do):

Terms: Sustainability, The Green Triangle, Deep Ecology, Ecofeminsm, Gaea Hypothesis, The Earth Charter, R³ (if you don’t know these terms then look them up in dictionary or on the Internet).

v Know at least ten things that you can do to make the Earth a better place to live.