Text: Pipkin, B. W., D. D. Trent, and R. Hazlett, 2005. Geology and the Environment,, 4th edition. Brooks/Cole pub. 473 p.

The best way to study for an exam is to study continuously throughout the semester by re-writing the notes you take in class. While you are re-writing them, you can use the textbook to fill in any gaps in your notes. By gaps, I mean concepts you did not understand, or maybe could not take notes on because the professor was going too fast. (If you have questions on the material after doing that, then by all means come in and ask me or e-mail your question to me: gleasong@cortland.edu.)

To study for this exam, you must go over your lecture notes.

The test will be based on both lecture notes and on the textbook. This study guide is designed to point out aspects of the readings in the textbook that will help you understand your lecture notes.

Chap 6: Soils, Weathering, and Erosion

Figures: 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.9, 6.11, 6.12, 6.13, 6.18, 6.19, 6.20, 6.24, 6.26

Table: 6.1

Terms: chemical weathering, clay, erosion, expansive soils, frost wedging, hydrolysis, oxidation, physical weathering, regolith, residual soil, rill erosion, sheet erosion, salinization, soil, soil horizon, soil profile, solution, weathering, transported soil, urbanization, weathering

Study Questions:

How is erosion different than weathering?

If you see two tombstones, one made of granite and one of marble, that are the same age, which would you expect to be easier to read (i.e., less chemically weathered)?

What are the processes of physical weathering?

What are the processes of chemical weathering?

What happens to feldspar minerals when they are chemically weathered?

How long does it take soils to develop?  

What actions do farmers take to reduce soil erosion?

What is the effect of a humid climate (with lots of rain fall) on the rate of chemical weathering?  

Chap 7:  Mass Wasting and Subsidence

Pages: 175-189, 192-204

Figures: 7.2, 7.3, 7.5, 7.9, 7.10, 7.11, 7.13, 7.14, 7.16, 7.17, 7.18, 7.19, 7.20, 7.21, 7.23, 7.25, 7.26, 7.27, 7.28

Terms: block glide, collapse, creep, debris avalanche, debris flow, deep subsidence, driving force, fall, Factor of Safety, landslide, mass wasting, resisting force, rock fall, rock slide (translational landslide), sink hole, slide plane, slump (rotational landslide), subsidence, talus

Study Questions:

What would you look for as evidence of creep? as evidence of a historic debris flow?

How does a rotational landslide (slump) differ from a translational landslide (block glide)?

Which type of mass wasting is the slowest?

What role do things like bedding planes, foliations or cracks in rocks play in mass wasting?

Take a look at Figure 7.10.  Why is the relationship between the bedding angle and the slope angle a problem for the house?

Modern building codes require a Factor of Safety of 1.5 or greater in order to build on or at the top of a cut slope.  What is the Factor of Safety and why should it be 1.5?

How does water influence mass wasting?

What are some common engineering solutions to mass wasting? 

What are other ways to mitigate losses due to mass wasting?

How do mines contribute to collapse?

What are natural causes of collapse?

Chap 8: Fresh-Water Resources

Pages: 203-236

Figures: 8.2, 8.6, 8.7, 8.10, 8.11, 8.12, 8.13, 8.15, 8.16, 8.17, 8.18, 8.20, 8.28

Terms: aquifer, aquitard, artesian well (flowing and non-flowing), capilary fringe, cone of ascension, cone of depression, confined aquifer, DNAPL, gaining stream, ground water, hydrologic cycle, LNAPL, losing stream, perched water table, permeability, plume, porosity, salt water intrusion (encroachment), sustained yield, unconfined aquifer, water table, zone of aeration, zone of saturation

Study Questions: 

1. Sketch a geologic cross section that shows the ground water zones and the water table.

2. How does topography affect the shape of the water table?

3. Understand how geologists use water table elevation maps to predict direction of groundwater flow. (HINT: we did an in-class exercise on this)

4. Explain the distinction between gaining (effluent) and losing (influent) streams.

5. Many beverage manufacturers claim the water in their drinks is more pure because it comes from springs. Comment on these claims.

6. Sketch or define a confined aquifer.  Explain what a potentiometric surface is.

5. What happens when too much ground water is pumped from the ground near the ocean coast? Where has this happened in the U.S.?

6. What are ways to prevent salt water intrusion?

7. What is "Sustained Yield"?

8. What is recharge? What human actions reduce recharge? 

9. What does LNAPL stand for? Name an example.

10. What does DNAPL stand for? Name an example.

That's it!  Happy studying.

Useful links:

Syllabus Fall 2008

GLY 160: Environmental Geology web page