Department
of Earth Science |
Northeastern
Illinois University
INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SCIENCE
ESCI 121
Section 06
Fall 2009
Department
of Earth Science |Northeastern
Illinois University
Review for Exam #4
(December
15, 2009)
Dr. Sanders
For the exam, you should be able to do the following:
EARTHQUAKE MAPS AND GEOTECTONICS
w
Using the earthquake maps the class produced,
arrange them in meaningful groups based on the patterns of earthquake epicenters
and based on the patterns of focal depths you observe in each.
The worksheet appears at this link.
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
w
List and explain the components that are
common to all well-made maps:
title
key or legend coordinate system
scale
north arrow
w
Using the scale on a topographic map, find
the distance between two points.
w
Define these terms:
○
topography ○ topographic map
○ contour line ○
contour interval
w
Using the green globs of "playdough", sculpt
a model of a hill, scribe contour lines into your sculpture, and
based on
your model, sketch a topographic map of the area.
w
Using a topographic map, find the elevation of a point.
w
Determine the
direction a stream flows based on a topographic map.
w
Using a topographic map, determine the
difference between steep and gentle slopes.
w
Using a USGS topographic map, identify
these landforms/features:
○ hill ○
valley ○ closed depression (basin)
○ stream ○ intermittent
stream ○ lake
w
Using the scale on a topographic map, find
the distance between two points.
| Using the topographic quadrangles provided, find at least one place that illustrates each of the following features. Label and place a sticky note on one map or the other, to indicate the location of each feature. It is necessary to find each feature only once. | |
|
* a steep slope * a closed depression * a round hill top * a ridge (elongated hilltop) * a lake * a benchmark |
* a stream; find two places where contour lines cross the same
stream and put sticky notes on the map to show both places. Tell what
direction the stream is flowing. * a “Gaging Station” along a stream * a forested or undeveloped area (how can you tell?) * an urban area (how can you tell?) |
w
Delineate a
watershed based on a topographic map.
w
Review: Using topographic maps,
determine the difference between steep and gentle slopes, find the elevation of
a point, find the distance between two points,
determine the direction a stream flows,
identify a hill, a valley, a closed
depression (basin), a stream, an intermittent stream, and a lake.
w
Explain the terms
meander, oxbow, and floodplain.
Complete the following three activities at your own pace. A handout with these
activities
appears here.
ACTIVITY ONE: Sketch a
profile illustrating a floodplain. Explain how a floodplain would
appear on a topographic map. Using topographic quadrangles from two
groups (named below), identify any floodplains you can see, and also
point out meanders, and oxbows. |
|
ACTIVITY TWO: On the Galena, Illinois
quadrangle, find the word “RAWLINS” in the middle of the map. Between
the W and the L in RAWLINS flows an intermittent stream. Using tracing
paper, outline the watershed (drainage basin) for this stream. Follow
this strategy:
1) Place the tracing paper over the stream area and mark on the paper a few landmarks that appear on the map. When the paper slides around, you’ll be able to re-orient it using these landmarks. 2) Using blue pencil, trace the course of several streams that occur in the area, including the one we are working on. 3) Find the highest land between the streams and our stream of interest. Draw a very light line following the general location of this high area. 4) Now, get more precise: Locate the very highest places between the streams. Ask yourself, “If rain fell to the land surface here and started flowing downhill, which way would it flow?” If it goes in a direction that makes it end up in our stream of interest, it is part of that watershed! Draw the exact line showing the boundary of the watershed. |
| ACTIVITY THREE: The Stream
Table Preparation: Smooth the surface of the sand in the stream table. Make it reach the level of the metal plate on the upstream side, and gradually decrease until it ends at the tape mark on the side of the table. The surface should be perfectly smooth and even, like a perfect ramp. Experiment A: Turn the water on by flipping the switch. Adjust the discharge by turning the valve until there is a small but continuous flow. This flow will create a stream. Carefully observe the stream for the next 5-10 minutes. It will change continuously during that time, and your job is to observe what happens. w How does the stream channel form? What shape does it take? Does the shape change over time? w Where does erosion occur? Where does deposition occur? Does this change over time? If so, how? w
What feature forms where the
stream meets the ocean? Sketch it. Place a toothpick near the main
channel in this area. Watch it for a few minutes. What happens? If
you build your house on a feature like this, what is likely to happen to
it? |
w
Review: Sketch a profile illustrating
a floodplain, and explain how a floodplain would appear on a
topographic map. (The quadrangles we used were Clinton Illinois-Iowa, Menominee
Illinois-Iowa, Blackhawk Illinois, Atkinson Illinois, and Geneseo Illinois.)
w
Review: Delineate a watershed
boundary (divide) on the Galena Illinois quadrangle.
w
Review: Using the stream table,
demonstrate how erosion, transport, and
deposition of sediments occur, and how a stream channel,
floodplain, and delta form.
WEATHER
w
Explain what
humidity is and tell how
humidity measurements are expressed.
w Explain what an air mass is.
w Describe continental polar (cP), maritime tropical (mT), continental Arctic, (cA), and other air masses that affect the continental United States. (See http://okfirst.mesonet.org/train/meteorology/AirMasses.html and http://www.qc.ec.gc.ca/meteo/Documentation/Masse_e.html .)
w
Explain
what a front is.
w
Using the
worksheet attached here, study and interpret the weather maps we have been
collecting for the past month. Today, the focus is on air mass temperature,
fronts, and precipitation.
w
Explain how temperature
and moisture content of an air mass affect
its density.
w
Complete the data collection and
analysis of the
"Weather Tracking Day 1" worksheet, and compare your CONCLUSIONS with
the rest of the class.
w
List the
steps that lead to the formation of a cloud.
w
Explain the
terms condensation and condensation nuclei
as they relate to cloud formation.
w
Describe the
characteristics of cirrus, cumulus, and
stratus clouds.
w
Tell what
cumulonimbus and nimbostratus clouds have that ordinary
cumulus and stratus clouds don't.
w
Explain the
processes that lead to orographic, convective, and
frontal precipitation, and sketch a diagram illustrating each one.
w
Make a sketch of a warm front and use it to
explain why precipitation is associated with these fronts.
w
Make a sketch of a cold front and use it to
explain why precipitation is associated with these fronts.
w
Explain the meaning of air pressure
/ barometric pressure.
w
Move on to
"Weather Tracking Day 2", using
the map linked
here. Here, the focus is on high and low pressure systems and how they
relate to fronts and precipitation.
Here's a cool weather site for anyone,
but especially for you pre-service teachers!
w
Explain why
as warm, moist air rises it may form clouds that yield precipitation.
w
Explain why precipitation is associated with
warm fronts and with cold fronts.
w
Describe the characteristics of
stationary fronts and occluded fronts. Here are a
few websites explaining fronts:
From
the University of Illinois
From the
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
From
Eduplace.com
w
Tell what makes the wind blow, and how winds
are named (e.g. "west wind", "north wind", and so on).
w
Tell what kind of weather generally accompanies
highs and lows.
w
Describe the rotation and vertical motion of
winds about a HIGH pressure center and a LOW pressure center.
w
Using
a slip of
paper with a circle to represent a HIGH or a LOW, draw arrows on the circles
to indicate direction of the rotation. Trace the circles on tracing paper, and
place the tracing paper over weather maps to illustrate rotation of the HIGH and
LOW systems.
Describe how the winds change in Chicago under the following situations:
| __ A HIGH approaches
Chicago, passes directly over it, and then moves on. __ A LOW approaches Chicago, passes directly over it, and then moves on. |
||||
| __ A HIGH passes to
the north of Chicago. __ A LOW passes to the north of Chicago. |
||||
| __ A HIGH passes
to the south of Chicago. __ A LOW passes to the south of Chicago. |
||||
w
Given a weather observation, what can you
reasonably conclude?
See the
attached worksheet!
w
Putting together all the data trends
we have observed, particularly regarding air masses, fronts, highs, lows, and
winds, forecast the weather.
w
Practice forecasting using
today's (Tuesday,
Dec. 8) weather map from the Chicago Tribune (it's a big 2 MB
file--patience, please!)
w
Practice forecasting using
today's (Thursday, Dec. 10) weather map from the Chicago Tribune.
