GO 326/ES 767 Sample Exam

This is a "take-home" exa,, which covers lecture material and readings. For answers, you may search through any available sources, including textbook, course webpage, handouts, library resources, and other web sites. You may submit your answers to the instructor via e-mail or on paper. For e-mail, plain text (ascii) and rich text format (rtf) are acceptable; do not send word-processed files (Word, WordPerfect, etc.) Images may be submitted in gif or jpeg format. Each student should work independently. Exams must be submitted by the due date; late submissions shall receive a grade penalty.

The ESU academic dishonesty policy applies to this exam. This means specifically that all answers must be written substantially in the student's own words. Quotations must be indicated clearly. References must be provided for any materials (text or imagery) taken from other publications, such as books, webpages, videos, maps, etc. Note: you may not use illustrations taken directly from the ESU course webpages or course handouts. You may draw your own illustrations or use illustrations taken from other sources (with proper references).

All undergrad and graduate students complete sections I, II, and III.

I. Give short definitions for the following tectonic terms (10 terms @ 2 points each).

Gondwana
mantle

II. Provide short answers for the following questions (10 questions @ 3 points each).

What is the general pattern of convection in the upper mantle beneath the ocean basins?
What is the probable chemical composition of the Earth's core? Explain your answer.

III. Give paragraph answers for the following questions (two questions @ 8-10 points each). You may draw simple diagrams (or download web illustrations) to supplement your answers.

Much of what we know about the Earth's core is based on measurements and interpretation of the magnetic field. Describe major characteristics of the magnetic field and how these relate to the core. How has the magnetic field varied during the past and what does this mean for core dynamics?

IV. ES 767 only. An additional long-answer question designed for students in the graduate section of the course (10 points).

Discuss the plate tectonic history of the northern Atlantic Ocean, including episodes of rifting, types of crust, timing of events, and underlying tectonic causes.