1) Geology is traditionally divided into two broad areas. Name and describe these two subdivisions.

Geology sets out to pursue the understanding of the Earth. There are two broad areas called physical geology which examines Earths composed materials and the process in which they operate on the surface and below. Historical geology aims to understand Earths origins and its developments chronologically. 3) How did the proponents of catastrophism perceive the age of Earth ? Catastrophists held the idea that Earths landscapes were formed by great catastrophes. It was perceived that canyons and mountains were formed by natures unexplainable disasters, thus changing the face of the earth. 4) Describe the doctrine of uniformitarianism. How did the advocates of this idea view the age of Earth? Uniformitarianism proposed that the physical, chemical and biological laws that are in operation today have also operated in the geologic force. This would mean that these geological forces have been going on for a long time and that through this we can understand by using our present-day process to account for ancient rocks. 5) About how old is the Earth ? The Earth is approximately 4.55 billion years old. 7) How is a scientific hypothesis different from a scientific theory? A hypothesis is a constructive tentative explanation based off the way things happen in the manner observed. A theory is a widely accepted and well-tested view in the scientific community that comes to the agreement of certain observable facts. 12) What are the two sources of energy for the Earth system? The two sources of energy for the Earth system are the sun and the wind both of which that have an impact on Earths interior.

13) Briefly describe the events that led to the formation of the solar system. Starting about five billion years ago, gas and dust nebula began to collapse with duration of ten billion years. The collection of mass from the explosion of the supernova as well as magnetic fields began creating densities for stars. Pressure and density increased as well as the rotation of the nebula. Grains in our galaxy later condensed and collided to form planets. 14) List and briefly describe Earths compositional divisions.

15) Contrast the asthenosphere and the lithosphere. The lithosphere contains the entire crust and uppermost mantle that forms the earths rigid outer shell. It is approximately 100 kilometers in thickness. The asthenosphere is below the lithosphere to the depth of 410 kilometers. It is a soft and more weak layer of the earth. The lithosphere is able to move without co-dependency upon the athenosphere because of the lithospheres stronger layer. 17) Distinguish between shields and stable platforms. Shields are flat and expansive regions that contain deformed crystalline rock. They all contain Precambrian-age rocks that are approximately 1 billion years old. Stable platforms are another type of flat area that contains highly deformed rocks like those found in the shields. They are covered by a thin veneer of sedimentary rocks.