Earth Science 2
2nd Semester Exam Study Guide
Mrs. Schwartz – June 2011
I.
II.
Study your notes. All PowerPoint lectures can be found in PDF form on my webpage.
You need to study your homework packets. You should have in your possession the following:
 Chapter 12: Weathering, Soil, and Erosion
 Chapter 13: Surface Water
 Chapter 14: Groundwater
 Chapter 15: Glaciers
 Chapter 16: Wind, Waves, and Currents
 Chapter 22: The Water Planet (did not have HW for this chapter)
 Chapter 23: The Ocean Floor
 Chapter 24: The Moving Ocean
 Chapter 17: Atmosphere
 Chapter 18: Water in the Atmosphere
 Chapter 19: The Atmosphere in Motion
 Chapter 20: Weather
 Chapter 21: Climate and Climate Change
III.
You need to be familiar with all vocabulary words. Please note that some vocabulary words in your
homework assignments were not found in your textbook.
Chapter 12: p. 276
Chapter 22: p. 506
Chapter 17: p. 386
Chapter 13: p. 296
Chapter 23: p. 528
Chapter 18: p. 410
Chapter 14: p. 314
Chapter 24: p. 546
Chapter 19: p. 432
Chapter 15: p. 336
Chapter 20: p. 462
Chapter 16: p. 356
Chapter 21: p. 480
IV.
Main Concepts
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Compare mechanical and chemical weathering.
Compare the three kinds of mechanical weathering: frost wedging, abrasion, and exfoliation.
Describe how the effects of water, oxygen and carbon dioxide affect chemical weathering.
Describe what caused the 1930s Dust Bowl.
________ and _________ account for most of the erosion of Earth’s surface.
Identify the largest watershed in North America. Describe where it’s water comes from.
Describe the three characteristics of streams.
Describe why the discharge of a river or stream is not constant year round.
Describe how a river or stream transports its load.
Describe what kinds of particles would be carried in each of the three river/stream loads.
Compare a delta to an alluvial fan. Which one is more common?
Describe how the Grand Canyon was formed.
Why are floodplains important?
Be able to identify meanders and oxbow lakes on a diagram.
Give three reasons why floods occur.
Know global water statistics for freshwater and saltwater.
Be familiar with the steps of the water cycle.
Compare porosity and permeability.
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Compare the zone of saturation and the zone of aeration. How does the water table relate to
these two zones?
Describe why the water table fluctuates with seasonal and weather changes.
Where do hot springs get their energy from?
How are geysers and hot springs different?
Compare stalagmites and stalactites.
Describe how a sinkhole forms.
Give several examples of how groundwater is contaminated or polluted.
Compare continental and valley glaciers.
The last Ice Age covered _____ of the Earth’s land surface.
Be able to label the following on a diagram: zone of accumulation, zone of ablation, cirques,
horns, moraine.
Describe plucking, abrasion, polishing and striations as related to glacial movement.
The only true ice sheets on Earth exist where?
Where does most wind erosion take place in the United States?
How do sand dunes form?
Be able to label the following on a diagram: wavelength, crest, trough, breaker.
Wave height depends on what three factors?
Compare sea stack and sea arch.
Be able to label the following on a diagram: sea stack, sea arch, tombolo, barrier island, spit.
Identify several reasons why oceanographers are important to the study of oceans.
What is salinity and what is the average measure for Earth’s oceans?
Name one “sea” that has a high salinity.
Ocean temperature ___________ rapidly with depth.
Besides climate and weather, what else contributes to sea level rising?
Be familiar with the following and label on a diagram: continental shelf, continental slope,
volcanic island arc, the abyss, mid-ocean ridge, the abyssal plain, seamount, guyot, ocean
trench, rift,
Surface currents are caused by ________.
List the importance of surface currents.
What is the Coriolis Effect?
How and where do warm ocean currents flow? How and where do cold ocean currents flow?
What are tides? How do the sun and moon play a part in tides?