Study Tips for the lecture exams 

There will be material from the text on the lecture exams. It isn't necessary to memorize the entire book. The class handouts give a list of vocabulary and topics to learn for each chapter. May hope is that students will do the reading or at least skim the reading before lecture. This gives you a sense of what we will be talking about. Take notes during the lecture; some of the material will not be in the text. After the lecture/before the exams, go back through the book concentrating on words and topics that are on the handouts. Before the exam you should be able to look at the handouts and know what the words mean and what their significance is and you should knowledgeable on all of the topics listed.

Midterm Exam Format and Sample Questions

Earth Sciences 081A - Lecture Midterm

Instructions: For multiple choice questions choose the answer that you think is the most correct and fill in the corresponding circle on the scantron sheet provided.  For short answer questions fill in the blank on the exam page.  This will usually only require a single word or a list of words.

1.  List four ways that geology and earth sciences impact your life in London.

2.  Different elements are distinguished by their:
a.  atomic weights.
b.  number of electrons.
c.  number of protons.
d.  number of neutrons.

3.  The most important rock forming minerals are:
a.  oxides.
b.  sulfides.
c.  silicates.
d.  carbonates.

4. Plate tectonics are thought to be driven by:
a.  tidal forces.
b.  the Earth’s magnetic field.
c.  convection in the mantle.
d.  volcanic eruptions.

5. What is the difference between a mineral and a rock?