Life in the Universe (4th Edition)
Life in the Universe (4th Edition)
4th Edition
ISBN: 9780134089089
Author: Jeffrey O. Bennett, Seth Shostak
Publisher: PEARSON
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Chapter 4, Problem 1RQ

Briefly describe three aspects of geology that are especially important to our existence.

Expert Solution & Answer
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To determine

Three aspects of geology which are especially important to our existence

Answer to Problem 1RQ

Three important aspects of Earth’s geology are Volcanism, Plate tectonics, Earth’s magnetic Field.

Explanation of Solution

The three important aspects of Earth’s geology are as follows:

  • Volcanism: - Volcanoes are very importance for the existence of earth. The gases released during volcanic activity get trapped in the earth’s interior during the formation of planet and these gases were the original source of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans. Volcanoes also released lot of heat which has created chemical environment of earth and it may have helped in the origin of life in our planet.
  • Plate tectonics: - The shape of the Earth surface is mainly due to the movement and recycling of the rock between surface and interior and this process is termed as plate tectonics. This process is responsible for gradually rearranging the continents. It is also responsible for the long term climate stability due to which life evolved and flourish for some 4 billion years
  • Earth’s magnetic Field: -Interior of Earth has a magnetic field directed towards north which is generated deep inside the surface. Magnetic field also have some biological effects for example, some birds use it for migration purpose. The magnetic field acts as a shield which is holding up the earth’s atmosphere from energetic particles otherwise portion of the planet’s atmosphere must have gone into space.

Conclusion:

Thus, three important aspects of Earth’s geology are Volcanism, Plate tectonics, Earth’s magnetic Field.

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Chapter 4 Solutions

Life in the Universe (4th Edition)

Ch. 4 - Briefly describe Earths core-mantle-crust...Ch. 4 - Briefly describe the conveyorlike action of plate...Ch. 4 - Describe how plate tectonics shapes important...Ch. 4 - What evidence do we have for the operation of...Ch. 4 - What are the three requirements for a planetary...Ch. 4 - Briefly describe the mechanism by which the...Ch. 4 - What has happened to most of the carbon dioxide...Ch. 4 - What are ice ages, and what may cause them? What...Ch. 4 - Briefly summarize the key ways in which geology is...Ch. 4 - How do we think the Moon formed, and what evidence...Ch. 4 - We can expect that if there are paleontologists a...Ch. 4 - Nearly all the rocks I found in the lava fields of...Ch. 4 - Prob. 23TYUCh. 4 - Although Earth contains its densest material in...Ch. 4 - If you had a time machine that dropped you off on...Ch. 4 - If there were no plate tectonics on Earth, our...Ch. 4 - Without the greenhouse effect, there probably...Ch. 4 - If nitrogen were a greenhouse gas, our planet...Ch. 4 - We can learn a lot about Earths early history by...Ch. 4 - Prob. 30TYUCh. 4 - A rocks type (igneous, metamorphic, or...Ch. 4 - To learn a rocks age, we must (a) determine its...Ch. 4 - Radiometric dating now allows us to determine...Ch. 4 - Earths oceans formed (a) during the late stages of...Ch. 4 - We learn about the heavy bombardment by studying...Ch. 4 - Earth has retained a lot of internal heat...Ch. 4 - Plate tectonics is best described as a process...Ch. 4 - Earth has far less atmospheric carbon dioxide than...Ch. 4 - If Earth had more greenhouse gases in its...Ch. 4 - Snowball Earth refers to (a) one of a series of...Ch. 4 - The Age of Earth. Some people still question...Ch. 4 - Dating Planetary Surfaces. We have discussed two...Ch. 4 - Earth Without Differentiation. Suppose Earth had...Ch. 4 - Earth Without Plate Tectonics. Suppose plate...Ch. 4 - Feedback Processes in the Atmosphere. As the Sun...Ch. 4 - Geological Time. Geological time scales are often...Ch. 4 - Dating Lunar Rocks. You are analyzing Moon rocks...Ch. 4 - Carbon-14 Dating. The half-life of carbon-14 is...Ch. 4 - Martian Meteorite. Some unusual meteorites thought...Ch. 4 - Internal vs. External Heating. In daylight, Earths...Ch. 4 - Plate Tectonics. Typical motions of one plate...Ch. 4 - More Plate Tectonics. Consider a seafloor...Ch. 4 - Plate Tectonics and Us. Based on what you learned...
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