Earth Science Homework

Address the following questions.

In your own words, briefly explain what a fault is. Then, giving specific examples, explain the basic difference between dip-slip faults and strike-slip faults.
Recall the nature of volcanoes, and in your own words, briefly discuss how the rate of cooling determines the type of rock that forms from magma. What type of rock characteristics are associated with low and fast cooling magma?
give approximate ages for the Dakota Sandstone and Wasatch Formation. Explain the evidence you used to determine the ages.
In your own words, discuss volcanic hazards. Although commonly thought to be associated with most volcanic eruptions (by the general public), lava is rarely responsible for the loss of life. Which hazards would tend to be more deadly? Finally, indicate and discuss those hazards that are a direct result of a volcanic eruption as well as those hazards that are indirectly linked. (Hint: think of “indirectly associated” hazards as “side effects”.). Your response to this question # 4 should be at least 200 words in length.

Solution Preview

A fault is defined in geography as a crack or fracture on a rock as a result of a movement or displacement of masses of rocks underneath (Gates, 2007). A fault is mostly found along earth’s major boundaries for instance, the space between tectonic plates in the earth’s crust and between the crust and the mantle, where the plates that make up the crust float on the semi-fluid mantle, and this causes movement which in turn causes faults. Faults are of various types and these include dip-slip and reverse dip-slip faults, strike-slip faults, and oblique faults whose name described their angle and displacement.

(608 words)