Download ESPACE Earth System TEST EXAME

ESPACE Earth System TEST EXAME
Solid Earth Part:
1) Gravitational attraction and secular cooling of the planet are the 2 principal sources
of energy for the solid part of the Earth system, describe at least two sources of heat.
2) Describe 3 methods of heat transport. Which methods are relevant for the solid part
of the Earth system?
3) What is heat advection? Make an every day life example. Make an example of
advection in the solid heart system.
4) Equation (1) describe the heat conduction in a solid.
T
2T
A
(1)
 2 
t
t
c p
Write the equation for the steady state case

Write the equation in the case the heat generation is equal to 0 and describe it by
words.
5) How is called equation 1 in case of no heat generation? Which processes can it
describe? Make at least 2 examples of applicability of the equation.
6) Describe the difference between relative and absolute dating and make 2 examples.
7) The following table gives the half-life of some of the isotopes used in geological
darting.
Parent
238
U
232
Th
87
Rb
40
K
235
U
14
C
Daughter
206
Pb
208
Pb
87
Sr
40
Ar
207
Pb
14
N
t1/2
Useful Range
Type of Material
4.47 b.y
14 b.y >10 million years
Igneous & sometimes metamorphic
48 b.y
rocks and minerals
1.28 b.y
>10,000 years
707 m.y
5,730 y 100 - 70,000 years
Organic Material
Why the C14 cannot be used to date very old rocks?
The heat generated within the Earth in the early stages after its formation was
dominated by the decay of potassium (K) isotope while it is currently dominated by
the decay of Uranium (U) isotope. Can you explain why?
Extra question, answer only if you have time!
The Earth system must be studied on temporal and spatial scales that cover different
order of magnitude. Explain the max spatial and temporal scale. Make the example of
2 processes: one that must be studied on a long temporal scale and one that must be
studied on a short temporal scale. Quantify the typical time scale you must usefor
those 2 processes in seconds.