Conflict Resolutions, Cultrual Differences Essay Example for Free

Conflict Resolutions, Cultrual Differences Essay The American way of dealing with conflict, according to the article, is arguing. This might not be the best way, and its definitely not the only way. The article serves the purpose of exploring the cultural differences in how others deal with conflict. It provides alternatives and different ideas in how to resolve conflicts, as oppose to arguing. Arguing is a method of dealing with conflict. In the argument culture nearly everything is framed as a battle or game in which winning or losing is the main concern. The pillars of argument rest on this win-lose idea. Argument is expressed through polarized, two sided, debates and battles. The result elicits a winner and a resolved conflict. This method is commonly used in the Western culture in general, and in the United States in particular. It is also used by individuals of Eastern European background, Jewish tradition, and in some Indian cultures. Joanna Repczynski, for example, had an experience in her visit to France. Her host kept initiating a heated intellectual debate over dinner. When Joanna agreed, another argument would be on its way. Another example is Andrea Talarico. When her Italian-American family argues, their voices would raise and objects would be thrown in an intense discussion. Another example is the Japanese woman who is married to a Frenchman. The Frenchman started arguments with his wife. Finally when she argued back, he was overjoyed rather than getting upset. The advantages of arguments are various. In the case of Joanna and her host, the host felt as if arguing would keep things interesting. Agreement was just to boring. Andrea sees advantages to her Italian-American familys style: We always know how each other feels at all times. This is a sign of her familys closeness. The Frenchman was overjoyed that his wife argued back because it was a sign of showing interest and showing respect for each others intelligence. To him disagreement was a sign of a good relationship. There are disadvantages of arguments. It can be upsetting and it can turn violent. The Japanese women found it so upsetting and Andreas family threw objects. For people who arent used to the argument culture,  arguing can come off to be a surprise, confusion, or alarm and be very offensive. The disadvantaged result of an argument or debate is that there is always a loser. Another method of resolving conflict is ritual vituperation. This method works by the means of screaming insults and song lashing. It was created by traditional societies; the rules are culturally agreed upon, which gives this method a ritual context. It is used by Women in Gapun, Papua New Guinea and in traditional Nigerian villages. Women in Gapun Papua New Guinea, when angered by husbands, relatives, or fellow villagers, can erupt in a kros, shouting insults and obscenities loudly enough to be heard all around. The shouter waits near or in her home and waits for her offender to go far enough away. The villagers, then, watch up close as the women shouts. In Nigeria, a very similar method is used, song lashing. It consists of familiar proverbs or original verses that implies insults. Like kros, onlookers also watch. Its different in the way that the target is referred to indirectly. An advantage of this way of managing conflict is that it provides outlets so aggression can be expressed. Its their way of relieving anger. The advantages stem from its ritualized, structured rules. The onlookers role is to prevent any physical violence. The onlookers provide the speaker with the satisfaction of listening. The speaker provides the onlookers with entertainment. Effective song-lashers are admired for their verbal skill. The target is relived of any direct abuse. There are two major disadvantages to this method. The conflict doesnt get resolved and the children in the surrounding area are subjected to this inappropriate verbal aggression. An alternative to the idea of winning or losing is victors without vanquished. This method of dealing with conflict is to honor the winners as well as the losers. There is more emphasis on harmony rather than winner take all. This method is used in the Asian culture and has a historical  significance in Japan. An example of this method is the 1868 Asian revolution. The two sides of the conflict were the supporters of the Western government model and the old, Chinese model. The people who had fought for the old regimen were not punished but invited to join the new government (and most did). The Western supporters won, but the supporters of the traditional, Chinese model maintained their respect and dignity; they were allowed to remain in existence. The main advantage of this method is that the loser gets recognition, retaining a large measure of respect. According to Ben-Ami Shillony, an anthropologist, this method helped Japan avoid disastrous internecine ethnic and religious strife. The advantage of this method is that it resolves conflicts without disastrous escalation. The disadvantage of this method is that social pressure to maintain harmony can actually cause conflict. The actions of people on conflicting sides are altered by the interference of harmony. For example, a person in disagreement with another might want to take action, but the emphasis on harmony might yield that action, which can cause frustration or even anger. Another disadvantage is that in a society that emphasis harmonic competition, competition tends to become more fiercer than in a society where competition is normal. Another way of dealing with conflict is by the use of intermediaries, third parties. This method rests on the idea that community pressure takes the place of direct conflict. This reflects an emphasis on harmony and interdependence. The conflicting sides are dependent on a mediator, or peacemakers to resolve a conflict. This method can be formally ritualized, or informal. This method is used in Asian societies and in many Pacific cultures. An informal example of this method is the use of matchmakers or marriage brokers. Another example is when neighbors pressure a son or a daughter-in-law to stop neglecting a parent or parent-in-law. There are no ritualized rules in these examples, only third parties that take the place  of direct confrontation. The use third parties can be ritualized or formal. For example, the use of standard structures or rules and hierarchical relations to maintain harmony. In the Solomon Islands, faamananataanga is the way that conflicts can be resolved. The event is held over a family dinner, speaking is serious and formal, and the most senior person is the peacemaker, all making this ritualized. In Tannan, a South Pacific island, Conflicts among villagers or between villages are discussed publicly by groups of adult men at special meetings that last all day. The people present are the go-betweens and the most senior people hold hierarchy positions within the group. Rather than resolving the conflict, these meetings are a way of taking part in a joint journey that results in consensus flowing from the interaction of all. They accomplish harmony of the minds and general understanding out of group effort. Another example is the Fijian Indians. They set up committees, third parties, which interview the opponents before a formal meeting called pancayat. The Japanese use a similar method called nemawashi. It rests on the idea that there are two wrongs and now it is right. Neither opponent is blamed as being the only wrong and seriously at fault. An advantage of intermediaries is that they offer the needed apology without the principal losing face and can absorb rejections without taking them personally. In the case of the matchmaker, the groom avoids the risk of rejection from the potential bride. The groom is then saving face, keeping his dignity and pride. Another advantage of using intermediaries is that the third party offers motivation. The third parties also play a role in maintaining peace and help to avoid potential violence. The idea of pancayat and nemawashi seems a much better way of gathering information than forcing people to speak in a high-pressure public event. The committees take the pressure off of the opponents. A disadvantage of using intermediaries is that the third party is placed in potentially unhealthy and inappropriate circumstances. The third parties are subjected to others conflicts, anger and possible violence. The third parties have a chance to get hurt. The cultures that use intermediaries form a dependence on them to handle their disputes. Even some psychologists tend to regard handling your own conflicts is a sign of maturity. The use of third parties can be a sign of interdependence and immaturity. Another idea of resolving conflict is ritualized fighting. The fighting has specific rules and culturally inclinations. This method is the expression of opposition. The opponents do not gage in physical contact, only express it. It is used in Bali, Indonesia and in Tori, Ireland. In Bali, Indonesia ritualized cock fighting is a fundamental way of dealing with conflict. In Tori, Ireland neighborhood street fights are ritualized ways of dealing with conflict. The rules are not in the sense that the players could recount them. They are just normal and taken for granted. The fighters come out in public and threaten each other. Everything about the fight was structured so that the two men could seem eager to exchange blows without ever landing one. No one gets hurt because no physical contact is actually exchanged. Finally, the mothers, or a female relative, of the fighters would break it up. She would implore the fighter to come home and stop fighting. An advantage of this method is that no one gets hurt. The fighters could rely on their kin to restrain them, preventing them from hurting each other. The onlookers, especially the kin take the role of stopping any physical contact. Another advantage is that the fighters provide the audience with entertainment and excitement for both participants and onlookers. The fight also provides outlets for the fighters and a way they can show their manhood and get more respect. These ritualized customs reinforce social bonds and alliances. The interactive part and support of the society helps to bond them closer together. A disadvantage to this method is that if the kin of one, or both, fighters are not present during the fight, physical contact might occur and someone can get hurt. Another disadvantage is that some of the onlookers may be children. The children are then subjected to cursing and threatening. They might look up to the manly fighters and want to mimic them. A major disadvantage of this method is that the conflict does not get resolved. Comparing the argument culture to ritualized methods of dealing with conflict, it seems that arguing overemphasizes winning, loosing and war and sports metaphors. Too much concentration on polarized views and not enough  on harmony that discourages confrontation. The cultural, ritualized rules provide that culture with boundaries, values, and controlled ways to manage conflict. We cannot simply adopt the rituals of another culture, but thinking about them can give us pause and perhaps even ideas for devising our new ways to mange conflict. The article provides insight on many ideas how to manage conflict. These new ideas can influence an individual, perhaps myself, to manage conflict more constructively.

Are all managers Human Resource managers

Are all managers Human Resource managers Executive Summary The report discusses the various aspects in relation to the question posed for the assignment All managers are HR managers, agree or disagree? The report is placed in relation to the questions raised for and against the topic, and my thoughts on the question. The report is structured in the form of my quest to answer the questions raised with regard to the topic. The fundamental theories concerning the topic provide some light for the discussion, followed by examination of the current trends in organisations. The other aspects discussed in the paper relate to the managers implementation of HR practices and its relation on employee performance, and thereby the productivity of the organisation. The effects of poor implementation of the HR practices are highlighted to comprehend all the facets of the discussion. The conclusions are based on the aspects from the points of discussion and its relation to the effectiveness of HR implementation by managers. The references which were vital to the development of the paper are included in order to substantiate research done related to the topic. Introduction Are all managers HR managers Agree or disagree? As I read the question for the assignment, I had mixed answers running in my head. Understanding human resources in the literal sense would refer to employees of the organisation, and there would be a person responsible for any particular section of employees, known as the manager. In this view, managers related directly with the employees, and so they needed to be HR managers. However, the Human Resources Department wherever I worked always seemed to be busy as they dealt with all levels of the organisation, be it employees, managers, stakeholders or government, and their paperwork (or rather e-work) seemed unending. If all managers were HR managers, why would there be a necessity of a HR department? Would it mean that all functions done by the Human Resources personnel were done by the managers themselves? Would that be feasible? Would that not restrict the day-to-day operations carried out by the manager? If all managers were not HR managers, would all issues relating to the employees be raised to the HR department? Since managers, in most cases, have a direct relationship with their employees, would they not have to deal with all concerns related to their human resources i.e. employees? What would organisations that do not have an elaborate HR department do? With relation to agreeing or disagreeing with the question for the assignment, the numerous questions for and against it, left me confused. So it was necessary to understand the fundamentals of the keywords managers and HR, given by various scholars in order to take a stand for the topic. Fundamental Views Management Managers Management, according to Henri Fayol (1949) consists of seven functions such as planning, organising, leading, co-ordinating, controlling, staffing and motivating within an organisation in order to accomplish the established goals of the organisation. Figure 1 Manager Roles (Mintzberg 1975) From among these, the four main managerial functions are described as planning, organising, leading and controlling. (Simmering 2010) Figure 2 Functions of Managers (Overton 2007) A manager is an individual with formal authority to make decisions and carry out the four managerial functions in order to achieve the organisational goals and objectives. Within most organisations, there are three levels of management namely top level, middle level and first/line level managers (Management Study Guide 2009). At each management level, managers require certain skills necessary for successful management. Robert Katz identified three skills namely technical, conceptual and human skills that vary as per the management level. (Katz 1974) Conceptual skills refer to the formulation of ideas. Technical skills involve the technique knowledge and proficiency. Human skills refer to the ability to interact and communicate with people effectively. (Pride, Hughes and Kapoor 2008) Figure 3 Management Skills (Overton 2007) Interestingly from the figure above, although technical and conceptual skills vary greatly, human skills remain rather consistent throughout the various levels. Considering that human resources would relate only to the manager-employee interface, it could be then inferred that all managers are HR managers. However, understanding HR functions would be necessary to make the conclusion to the question. Human Resource Definition Functions Human Resource (HR) refers to consideration of employee as the most valuable assets or resources of the organisation. The inherent abilities, acquired knowledge and skills represented by the aptitudes and talents of the people employed in the organisation could be referred to as the human resources of the organisation. (Aswathappa 2008) The strategic and coherent approach to the management of these assets in order to achieve individual behaviour and performance that would enhance the organisations effectiveness is termed as Human Resource Management (HRM).(Oxford University Press, Ed. Jonathan Law. 2009 ) The functions of HRM are broadly classified into two categories namely managerial and operative functions. Managerial functions include planning, directing, organising and controlling while operative functions are related to recruitment, compensation, employee relations and development. (Hales 2005) The vast scope and functions of HR brought doubts about it being incorporated with the operational activities of managers especially line managers. For the purpose of this paper, general managers and deputy managers have been defined as strategic level managers whilst first-line level managers encompass supervisors and departmental heads. Figure 4 HR Functions Current trends Contrary to the traditional views of management, current trends indicate devolution of the HR into line management. (Gratton, et al. 1999) Restructuring the organisational hierarchy to flatter systems within the organisation has arguably contributed to the convergence of HRM and managerial practices. (Whittaker and Marchington 2003) With the global economic crisis, downsizing has become the trend or the need of times, where even HR departments were dissolved as a whole; this would substantiate Whittakers and Marchingtons (2003) finding that HR took second place in comparison to other business sectors of sales and marketing and finance. The introduction of flatter organisations resulting from heavy job-losses could be traced back to the early 80s of Hewlett-Packard. There was an intensification of managerial responsibilities and predominantly people management claimed most of the efforts of the managers. (McGovern, et al. 1997) In the current scenario, the increasing de-layered organisations (Torrington, Hall and Taylor 2004) would overly emphasize the necessity of all managers to integrate the HR functions of recruitment, training, monitor performance and provide appropriate appraisals. (Marcic and Daft 2008) Line managers and Direct interface Theoretically, managers may not be able to incorporate all the functions of HR but line managers have always been the direct control over the human resources under their responsibility. The flatter organisations have not diminished the human skills required as seen in Figure 3, but on the contrary are a necessity to engage in good people practices, which is as important as implementing personnel policies. (Lowe J 1992) The direct relationship of the line managers with the employees favour the implementation of the HR practices by the managers themselves rather than other personnel. (Sisson and Storey 2000) Research conducted by Bath University for CIPD (2009) found that line managers played a pivotal role in implementing HR practices and policies. People management practices such as induction, training, performance appraisal, employee communication; work-life balance and employee recognition were exercised significantly by the line managers. As discussed in the research, the people management processes can be designed by the HR personnel, but would be implemented most effectively by the managers. (Hutchinson and Purcell 2003) In order to assess the immediate effectiveness of the HRM, scholars such as Dyer and Reeves (1995) and Becker et al. (1997) suggested monitoring of employee performance which would be the factor affected directly. Performance and HR In an ultra-competitive marketplace, it would be necessary to maintain a productive and competitive workforce to achieve organisational success. Successful organisations are reliant on managers competence to attain and maintain high levels of individual job performance. (Hosie 2009) Employee performance is maximized through motivation which would be associated with the manager. According to Dyer and Reeves (1995) rigorous selection mechanisms and ample training opportunities along with incentives such as peer pressure to perform, monetary and non-monetary rewards increase employee motivation. Commitment is another factor that would boost employee performance. Organisational commitment is highly dependant on employee assessment of the level of support from the management. (Sharkie 2009) Managers in IBM are expected to be responsible to the development and satisfaction of employees. Surveys, career planning, performance appraisal and compensation utilized by line managers encourage employee commitment to the organisation. (Marcic and Daft 2008) Effective implementation of HR practices in organisations such as in IBM, would lead to greater employee motivation. As discussed by Gillespie and Mann (2004), that the trust subordinates place in the leader is directly proportional to motivation that would lead to better employee performance. Consequences of ineffective application of HR In the decentralisation of HR processes, line managers are often tasked with responsibilities of setting the agenda, dealing with workplace issues and providing direction to employees. As discussed by McGuire, et al. (2006), a conflict between the organisational and individual values of the manager, could lead to a trust deficit between the employees and the manager. (Renwick 2003) Decreased workplace happiness would lead to diminished employee performance, which would cost the organisation heavily in both productivity as well as having to pay higher compensation and insurance claims for the health conditions of employees. (Lyubomirsky, King and Diener 2005) (Hosie 2009) The negative effects of poorly applied HRM practices accentuate the requirement for greater knowledge in HR practices for all managers. It would be possible to design programmes for managers that would enhance the understanding of HR, such as Esprit employed within Hilton (UK) Hotels. However, the two main barriers line managers faced while incorporating their HR role were heavy workloads and short-term job pressures. (Watson, Maxwell and Farquharson 2007) These add to the findings of Renwick (2003) relating to the constraints for managers in effective management of HR such as lack of time, lack of ability or knowledge in HR practices, and distractions from general managerial operations. Other than improper implementation of HRM practices and its complications within the organisation, Earnshaw et al. (2000) found that without HR expertise even large organisations could face legal challenges. This would emphasize the necessity of efficient HR systems and constant guidance by HR specialists. Considering the various factors, as suggested by Jackson and Schuler (2000) a partnership approach through a triad approach of HR specialists, managers and employees would allow effective integration of HR activities into the work of line managers. However, if line managers and HR are to work in partnership to improve organisational performance, a minimum number of experienced HR specialists would be required. (Ulrich 1998) Conclusion The discussions throughout the paper have led to a few conclusions. The functions of HR and managers are not entirely different from each other, but noted by Aswathappa (2008), HR is a managerial function with assists managers with hiring, motivating and maintaining employees within the organisation. Line managers implement most of these HR roles as they are in direct contact with the human resources of the organisation. Effective HR implementation would lead to greater employee motivation and thereby productivity. However, lack of understanding and poor execution of HR practices could cost organisations heavily ranging from employee productivity to legal action. According to Dave Ulrich (1996), HRM encompasses the roles of being an employee champion, administrative agent, a strategic business partner and assisting in change management. HR departments in most organisations are concerned with the former two roles, and in which case, one could conclude that all managers are HR managers. However considering the complete scope and roles of HR, it would not be apt to agree that all managers are HR managers. It could be then, concluded that all managers exercise HR functions irrespective of their department and level considering the high level of human relations. It would be extremely important that they have adequate knowledge in handling HR in order to become effective managers and achieve maximum productivity, which is essential for all organisations across varying industries. HR professionals would have to assist and guide line managers consistently in achieving the strategic goals of the organisation. Effective coaching to line managers on HR practices and policies would allow HR professionals to take on the vital roles of being a strategic business partner and play an effective role in change management. (Gaskell 2007)

All Quiet on the Western Front and the Horrors of War :: All Quiet on the Western Front Essays

The Horrors of War    Throughout their lives, people must deal with the horrific and violent side of humanity. The side of humanity is shown through the act of war.   This is shown in Erich Remarque’s novel, â€Å"All Quiet on the Western Front†.   War is by far the most horrible thing that the human race has to go through.   The participants in the war suffer irreversible damage by the atrocities they witness and the things they go through.    One of the worst things about war is the severity of carnage that it bestows upon mankind.   Men are killed by the millions in the worst ways imaginable.   Bodies are blown apart, limbs are cracked and torn and flesh is melted away from the bone.   Dying eyes watch as internal organs are spilled of empty cavities, naked torso are hung in trees and men are forced to run on stumps when their feet are blown off.   Along with the horrific deaths that accompany war, the injuries often outnumber dead men. As Paul Baumer witnessed in the hospital, the injuries were terrifying and often led to death.   His turmoil is expressed in the lines, â€Å"Day after day goes by with pain and fear, groans and death gurgles. Even the death room I no use anymore; it is too small.†Ã‚   The men who make it through the war take with them mental and physical scarification from their experiences.    People who have actually been through war know how horrible it is.   Society on the other hand, while it believes it knows the horrors of war, can never understand or sympathize with a soldier’s situation.   The only people who can understand war is those who have been through it so they can often feel alone if they are out of the military.   Paul cannot even give a straight answer to his own father about his dad’s inquiries about war.   Paul’s dad does not understand that people who have been in the war can in no way truly express the horrible things that that have seen and experienced.   Nor can Paul fit in with the society who does not understand him.   Paul and so many others were brought into the war so young that they know of nothing else other than war.   Paul held these views on society as he said, â€Å"We will be superfluous even to ourselves, we will grow older, a few will adapt themselves, some others will merely submit, and most will b e bewildered;-the years will pass by and in the end we shall fall in to ruin.

Theme of Courage in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee Essay

Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, courage is seen as a major theme. Not only in Atticus' fight for the freedom of Tom Robinson, but also in Mrs. Dubose's fight to die free of her morphine addiction. Atticus proves that courage is a moral act by taking on Tom Robinson?s case. Atticus is intelligent enough to know the battle is already lost, but still he remains the man he says he is, and fights anyway. He fights to the best of his ability, and fights to the end. This is the same case with Mrs. Dubose and her fight to die free of her drug problem. She is certain that she will die, but she is determined to die free of morphine ? even if it means living her last days in pain. "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" (pg 108) When Mrs. Dubose spoke badly abou...

A Look at Intellectual Property Piracy In Taiwan :: Intellectual Property Piracy Taiwan Essays

A Look at Intellectual Property Piracy In Taiwan Intro: Current Piracy Situation In Asia, Intellectual property piracy is rampant. Much attention has been directed at this issue and progress has been made in almost all Asian countries. Among them, Taiwan has been singled out as one of the worst offenders in the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) violation.[1] The following statistics shows that the piracy rate in Taiwan is not very high compared to Korea and China. (More recent data is unavailable when I checked BSA.) Table 1. Piracy rates --------------------------------------------------------- Country 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Korea 75% 76% 70% 67% 64% U.S. 31% 26% 27% 27% 25% Japan 66% 55% 41% 32% 31% Taiwan 72% 70% 66% 63% 50% China 97% 96% 96% 96% 95% Total World 49% 46% 43% 40% 38% --------------------------------------------------------- Source: Business Software Alliance (BSA) --------------------------------------------------------- Why is Piracy so Rampant Why, then, is Taiwan considered a major offender for the last three years and counting? First, Taiwan has a monopoly on CD manufacturing and is renowned for its hardware manufacturing. Spend some time researching about blank CDs and you will find that most of them are manufactured in Taiwan.

Human Kind and Extraterrestrial Life Essay

For centuries ever since man has first looked up at the night sky and wondered what other things existed beyond Earth he has continued to explore the heavens in search for answers. Over a few hundred years the quest for truth has yield substantial amounts of data. It is true that ancient astronomers did nothing more than just attribute mythical and religious meaning to different celestial phenomena. Stars have been given their respective names—a group of them are even linked to gods and mythical figures as constellations, and were used as a timetable for various human activities like navigation and agriculture. However, the improvements in modern astronomy have changed the rules of the game from mere nomenclature to a more profound exploration of space and the myriad possibilities that it brings. The quest for knowing other life outside the planet has never been more exciting and providential as it had been before. Slowly we are beginning to realize that the chances that there are advanced life-forms out there waiting to be discovered are significantly high to support the claim that we are not alone. To say that the entire universe is a big place is to make the biggest scientific understatement. Science has revealed that the universe is so big that there are no mathematical figures to approximate its size. In order to define the known borders of space there is a need to express terms in a special unit called a Light: Or the distance that light travels in one year. Recently, the Hubble Space telescope has pegged the perimeter and edges of the universe to a width of millions and millions of light years (O’Brien, â€Å"Long Live Hubble†). Such distance alone beggars description. Within that given space, there are billions of individual galaxies each with roughly 400 million stars in the system on average. There could be less but there could also be a dozen times more. At any rate, there are an estimated millions of stars with planetary systems like our own. Roughly a fraction of a percent of that number may have planets that host organic elements of life both simple and complex. Some of the complex life-forms may evolve into intelligent life capable of developing competent scientific knowledge and even perhaps communicate with their neighbors using advanced radio technology just like we had been doing at the turn of the last century. Planet Earth appears to be the only planet in the Solar System viable for life. Most planets have noxious environments and harsh atmospheres. Our closest planetary neighbors, Mars and Venus, are either too cold or too hot (Sagan, â€Å"Heaven and Hell†, 76-79). The primordial soup which made life on Earth possible will freeze or dry up anywhere else in the Solar System. Indeed, religion waxes poetic that our world is an astounding and thought-provoking miracle of life. However, evolutionary scientists would say that we are just fortunate that the environment, at one point of our planet’s history, has been conducive to the formation of life and the same has not been interrupted by any outside cause (Dawkins 19). Some planets in other stars may theoretically be as lucky to be able to give rise to life, and theoretically intelligent beings too (21). But just like Mars, Venus and other planets in the Solar System, the chances of life are rare. Even with Earth alone, the statistics reflect how fragile the occurrence of life began millions of years ago. Unless there are kinds of biological species that can withstand even extreme environments and thus would continue to develop despite harsh conditions, then Earth life might just all there is in the universe. Thanks to recent discoveries, however, scientists are inclined to believe that a certain kind of bacterium can live in the highest or lowest temperatures, impervious to both heat and cold, makes it possible that life may still develop or artificially introduced in Mars and Venus or elsewhere regardless of hostile environments (Sagan 9). If that is the case, the chances of life may be higher than previously expected. While scientists are busy in attempting to find life out there, the rest of the world is perpetually fascinated with the idea of the existence of extraterrestrial life. Science fiction and Hollywood movies are in the forefront of providing us with hypothetical images and scenarios of aliens visiting our planet. Alien invasion is one of the most titillating themes that fire up our imagination. H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds and Steven Spielberg’s Independence Day bespeak both our universal desire to feel that we are not alone and the irrational fear that beings more intelligent than us would destroy the planet. The realm of the unknown viz. extraterrestrial life has never been simultaneously awe-inspiring and scary. In addition, fiction writers and film-makers present extraterrestrial beings as creatures that appear, behave and live entirely different from humans. Similarly, if we are to accept the premise that conditions for life in other planets were vastly peculiar, then it is fair to expect that the aliens would probably have tentacles, communicate through ESP, possess superhuman powers, spit venomous saliva, eat through metal or have human like bodies but with pasty white skin and large, black oval eyes. Although they seem to be portrayed differently, the literature on aliens share the common feature that they are antagonistic creatures out to invade and kill all humans Scientists theorize that if other life-forms were capable of making interstellar travel they must have evolved as a species and as a civilization to eschew violence. Otherwise, if such aliens were warmongers as movies and science fiction stories would suggest, then they would have obliterated themselves way before they have developed complex means of space travel. In fact, alien tourists, if there have been some, would have more reasons to fear us than we would have to fear them. Carl Sagan writes that it is more likely â€Å"that the mere fact that they have survived for so long is because they have learned to live with themselves and others† (258). Similarly, he adds that perhaps our fears reflect our own backward thinking as a civilization, â€Å"an expression of our guilty conscience about our past history: The ravages against civilizations only slightly backward than we† (259). In other words, the conquests done by Western civilization against their contemporaries time and again are so imbedded in our history that we expect advanced life-forms to have the same colonizing tendencies. The fascination for extraterrestrial life grows with such gusto that several years after alien hype has reached feverish pitch, numerous sights Unidentified Flying Objects all over the world have been reported. Likewise, people claim to have been abducted and subjected to strange experiments by our curious alien visitors. The encounters are few and far between but each of them fuels our imagination. Thus far, none of the sightings have been confirmed to be true although we desperately believe that one or two are real (Cook, â€Å"UFO’s: the Secret Evidence†). As several critics of alleged alien encounters rightly observes, the relation between alien encounters and weird and wacky people who report them only proves the fact that these reports are a hoax. Meanwhile, humanity has yet to mature as a civilization before we even begin to welcome other intelligent species. Accordingly, science fiction writers posit the theory of the Fermi paradox stating the reason why aliens have not paid us a visit is because they, â€Å"the advanced alien community has cordoned off the earth in a galactic nursery, until the time that we have reached an adequate stage, ready for contact† (Tee, â€Å"Extraterrestrial Life†). Yet scientists and writers remain optimistic about the existence of intelligent life-form. The famous Drake equation translates the possibility of extraterrestrial life into a mathematical formula where N is the number of advanced civilizations in our Milky Way galaxy. It is the product of values assigned with respect to the number of stars in the galaxy, the fraction of which that have planetary systems, a percent of which are suitable for substantial biological formation, the probability that life arises, the variable pertaining to its evolution, intelligence and further multiplied to the reasonable time that intelligent life is able to survive taking into account the possibility of self-eradication due to wars, environmental changes and the like (Ford, â€Å"What is the Drake Equation? †). The value of N could be any number more than one what with the number of stars and galaxies in the universe. Even if the estimate hovers on an insignificant value of 1 or 3, the prospect, that one or more planetary systems have intelligent life and such have survived and evolved into complex societies, is truly astonishing. The statistical computation of the probability that Extraterrestrial beings exist leaves little to the imagination. Scientists are convinced that life exists in other planets that they have established extravagant methods of getting in touch with them. One of the most ambitious projects of making contact to outer beings to date is the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) program. The name of the project sums up what it sets out to do—to search the heavens for signs of intelligent life. It sends radio signals and broadcasts them to specified points in space, such as candidate stars and planets. 50 years of sending the messages, a reply has yet to be received. Of course, this does not disprove the claim of alien life, what with the distance that the radio signals have to travel to and fro the recipient, but rather, this only inspires other scientists to develop quicker and more effective means of communication (Shostak, â€Å"Finding Them, Finding Us†). In addition, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been continuously sending golden discs into outer-space, ever since it sent the first men into the moon, containing details about human civilization and how far it has progressed (Sagan 264-265). To this day, the discs hurl into the infinite void with the hope of one day crash-landing into a planet with beings capable of deciphering the code. We have long been fixated on our earthly problems and conflicts, and took pride with all our achievements, but the moment that contact is made, the event would change how we look at ourselves and how we appreciate our place in the universal magnitude of things. If before we could not care much about how badly we treat our close neighbors in the planet, we might fare better as an intelligent species by the mere thought that we are not alone. As such, we have to find ways to learn how to live peacefully and progress scientifically if only to survive long enough to meet our interstellar neighbors. Nevertheless, the question whether or not there is extraterrestrial life remains to be answered conclusively, whether we are alone or not: Either conclusion is mind-boggling. Works Cited Cook, Nick. UFO’s: The Secret Evidence. 18 Mar. 2006. BBC Online Documentaries. 1 May 2008 . Dawkins, Richard. The Selfish Gene. London: Oxford University Press, 1990. Ford, Steve. â€Å"What is the Drake Equation? † Aug. 1995. The SETI League. 1 May 2008 < http://www. setileague. org/general/drake. htm>. O’Brien, Miles. â€Å"Long Live Hubble†. 31 Oct. 2006. CNN International. 1 May 2008 < http://edition. cnn. com/2006/TECH/space/10/31/hubble. obrien/index. html>. Sagan, Carl. Cosmos. New York: Ballantine Books, 1980. Shostak, Seth. â€Å"Finding Them, Finding Us†. 28 Feb. 2008. SETI Institute. 1 May 2008 . Tee, Brian. â€Å"Extraterrestrial Life†. The Ten Big Questions. 1 May 2008 < http://www. 123infinity. com/extraterrestrial_life. html>.

Geology Study Guide Essay

Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) What are the basic differences between the disciplines of physical and historical geology?|1)| A)physical geology is the study of fossils and sequences of rock strata; historical geology is the study of how rocks and minerals were used in the past B)physical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and deposition in relation to plate movements in the geologic past; historical geology charts how and where the plates were moving in the past C)historical geology involves the study of rock strata, fossils, and geologic events, utilizing the geologic time scale as a reference; physical geology includes the study of how rocks form and of how erosion shapes the land surface D)none of the above – physical geology and historical geology are essentially the same 2)|________ was the highly influential, ancient Greek philosopher noted for his writings and teachings|2)| |on natural philosophy and on the workings of Earth.|||| |A) Pappagapolis|B) Aristotle|C) Nero|D) Odysseus|| 3)|Compared to the age of Earth accepted as correct today, how did 17th and 18th century proponents|3)| |of catastrophism envision the Earth’s age?|||| A) They believed it to be about the same as current estimates, give or take a few million years. B)They believed Earth to be much younger than current estimates C)They believed Earth to be much older than current estimates D)None of the above — they didn’t really address the age of Earth 4) Which one of the following observations and inferences is consistent with the idea of|4)| uniformitarianism?|| A) lava flows on the seafloor precipitated from seawater B)sand rolling along a stream bottom shows that sediment is moving downstream C)erupting volcanoes overlie burning, subterranean, coal beds D)all of the above 5)|________ was an important 18th century English geologist and proponent of uniformitarianism.|5)| |A) Isaac Newton|B) James Hutton|C) Charles Lyell|D) James Ussher|| 6)|The currently accepted age of Earth is ________ years.|||6)| |A) 4.6 billion|B) 6.4 million|C) 6.4 trillion|D) 4.6 thousand|| 7)|Which of the following best describes the fundamental concept of superposition?|7)| A) older fossils in younger strata indicate a locally inverted geologic time scale B)any sedimentary deposit accumulates on older rock or sediment layers C)strata with fossils are generally deposited on strata with no fossils D)older strata generally are deposited on younger strata without intervening, intermediate age strata 8)|The ________ division of the geologic time scale is an era of the Phanerozoic eon.|8)| |A) Paleozoic|B) Permian|C) Proterozoic|D) Paleocene|| 9)|The ________ forms the relatively cool, brittle plates of plate tectonics.||9)| |A) asthenosphere|B) eosphere|C) astrosphere|D) lithosphere|| 1 10)|A ________ is a well-tested and widely accepted view that best explains certain scientific|10)| |observations.||||| |A) generalization|B) law|C) hypothesis|D) theory|| 11)|All of the following are possible steps of scientific investigation except for ________.|11)| A) the development of one or more working hypotheses or models to explain facts B)development of observations and experiments to test the hypotheses C)assumption of conclusions without prior experimentation or observation D)the collection of scientific facts through observation and measurement 12)|________ rocks form by crystallization and consolidation of molten magma.||12)| |A) Indigenous|B) Primary|C) Igneous|D) Sedimentary|| 13)|________ rocks always originate at the surface of the solid Earth.||13)| |A) Secondary|B) Sedimentary|C) Metamorphic|D) Igneous|| 14)|During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, direct observations showed that a glacier|14)| |in Switzerland flowed forward in the downhill direction while its snout (terminus) was retreating|| |higher up the valley? Which of the following explains these observations in a rational, scientific|| |way?||||| A) cooler temperatures meant slower forward glacier flow resulting in snout retreat B)the glacial hypothesis was finally accepted as a scientific theory C)the melting rate of ice in the glacier exceeded the rate at which new snow and ice were added to the glacier D)rocky debris in the valley downhill from the snout was deposited by Noah’s flood 15)|In correct order from the center outward, Earth includes which units?||15)| |A) core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere|B) inner core, outer core, mantle, crust|| |C) inner core, crust, mantle, hydrosphere|D) core, inner mantle, outer mantle, crust|| 16)|The ________ refers to the sum total of all life on Earth.||16)| |A) biosphere|B) atmosphere|C) hydrosphere|D) asthenosphere|| 17)|A ________ system is one in which energy moves freely in and out, but no matter enters or leaves|17)| |the system.||||| |A) equilibrated|B) feedback|C) closed|D) open|| 18)|________ is often paraphrased as â€Å"the present is the key to the past.†||18)| |A) Aristotelian logic||B) Biblical prophecy||| |C) Catastrophism||D) Uniformitarianism||| 19)|________, a popular natural philosophy of the 17th and early 18th centuries, was based on a firm|19)| |belief in a very short geologic history for Earth.|||| |A) Exoschism||B) Uniformitarianism||| |C) Ecospherism||D) Catastrophism||| 20)|The ________ proposes that the bodies of our solar system formed at essentially the same time from|20)| |a rotating cloud of gases and dust.|||| |A) Big Band theory||B) Heliocentric theory||| |C) Nebular hypothesis||D) Plate Tectonics theory||| 2 21)|The ________ is not a part of the Earth’s physical environment.||21)| |A) solid Earth|B) atmosphere|C) hydrosphere|D) astrosphere|| 22)|________ is the process by which rocks breakdown in place to produce soils and sediments.|22)| |A) Lithification|B) Metamorphism|C) Weathering|D) Subduction|| 23)|Which one of the following statements is not correct?|||23)| A) magmas crystallize to form igneous rocks B)sedimentary rocks may weather to igneous rocks C)igneous rocks can undergo metamorphism D)metamorphic rocks may melt to magma 24)|The composition of the core of Earth is thought to be ________.||24)| |A) peridotite||B) granite||| |C) basalt||D) solid iron-nickel alloy||| 25)|The asthenosphere is actually a part of the ________ of the Earth.||25)| |A) mantle|B) outer core|C) inner core|D) crust|| 26)|The ________ is thought to be a liquid, metallic region in the Earth’s interior.||26)| |A) inner core|B) lithosphere|C) outer core|D) mantle|| 27)|The ________ is the thinnest layer of the Earth.|||27)| |A) mantle|B) outer core|C) inner core|D) crust|| 28)|All of the following provide evidence or clues to the composition of Earth’s interior except for|28)| |________.||||| A) slivers of crustal and mantle rocks now exposed at Earth’s surface B)diamond-bearing rocks C)comets D)meteorites 29)|The relatively stable interior portion of a continent is known as a ________.|29)| |A) shield|B) craton|C) belt|D) platform| 30)|Active mountain belts are most likely to be found ________.|30)| A) along only the eastern margins of continents B)scattered throughout continents C)along the margins of continents D)in the interior regions of continents 31) The continental shelf is located ________.|31)| A) between the continental rise and the abyssal plains B)landward of the continental slope C)between the continental slope and continental rise D)seaward of the continental slope 32) The most prominent feature on the ocean floor are the ________.|32)| A) deep-ocean trenches|B) seamounts|| C) oceanic ridges|D) lava plateaus|| 3 33) In sedimentary rocks, lithification includes ________.33) A) crystallization and coolingB) cementation and weathering C) compaction and cementationD) compaction and transportation SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question. Word Analysis. Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern. 34) a. hypothesis|b. theory|c. fact|d. observation|34)| 35) a. hydrosphere|b. biosphere|c. atmosphere|d. solid Earth|35)| 36) a. protosun|b. Oort cloud|c. protoplanets|d. meteorites|36)| 37) a. crust|b. mantle|c. lithosphere|d. core|37)| 38) a. mountain belt|b. shield|c. craton|d. stable platform|38)| 39) a. abyssal plain|b. seamount|c. oceanic ridge|d. continental slope|39)| 40) a. pressure|b. foliation|c. hydrothermal fluids|d. melting|40)| TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if the statement is false. 41)|Aristotle and other prominent Greek philosophers were the first ones to promote the doctrine of|41)| |uniformitarianism. F|| 42)|Internally, the Earth consists of spherical shells with different compositions and densities. T|42)| 43)|The asthenosphere is a relatively cool and rigid shell that overlies the lithosphere. F|43)| 44)|The doctrine of uniformitarianism implies that the current forces and processes shaping the Earth|44)| |have been operating for a very long time. T|| 45)|The law of superposition applies primarily to sedimentary rocks and lava flows. T|45)| 46)|The currently accepted age of Earth is approximately 4.5 million years. F|46)| 47)|A scientific theory is a tentative or untested explanation that is proposed to explain scientific|47)| |observations. F|| 48)|Oceans cover slightly less than half of the Earth’s surface. F|48)| 49)|In an open system both energy and matter flow into and out of the system. T|49)| 50)|According to the nebular hypothesis, all of the bodies in the universe evolved from a rotating cloud|50)| |of gases and dust about 5 billion years ago. F|| 4 51)The lithosphere, asthenosphere, and mesosphere are all layers of Earth defined by their composition. T 52)Much of our modeling of Earth’s interior comes from the study of seismic or earthquake waves. T 53)Continental shields and stable platforms are part of the interior region known as a craton. T 54)According to the rock cycle, any type of rock (igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic) may be transformed into another type of rock, given enough time. T 55)Igneous rocks are produced largely by the deposition and consolidation of surface materials like sand and mud. F SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question. 56)|List the two, broad, traditional subject areas of geologic study. Physical, Historical|56)| 57)|The statement â€Å"the present is the key to the past,† describes what basic geologic concept or|57)| |doctrine? Uniformitarianism|| 58)|The ________ states that fossil organisms succeed one another in a definite and|58)| |determinable order. Principle of fossil succession|| 59)|In natural systems, mechanisms that drive or enhance change are called†¦Positive feedback|59)| 60)|The thin, outer layer of Earth, from 7 to 40 km in thickness, is called the Crust|60)| 61)|The ________ is the relatively rigid zone above the asthenosphere that includes the crust|61)| |and upper mantle. Lithosphere|| 62)|The ________ is the solid, rocky shell between the crust and outer core. Mantle|62)| 63)|The convective flow of liquid, metallic iron in the ________ is thought to generate Earth’s|63)| |magnetic field. Outer core|| 64)|Moving from the shoreline towards the deep-ocean basin, the continental margin may|64)| |include the continental shelf________, _slope_______, and the ___rise_____.|| 65)|What type of rock comprises most of the exposed surface of Earth (roughly 75%)?Sedimentary| 65)|    MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 66) Which of the following best defines a mineral and a rock?|66)| A)a mineral consists of its constituent atoms arranged in a geometrically repetitive structure; in a rock, the atoms are randomly bonded without any geometric pattern B)a rock consists of atoms bonded in a regular, geometrically predictable arrangement; a mineral is a consolidated aggregate of different rock particles C)in a mineral the constituent atoms are bonded in a regular, repetitive, internal structure; a rock is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of different mineral grains D)a rock has an orderly, repetitive, geometrical, internal arrangement of minerals; a mineral is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of rocks 67)|Which of the following is not a fundamental particle found in atoms?||67)| |A) neutron|B) protons|C) electron|D) selectron|| 68)|Atoms of the same element, zinc for example, have the same number of ________.|68)| |A) electrons in the valence bond level|B) electrons in the nucleus|| |C) protons in the nucleus||D) neutrons in the outer nuclear shell|| 69)|Which of the following is an accurate description of ionic bonding?||69)| A)nuclei of bonding atoms exchange electrons; the resulting ions are bonded together by the attractive forces between the negative and positive nucleons B)atoms of different elements, having gained or lost electrons, form negative and positive ions that are bonded together by attractive forces between ions with opposite charges C)atoms of two different elements share electrons and protons; the resulting compound is bonded together by the strong, binding energy of shared protons D)nuclei of two different atoms share electrons, and the resulting compound is tightly bonded by the very strong, induced, electronuclear bonds 70) Which of the following is correct for isotopes of the same element?|70)| A) the atoms have different numbers of neutrons and the same number of protons B)the atoms have different numbers of electrons but the same number of neutrons C)the atoms have the same number of electrons and different numbers of protons D)the atoms have different numbers of protons and the same number of neutrons 71)|What mineral is the hardest known substance in nature?||71)| |A) muscovite|B) silicate|C) diamond|D) native gold|| 72)|Which carbonate mineral reacts readily with cool, dilute hydrochloric acid to produce visible|72)| |bubbles of carbon dioxide gas?|||| |A) calcite|B) dolomite|C) quartz|D) plagioclase|| 73)|Which mineral is composed of silicon dioxide (Si02)?|||73)| |A) diamond|B) quartz|C) olivine|D) calcite|| 74)|Which of the following minerals is a silicate?|||74)| |A) calcite|B) halite|C) hematite|D) muscovite|| 6 75)|A cubic centimeter of quartz, olivine, and gold weigh 2.5, 3.0, and 19.8 grams respectively. This|75)| |indicates that ________.||||| |A) gold is 6 to 7 times harder than olivine and quartz||| |B) gold has a higher density and specific gravity than quartz and olivine||| |C) olivine and quartz powders are harder than metallic gold||| |D) gold and olivine are silicates, quartz is elemental silicon||| 76)|Which one of the following is a sodium and calcium feldspar with twinning striations?|76)| |A) microcline|B) orthoclase|C) plagioclase|D) sanidine|| 77)|Which of the following minerals is a ferromagnesian silicate?||77)| |A) muscovite|B) quartz|C) hornblende|D) orthoclase|| 78)|Which of the following minerals is in the mineral group known as mica?||78)| |A) augite|B) muscovite|C) olivine|D) orthoclase|| 79)|Which of the following best characterizes ferromagnesian silicates?||79)| A) they contain magnetite and ferroite and they are clear to light green B)they are mostly clear, colorless, and rich in the elements magnesium and ferrium C)they are black to dark-green, silicate minerals containing iron and magnesium D)they contain iron and magnetite, are black in color, and they have metallic lusters 80)|Which one of the following mineral groups exhibits a sheet-like silicate structure?|80)| |A) clays|B) feldspars|C) carbonates|D) pyroxenes|| 81)|Which one of the following is a typical product of weathering?||81)| |A) clays||B) feldspars||| |C) micasmicas||D) ferromagnesians||| 82)|The ion at the center of a silicate tetrahedron is surrounded by ________.||82)| |A) 4 oxygen ions|B) 4 sodium ions|C) 6 oxygen ions|D) 6 sodium ions|| 83)|Which one of the following describes a mineral’s response to mechanical impact?|83)| |A) crystal form|B) luster|C) streak|D) cleavage|| 84)|Chrysotile, crocidolite, and amosite are different mineralogical forms of what industrial|84)| |commodity?||||| |A) Portland cement||B) gemstones||| |C) asbestos||D) metallic sulfide ores||| 85)|Which of the following diseases has been linked directly to prolonged inhalation of asbestos dust?|85)| |A) diabetes||B) lung cancer||| |C) glaucoma||D) muscular dystrophy||| 86)|Which of the following is the unit of weight used for measuring diamonds (about 0.2 grams)?|86)| |A) carat|B) Troy ounce|C) kilo|D) point|| 87)|Which of the following denotes the purity of gold used in jewelry?||87)| |A) carette|B) carlot|C) carnot|D) karat|| 7 88)|Ruby and sapphire are red and blue forms of the mineral ________.||88)| |A) diamond|B) corundum|C) emerald|D) turquoise|| 89)|All silicate minerals contain which two elements?|||89)| |A) iron, silicon|B) silicon, oxygen|C) oxygen, carbon|D) silicon, sodium|| 90)|Which mineral is easily soluble in water at room temperature conditions?||90)| |A) halite|B) diamond|C) talc|D) olivine|| 91)|What element is the most abundant in the Earth’s crust by weight?||91)| |A) chlorine|B) carbon|C) oxygen|D) sodium|| 92)|The strong tendency of certain minerals to break along smooth, parallel planes is known as|92)| |________.||||| |A) cracking luster|B) cleavage|C) crystal form|D) streak|| 93)|What in the name given to an atom that gains or loses electrons in a chemical reaction?|93)| |A) isotope|B) ion|C) molecule|D) nucleon|| 94)|An atom’s mass number is 13 and its atomic number is 6. How many neutrons are in its nucleus?|94)| |A) 13|B) 7|C) 6|D) 19|| 95)|Which one of the following is not true for minerals?|||95)| A) they have a specific, predictable chemical composition B)they have a specific, internal, crystalline structure C)they can be a liquid, solid, or glass D)they can be identified by characteristic physical properties 96)|In which type of chemical bonding are electrons shared between adjacent atoms?|96)| |A) isotopic|B) subatomic|C) covalent|D) ionic|| 97)|How do the electrons behave in a mineral with metallic bonding?||97)| A) they are tightly bound to certain atoms and cannot readily move B)they move to adjacent negative ions, forming positive ions C)they react with protons to make neutrons in the outer valence shells D)they can move relatively easily from atom to atom inside the mineral 98)|Which group of minerals are the most abundant in the Earth’s crust?|98)| |A) chlorides|B) silicates|C) carbonates|D) sulfides| 99)|Which the following denotes the massive, positively charged, nuclear particles?|99)| |A) neutrons|B) protons|C) isotrons|D) electrons| 100)|What are the lightest or least massive of the basic atomic particles?|100)| |A) electrons|B) uranium nuclei|C) protons|D) neutrons| 101)|Which of the following has the highest specific gravity?|101)| |A) gold|B) quartz|C) wood|D) water| 8 102)|Which of the following will react readily with acids such as hydrochloric?||102)| |A) calcite|B) diamond|C) talc|D) quartz|| 103)|Which of the following describes the light reflecting and transmission characteristics of a mineral?|103)| |A) fluorescence||B) virtual absorption||| |C) color streak||D) luster||| 104)|What is the name of dark-colored mica?|||104)| |A) biotite|B) quartz|C) calcite|D) olivine|| 105)|Hornblende and the other amphiboles have what type of silicate structure?||105)| |A) sheet||B) double chains||| |C) 3-D framework||D) metallic||| SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question. Word Analysis. Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern. 106) a. electron|b. atom|c. proton|d. neutron|106)| 107) a. hardness|b. streak|c. luster|d. cleavage|107)| 108) a. quartz|b. olivine|c. feldspar|d. calcite|108)| 109) a. olivine|b. quartz|c. amphibole|d. pyroxene|109)| 110) a. galena|b. calcite|c. gypsum|d. halite|110)| TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if the statement is false. 111)Calcite and dolomite are both carbonate minerals. T 112)Graphite and diamond have the same chemical compositions and different crystalline structures. T 113)Rocks are aggregates of one or more minerals. T 114)Mineral luster is broadly classified as either being metallic or opaque. F 115)Electrically neutral atoms have equal numbers of electrons and protons. T 116)Rock-forming silicate minerals have higher specific gravities than water. T 117)In a silicon-oxygen structural unit, silicon atoms occupy corners of a tetrahedron. F 118)Calcite and halite react with dilute acids to evolve carbon dioxide. F 119)All atoms of the same element have the same atomic number. F 120)Orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars have quite different forms of cleavage. F 121)Diamond and quartz are both minerals composed of a single element. F 122)The micas, biotite and muscovite, both exhibit one direction of cleavage. T 123)Nonmetallic minerals like quartz and gypsum have no industrial uses. F 124)Ferromagnesian silicate minerals contain some magnesium and/or iron. T 125)Positive ions are atoms that have gained electrons during a chemical reaction. F 126)Isotopes of the same element have the same mass number. F SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question. 127)|Moh’s hardness scale is a relative measure of which physical property of minerals? Hardness|127)| 128)|What physical property denotes the color of a powdered mineral? Streak|128)| 129)|The physical property denoting a mineral’s tendency to crack along parallel, planar|129)| |surfaces is known as what? Cleavage|| 130)|What is the hardest mineral known? Diamond|130)| 131)|What is the chemical composition of graphite and diamond? Carbon|131)| 132)|In atoms, which electrons are involved in chemical bonding? The valence electrons/outer shell|132)| 133)|A compound is a stable chemical substance composed of two or more what? Elements|133)| 134)|What is the dominant form of chemical bonding exhibited by minerals such as native gold,|134)| |native copper and copper-rich sulfides? Metallic|| 135)|What two major characteristics differentiate minerals from natural glasses? highly viscous; cools quickly|135)| 136)|Most glasses and some minerals exhibit a type of fracture characterized by nested and|136)| |curved, crack surfaces. What term describes this property? conchoidal fracture|| 137)|Parallel, straight, linear imperfections visible on the cleavage surfaces of plagioclase|137)| |feldspar are called what? Striations|| 138)|What is the smallest particle of matter that exhibits and defines the distinctive chemical|138)| |characteristics of the individual elements? Atoms|| 139)|What ferromagnesian silicate mineral is named for its green color? Olivine|139)| 140) What mineral group forms by the breakdown and weathering of rock-forming silicate|140)| minerals and are important constituents of soils? Clay|| ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper. 141) Label the various parts of an atom in the diagram below. 11