The River Loop Trail at Black Hawk State Historic Site

question 59

Essay

The River Loop Trail at Black Hawk State Historic Site in Rock Island, Illinois, has exposures revealing nearly 130 million years of geologic history.At the base of the hill is Devonian-aged limestone containing brachiopods and bryozoans.Above the limestone is Pennsylvanian-aged shale, with an unconformity between the two.The black shale is rich with fossils of ferns and marsh grasses.Directly on top of the shale is Pennsylvanian-aged sandstone.Using the geologic materials described, determine the environment of deposition for each unit.How has the overall environment changed from the Devonian to the end of the Pennsylvanian?

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Definitions:

Cognitive Appraisal

The process of evaluating a situation in relation to one's personal well-being, influencing one's emotional and psychological response.

Social-Cognitive Theorists

Researchers who explore how people learn through observing others, focusing on the processes of attention, memory, and motivation.

Aggressive Skills

Techniques or strategies developed to express feelings, needs, or thoughts in a direct, assertive way that may include defending personal rights or seeking to dominate or control.

Natural Instinct

Inherent inclinations of a living organism toward a particular complex behavior, the natural, unlearned patterns of behavior that are specific to a species.