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Geology (GLGY 201-UCAL) Final Exam

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Question 1

What is 1A on the following diagram? (ID-GLF-24)
Note: DO NOT scroll down to the Geologic Time scale on this page. Answer this question without using any AIDS.

A	Mesozoic
B	Phanerozoic
C	Cenozoic
D	Proterozoic
E	Pennsylvanian

Question 2

Which of the following statement is correct about oxbow lakes? (ID-GLF-60)

A	Oxbow lakes are formed as a result of downcutting of the river into soft sediments hence they are unusually deep areas of a river.
B	Melting of glaciers at the surface (top) due to the heat from sun result in formation of oxbow lakes on top of the glacier itself.
C	All meandering rivers always from oxbow lakes.
D	A meander that has been cut off yet remains filled with water forms an oxbow lake.
E	Melting of glaciers due to friction between the ground and itself forms oxbow lakes at the base of the glacier.

Question 3

Which of the following substance is most common in ocean salts? (ID-GLF-64)

A	Magnesium
B	Sodium
C	Calcium
D	Chloride
E	Potassium

Question 4

In ___ volcanic eruption, groundwater interacts with the magma and the eruption blasts stream, ash and coarser blocks skyward, but little if any lava appears at the surface. (ID-GLF-72)

A	strombolian
B	plinean
C	vulcanian
D	phreatic
E	surtseyan

Question 5

Force per unit area applied to a rock is known as.... (ID-GLF-03)

A	deformation
B	stress
C	strain
D	shear

Question 6

What is 3L on the following diagram? (ID-GLF-20)
Note: DO NOT scroll down to the Geologic Time scale on this page. Answer this question without using any AIDS.

A	Pennsylvanian
B	Ordovician
C	Jurassic
D	Triassic
E	Devonian

Question 7

How do we measure stress experienced by geologic materials in nature? (ID-GLF-112)

A	None of the answers are correct.
B	We measure stress using changes in pressure and temperature observed within geologic materials over a period.
C	We cannot directly measure stress, but we can infer stress using strain preserved as deformations in minerals and rocks.
D	We measure stress based on detection of earthquakes and their magnitudes with respect to location.
E	We measure stress using specialized equipment that keep track of movement of geologic masses.

Question 7 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.
Note: Most than one answer is correct. But on multiple choice exams, you should choose the MOST suitable answer. Consider this question as a good example for your future university exams.

Question 8

Which earthquake intensity scale takes into account the amount of slip that has occurred along the fault plane? (ID-GLF-01)

A	Mercalli scale
B	Wadati-Benioff scale
C	Seismic-moment magnitude scale
D	Richter scale

Question 9

Mushrooms and yeast belong to this Eukarya domain. (ID-GLF-69)

A	Animalia
B	Plantae
C	Protista
D	Bacteria
E	Fungi

Question 10

Majority of volcanic gas is composed of what type of compound? (ID-GLF-31)

A	methane
B	ammonia
C	carbon dioxide
D	water
E	nitrogen

Question 11

Paleozoic era is divided in to several periods. Which is the oldest Paleozoic era? (ID-GLF-19)
Note: DO NOT scroll down to the Geologic Time scale on this page. Answer this question without using any AIDS.

A	Silurian
B	Devonian
C	Cretaceous
D	Paleogene
E	Cambrian

Question 12

Radiometic age dating techniques using the Ab – Xy system (not areal system) in the mineral quarky (not a real mineral) in the diorite dyke found that the mineral started off with 160 parent isotopes, and today only 20 parent isotopes remain. The half life for the Ab – Xy system is 125 million years. What is the age of the diorite dyke? (ID-GLF-81)

A	300 Ma
B	250 Ma
C	375 Ma
D	125 Ma
E	100 Ma

Question 12 Explanation:

A = A* (1/2)^(t/h) where A=final amount, A*=initial amount, t= time and h=half-life. You would have to isolate t for the above answer.

Question 13

In Geology, the term orogenesis refers to which of the following? (ID-GLF-99)

A	Study of the origin of Earth and its evolution.
B	Study of the origins of rocks and minerals.
C	Process of mountain building.
D	Process of magma generation and solidification.
E	Process of biological and geological evolution of life and Earth.

Question 13 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 14

What is the most fundamental factor that determine the shape of a canyon or valley? (ID-GLF-59)

A	Sediment load of the river/stream.
B	Its elevation from the sea level.
C	Resistance of its walls to erosion slumping.
D	Flow rate of the water (velocity) and the volume of water.

Question 15

Radiometic age dating techniques using the Ab – Xy system (not areal system) in the mineral quarky (not a real mineral) in the diorite dyke found that the mineral started off with some amount of parent isotopes, and today only 40 parent isotopes remain. The half life for the Ab – Xy system is 125 million years and the age of the diorite dyke is 250 million years. What is the initial parent isotopes count in the mineral? (ID-GLF-82)

A	100 parent isotopes
B	250 parent isotopes
C	160 parent isotopes
D	125 parent isotopes
E	40 parent isotopes

Question 15 Explanation:

A = A* (1/2)^(t/h) where A=final amount, A*=initial amount, t= time and h=half-life. You would have to isolate A* for the above answer.

Question 16

What is the average frequency of earthquakes? (ID-GLF-109)

A	Weekly
B	Daily
C	Monthly
D	Yearly

Question 16 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 17

Normal faults are more more abundant in which of the following Geologic setting? (ID-GLF-102)

A	Collisional orogenesis environments
B	Mid-oceanic ridge environments
C	Strike-slip environments
D	Extensional rifting environments

Question 17 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 18

Precambrian is divided into two Eons as shown on the following diagram as 1C and 1D. What are they? (ID-GLF-62)
Note: DO NOT scroll down to the Geologic Time scale on this page. Answer this question without using any AIDS.

A	Paleozoic and Phanerozoic
B	Cenozoic and Mesozoic
C	Phanerozoic and Proterozoic
D	Proterozoic and Archean
E	Paleozoic and Mesozoic

Question 19

Which of the following statement is true about seismic waves? (ID-GLF-115)

A	Seismic waves were first discovered by Andrija Mohorovicic.
B	Seismic waves are able to sustain their energy in softer mediums for a longer period of time.
C	Seismic waves travel faster in high density mediums.
D	Seismic waves that enters a faster medium from a slower medium will undergo refraction towards the normal.
E	Surface seismic waves are the fastest in terms of travel time.

Question 20

Which isotopic system has the longest half-life period? (ID-GLF-22)

A	U/Pb
B	K/Ar
C	Rb/Sr
D	Sm/Nd

Question 20 Explanation:

While you do not have to know all the isotopic system, the U/Pb system is so important that at least you should know that.

Question 21

The sorted sediments deposited by a stream is known as/form... (ID-GLF-58)

A	graded deposits.
B	alluvium.
C	braided plane.
D	alluvium fan.
E	stream terraces.

Question 22

Geologists use this term to describe the condition where the buoyancy force pushing lithosphere up equals to the gravitational force pulling lithosphere down. (ID-GLF-104)

A	Isostasy
B	Equilibrium
C	Induced stability
D	Orogeny

Question 22 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 23

According to P-wave and S-wave arrival time equations, the difference between P-wave arrival and S-wave arrival time increases with the... (ID-GLF-116)

A	increase in travel distance.
B	increase in density of the medium.
C	increase in density.
D	decrease in density of the medium.

Question 23 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.
Note: Any changes in density of the medium affect both P and S waves.

Question 24

Which of the following characteristic of seismic belts is true? (ID-GLF-52)

A	They are usually stationary and has been that for since the beginning of the Earth.
B	They usually coincide with plate boundaries.
C	They runs parallel to the equator of the Earth.
D	They only occur in ductile regions.
E	They are defined by the magnetic forces of the Earth.

Question 25

Aquifers are __I__ and aquitards are __I__. (ID-GLF-86)

A	I. geologic materials that act as a barrier to flow II. geologic materials that act as a barrier to flow
B	I. sediment or rock structures that has very low permeability II. sediment or rock structures that has very high permeability
C	I. subsurface regions where water accumulates II. subsurface structures that allow free flow of water
D	I. also known as vadose zones II. also known as zones of saturation
E	I. subsurface structures that allow free flow of water II. subsurface regions where water accumulates
F	I. geologic materials that transmit water II. geologic materials that act as a barrier to flow

Question 25 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 26

When does sediment liquefaction occur? (ID-GLF-55)

A	It occurs as the heat from magma melts the wall rock (country rock) resulting melting of the surrounding.
B	It occurs when ground shake due to P-wave vibrates sediments hard enough resulting solids behaving like liquids.
C	It occurs due to nuclear radiation caused by decomposition of radioactive elements within sediments and minerals.
D	It occur when the pore water pressure increased enough to push sediment grains apart from each other.
E	It occurs when sediments from deep underground which are formed under high pressure were exhumed in a short period of time.

Question 27

Geothermal energy relies on heat from what source? (ID-GLF-76)

A	Earth's crust
B	Radioactive decay within the Earth's core
C	Earth's mantle
D	Heat absorbed by surface rocks
E	Friction heat produced at plate margins

Question 28

The point within the Earth where an earthquake originates is called the... (ID-GLF-09)

A	focus
B	epicenter
C	trigger point
D	slip point

Question 29

The two most abundant rocks within oceanic crust are... (ID-GLF-11)

A	shale and limestone
B	basalt and gabbro
C	shale and gabbro
D	basalt and shale

Question 30

What is the best description of the fold depicted in the following cross section? (ID-GLF-84)

A	Symmetric anticline
B	Asymmetric syncline
C	Overturned syncline
D	Symmetric syncline
E	Asymmetric anticline

Question 31

What is 3G on the following diagram? (ID-GLF-39)
Note: DO NOT scroll down to the Geologic Time scale on this page. Answer this question without using any AIDS.

A	Cretaceous
B	Eocene
C	Jurassic
D	Permian
E	Cenozoic
F	Devonian

Question 32

Folding usually occur under what condition? Choose the best answer. (ID-GLF-46)

A	Low pressure and high temperature
B	Ductile deformation
C	High pressure and low temperature
D	Brittle deformation
E	At extensional settings

Question 33

Which of the following is used for representing relationships between organisms and their ancestors? (ID-GLF-70)

A	phylogenetic tree
B	ancestral diagram
C	hierarchical diagram
D	taxonomy diagram
E	historical tree

Question 34

The boundary between the crust and the mantle is know as the... (ID-GLF-07)

A	Mohorovic discontinuity
B	Mercalli discontinuity
C	Wegener discontinuity
D	Wadati-Benioff discontinuity

Question 35

What is 3H on the following diagram? (ID-GLF-30)
Note: DO NOT scroll down to the Geologic Time scale on this page. Answer this question without using any AIDS.

A	Pennsylvanian
B	Devonian
C	Jurassic
D	Cretaceous
E	Permian
F	Carboniferous

Question 36

The physical processes exists today also operated in the past roughly at the same rates and these processes were responsible for the formation of geologic features. This statement is best known as the... (ID-GLF-15)

A	Theory of Geologic Evolution
B	Theory of Plate Tectonics
C	Theory of Rock Cycle
D	Principle of Uniformitarianism
E	Principle of Original Horizontality
F	Principle of Superposition

Question 37

The ____ is the layer of air that lies between the surface of the Earth and an elevation of 5 km to 18 km. It is the first (lowest) layer of the Earth's atmosphere. (ID-GLF-35)

A	stratosphere
B	troposphere
C	ionosphere
D	thermosphere
E	mesosphere
F	exosphere

Question 38

____ is the condition that exists when the buoyancy force pushing lithosphere up equals the gravitational force pulling lithosphere down. (ID-GLF-48)

A	Isostasy
B	Accretion
C	Orogeny
D	Induced equilibrium
E	Mesopause

Question 39

Why earthquakes are rare below 660 km? (ID-GLF-119)

A	Lower temperatures
B	Increase in frictional forces
C	Lack of water
D	Increase in pressure
E	Mantle is ductile

Question 39 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 40

Arrange the geologic events on the following cross section from the oldest event (first one) to the youngest event (last one). (ID-GLF-83)

I. Deposition and folding of units 1 to 7
II. Intrusion of the granite pluton
III. Deposition of units A to C
IV. Formation of the unconformity
V. Faulting
VI. Intrusion of the gabbro dyke

A	V (oldest) , II , VI , IV , III , I (youngest)
B	I (oldest) , III , VI , IV , II , V (youngest)
C	I (oldest) , II , VI , IV , III , V (youngest)
D	VI (oldest) , II , III , IV , I , V (youngest)
E	VI (oldest) , I , III , V , II , IV (youngest)
F	V (oldest) , III , VI , IV , II , I (youngest)

Question 41

When the ocean formed at the early stage of the Earth, the atmosphere because rich in what type of gas? (ID-GLF-32)

A	oxygen
B	carbon dioxide
C	water vapor
D	nitrogen
E	ammonia

Question 42

Continental rifts are mostly associated with which of the following? (ID-GLF-120)

A	Normal faults
B	Strike-slip faults
C	Reverse faults
D	Abnormal faults
E	Thrust faults

Question 42 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 43

Which of the following statement is true? (ID-GLF-65)

A	Higher the mountains in collisional or convergent orogen, the deeper the crustal root.
B	Higher the friction between a glacier and the ground, faster the migration of the glacier.
C	Plate tectonic movement is mostly driven by the energy obtained through the rotation of the Earth. Hint: This is what some scientists thought long time ago. This has been proven to be incorrect.
D	Dykes are formed primarily due to preexisting weak planes of the country rock.
E	Higher the depth of a river, larger the volume of sediment deposition and accumulation on the river bed.

Question 44

The process whereby which early formed minerals in magma physically separate from the magma is called... (ID-GLF-14)

A	fractional melting
B	partial crystallization
C	decompression crystallization
D	fractional crystallization

Question 45

What is orogeny? (ID-GLF-43)

A	Movement of tectonic plates that result in formation of new crust due to upwelling of magma.
B	Change in stress fields during metamorphism creating a differential stress which result in lineation of minerals.
C	Change in pressure and temperature in magma underground which eventually leads to fractional crystallization.
D	Collision of two or more air masses which result in formation of clouds, wind and rain.
E	Forces and events leading to a large structural deformation of the Earth's lithosphere resulting mountain building.

Question 46

Which of the following statement is true on biological extinction? (ID-GLF-71)

A	It occurs when the last member of a given species dies without producing any offspring.
B	It occurs when the last member of a given family dies without producing any offspring.
C	It occurs when the last member of a given genus dies without producing any offspring.
D	It occurs when the last member of a given kingdom dies without producing any offspring.
E	It occurs when the last member of a given class dies without producing any offspring.

Question 47

Ductile behavior occurs below ____ in the crust. (ID-GLF-113)

A	500 - 1000 m
B	40 - 50 km
C	5 - 7km
D	15 - 20 km
E	1000 - 1500 m

Question 47 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 48

The transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas phase without passing through the intermediate liquid phase is known as... (ID-GLF-98)

A	precipitation.
B	sublimation.
C	evaporation.
D	transpiration.
E	infiltration.

Question 48 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 49

Typically orogenesis would create which of the following rock type? (ID-GLF-100)

A	Metamorphic rocks due to contact metamorphism.
B	Sedimentary rocks due to regional subduction.
C	Igneous rocks due to uplift.
D	Sedimentary rocks due to regional heating.

Question 49 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 50

You have been hired as a Geotechnical Specialist, a Geologist or a Geological Engineer by the City of Calgary. You have been assigned to find out why a road surface crumbles as a result of "popping-up" during wet Winter/Spring and subsiding during warm hot summers. What is the most likely fundamental conclusion you would submit to the City of Calgary? Note: This is a real world problem happening here in Dhalhouise, Calgary right now. (ID-GLF-91)

A	Weight of the materials used to construct the road surface is effecting the groundwater pressures in the subsurface.
B	Pore pressures that holds the grains apart fluctuates causing subsidence during warm summers and uplift during wet winters and springs.
C	The groundwater must be flowing at a faster rate during wet spring and summer than during winter causing subsurface erosion.
D	There must be a very large cone of depression directly under the road surface in question causing surface to subside during warm and dry seasons.

Question 50 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 51

Which of the following is not a type of primary porosity? (ID-GLF-85)

A	Vesicles and voids within matrix
B	Reef framework
C	Dissolution
D	Inter granular porosity

Question 51 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 52

What is Laurentia? (ID-GLF-28)

A	A supercontinent that consisted of today’s South America, Africa, Antarctica, India, and Australia.
B	A continent in the early Paleozoic Era composed of today’s North America and Greenland.
C	A proposed Precambrian supercontinent that existed around 1 billion years ago.
D	The ocean that was once covered the Alberta region, which helped the formation of oil/gas deposits.
E	None of the answers are correct.

Question 53

What is competence of a sediment transport system? (ID-GLF-93)

A	It measures the volume of sediments transported by a stream/river system.
B	It measure the flow rate of sediments at a fixed given location.
C	It measures the rate of sediment supply to a stream/river system.
D	It measures the rate at which the transport system deposit its load.
E	It measures the largest clast/sediment size a stream/river can transport.

Question 53 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 54

What is the difference between a focus and an epicenter of an earthquake? (ID-GLF-53)

A	The focus is the location where a fault slips during an earthquake while epicenter is the point on the surface of the Earth directly above the focus of an earthquake.
B	They are interchangeable terms used geoscientists to describe earthquakes.
C	The focus is the geographic location of the seismometer and the epicenter is the physical position of the earthquake.
D	The term focus is used when the earthquake occur under water/in oceans while the term epicenter is used when it occurs on land.
E	The epicenter is the location where a fault slips during an earthquake while focus is the point on the surface of the Earth directly above the focus of an earthquake.

Question 55

An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 is _______ than an earthquake of magnitude 4.0. (ID-GLF-118)

A	10 times more
B	100 times less
C	10 times less
D	1 times less
E	1 times more
F	100 times more

Question 55 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 56

Seismic waves traveling through a faster medium (eg. peridotite) enter a slower medium (eg. sandstone). The waves will ______ as they enter the slower medium. (ID-GLF-74)

A	disintegrate
B	bent away from the normal
C	be refracted
D	bent towards the normal
E	split into several rays

Question 57

Groundwater extraction result in formation of cones of depression. Which of the following scenario would create the largest (deepest and most laterally extensive) depression cones? (ID-GLF-90)

A	Injection/addition of water into the ground due to heavy rainfall.
B	Extraction of groundwater in large volumes in a small period of time.
C	Higher rate of leaking groundwater into rivers and lakes due to higher formation pressures.
D	Extraction of groundwater in large volumes in a long period of time.

Question 57 Explanation:

Groundwater extraction at a higher rate/volume will reduce the window needed to "bounce back" of cone of depression by infilling the pore space.
Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 58

What is closure temperature? (ID-GLF-23)

A	The temperature above which crystals are first formed.
B	The temperature below which crystals are first formed.
C	The temperature below which isotopes are no longer free to move.
D	The temperature above which the water is neither a gas nor a liquid.
E	The temperature below which magma no longer have the ability to erupt out of the volcano.

Question 59

Alluvial fans deposits are characterized by which of the following features? (ID-GLF-95)

A	Muddy deposits closer to the mouth and sandy deposits distally at the edge.
B	High clastic sediment deposits on the edge of the fan.
C	Very thick sandy deposits distally on the edge of the fan.
D	Gradual decrease in grain size from corasest to finest as moving from the mouth to the distal edge.

Question 59 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 60

Which of the following will not result in favorable environment for meandering streams? (ID-GLF-96)

A	High sediment carrying capacity
B	Very low stream gradient
C	Narrow flood plains
D	Soft substrate with high degree of erosion

Question 60 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 61

You are standing on this feature if the topographic contours on either side of you are decreasing. (ID-GLF-80)

A	Ridge or hill top
B	Reverse fault line
C	Valley or topographic depression
D	Normal fault line

Question 62

What is an isobar? (ID-GLF-40)

A	It is a representation of pressure - temperature boundaries which specific minerals may form out of a magma.
B	It is a line on a map used to separate different air pressures.
C	It is a graphical representation of change in temperature with depth in the lithosphere.
D	It is a bar where ice cold drinks are served only for cool geoscientists.
E	It is an imaginary line that separates the four major layers of atmosphere.

Question 63

What is the primary contributing factor/force for sick-slip behavior of faults? (ID-GLF-54)

A	Ductile nature of the two moving sections.
B	Friction between two moving sections.
C	Mineral alignment along the contact points between two moving sections.
D	Compression pressure along the contact boundary between two moving sections.
E	Non-uniform boundary conditions between two moving sections.

Question 64

Which of the following statement is true? (ID-GLF-75)

A	Permeability refers to the fraction of open space within rocks.
B	Oil window is smaller that that of natural gas window.
C	Highly permeable rocks make very good petroleum seals/traps. Hint: Seal or trap rock/layers must be non-permeable to prevent hydrocarbons from escaping.
D	Kerogen forms at the Earth's surface.
E	Increasing depth often increase in hydrocarbon production. Hint: Yes, when you are within an oil/gas windows. But just because you increase in depth, doesn't mean it will favor formation of oil/gas.

Question 65

What is Gondwana? (ID-GLF-29)

A	A supercontinent that consisted of today’s South America, Africa, Antarctica, India, and Australia.
B	A continent in the early Paleozoic Era composed of today’s North America and Greenland.
C	The ocean that was once covered the Alberta region, which helped the formation of oil/gas deposits.
D	None of the answers are correct.
E	A proposed Precambrian supercontinent that existed around 1 billion years ago.

Question 66

About 99% of the air in our atmosphere lies below this altitude. (ID-GLF-33)

A	About 5 km
B	About 10 km
C	About 30 km
D	About 1 km
E	About 100 km

Question 66 Explanation:

The answers are intentionally spread apart in altitude value. This is because you do not have to know the exact altitude, but you should have a rough idea.

Question 67

Sediments accumulates on fairly flat surfaces. This concept is found in which of the following? (ID-GLF-16)

A	Principle of Original Horizontality
B	Theory of Geologic Evolution
C	Principle of Superposition
D	Principle of Uniformitarianism
E	Theory of Plate Tectonics

Question 68

Where does the mesopause boundary located? (ID-GLF-37)

A	Between Mesosphere and Thermosphere.
B	Around the 45 km altitude.
C	Between Mesosphere and Stratosphere.
D	Between Mesosphere and Troposphere.
E	Around the 10 km altitude.

Question 69

All hydrocarbons contain which of the following elements? (ID-GLF-50)

A	Carbon and hydrogen
B	Carbon and oxygen
C	Carbon and nitrogen
D	Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
E	Carbon, nitrogen and oxygen

Question 70

Oil forming temperature range is known as the... (ID-GLF-51)

A	critical window.
B	critical temperature.
C	ideal window.
D	oil window.
E	decomposition temperature.
F	ideal temperature.

Question 71

What is adiabatic cooling or adiabatic heating? (ID-GLF-34)

A	Cooling or heating of air or matter through geologic uplift.
B	Cooling or heating of air or matter without decreasing or increasing of temperature.
C	Cooling or heating of air or matter without increasing or decreasing of pressure.
D	Cooling or heating of air or matter without the addition or subtraction of atoms or molecules.
E	Cooling or heating of air or matter without the addition or subtraction of thermal energy.
F	Cooling or heating of air or matter through compression solidification or decompression melting.

Question 72

A rock that has undergone deformation may...(choose all the correct answers) (ID-GLF-06)

A	retains the primary igneous structures.
B	change its location
C	change its shape by shortening
D	change its orientation
E	most likely maintain the original mineral composition

Question 73

A geologic fold structure that is shaped like an arch where the limbs of the fold have the same dip angle in opposite directions is called a(an)... (ID-GLF-04)

A	symmetrical syncline
B	asymmetrical anticline
C	symmetrical anticline
D	asymmetrical syncline

Question 74

Cone of dispersion will result in... (ID-GLF-89)

A	lowering of the groundwater table at the regional scale.
B	lowering of the groundwater table at the global scale.
C	increased availability of groundwater in shallow wells.
D	raising of the groundwater table at the global scale.
E	raising of the groundwater table at the regional scale.

Question 74 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 75

Deformation of rocks exclusively through distortion (and distortion only) will most likely result in which of the following features? (ID-GLF-108)

A	Fractures
B	Faults
C	Folds
D	Upside down beds (oldest on top)

Question 75 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 76

What is the magnitude difference between a M5.0 and a M5.5 earthquakes? (ID-GLF-117)

A	5%
B	5.5%
C	0.5%
D	31.6%

Question 76 Explanation:

Log base-10: (10^5) / (10^5.5) x 100 =31.6%

Question 77

This process occurs due to air becoming warmer, buoyant and rises. The primary driving force for this process is the temptation variations on the Earth's surface. What is this process? (ID-GLF-41)

A	Convective lifting
B	Frontal lifting
C	Divergent lifting
D	Convergence lifting
E	Orographic lifting

Question 78

Stream piracy occurs when.... (ID-GLF-61)

A	headward erosion by one stream causes the stream to intersect another stream.
B	reversing of the flow direction due to change in the direction of slope due to tectonic of other events.
C	water levels are not high enough to maintain the flow resulting in change in stream direction.
D	water levels and flow rates are too high for a river bed to maintain its shape result in collapse of valleys or canyons.

Question 79

Following animation demonstrates ___ type of fault. (ID-GLF-45)
Note: Do not worry about the vector arrows. This animation was created for 300/500-level structure classes.
NONE

A	Right lateral strike-slip fault
B	Not enough information is provided in the question.
C	Reverse fault
D	Normal fault
E	Left lateral strike-slip fault

Question 80

What is permineralization? (ID-GLF-67)

A	The fossilization process in which plant material becomes transformed into rock by the precipitation of silica from groundwater.
B	The process by which a magma becomes progressively more silicic as it cools, because early formed crystals settle out.
C	Formation of new minerals when preexisting minerals change into new minerals as a result of an increase in pressure and temperature.
D	The clumping together of clay suspended in river water into bunches that are large enough to settle out.
E	The process by which atoms dissolved in a solution come together and form minerals.

Question 81

At what range of depth does the brittle-plastic transition occurs in continental crust? (ID-GLF-57)

A	About 30 to 40 km
B	About 10 to 15 km
C	About 50 to 70 km
D	About 90 to 100 km
E	About 0 to 5 km

Question 82

The following image of a large outcrop can be best described as... (ID-GLF-107)
Please pay attention to the circled (green) area of the image.

A	structural feature originated primarily due to an igneous event.
B	deformation that resulted in faulting.
C	deformation caused by extensional tectonics.
D	deformation that resulted in folding.

Question 83

Folds with limbs dipping away from the hinge is known as __I__ and folds with dips dipping towards the hinge is known as __II__. (ID-GLF-47)

A	I. anticlines II. synclines
B	I. arcs II. basins
C	I basins II. arcs
D	I. synclines II. anticlines

Question 84

The ___ is defined by the average environmental conditions while ___ is defined by the local and short term environmental conditions. (ID-GLF-42)

A	weather seasons , plate tectonics
B	temperature . heat
C	precipitation . rain
D	climate , weather
E	high pressure systems , low pressure systems

Question 85

Generally, which of the following seismic wave arrive at the seismic station first? Choose the best answer. (ID-GLF-56)

A	P-wave
B	S-wave
C	Body wave
D	Surface wave
E	Shock wave

Question 86

Mountain building along convergent boundaries would result in formation of fold thrust belts _____ and the subduction related volcanoes _____. (ID-GLF-101)

A	None of the answers are correct.
B	landwards , on overriding pate
C	seawards , on the extinct arc
D	on overriding plate , landwards

Question 86 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 87

What is 2A on the following diagram? (ID-GLF-24)
Note: DO NOT scroll down to the Geologic Time scale on this page. Answer this question without using any AIDS.

A	Mesozoic
B	Phanerozoic
C	Pennsylvanian
D	Proterozoic
E	Cenozoic

Question 88

What is a fossil assemblage? (ID-GLF-17)

A	A set of fossils belongs to the same family of organisms.
B	A group of fossils native to a specific region.
C	A group of fossil species found in a specific sequence of sedimentary rock.
D	A set of fossils that can be arranged in chronological order.
E	None of the answers are correct.

Question 89

The following diagram depict a map view of a fault plane displacing a geologic units. Based on the displacement, what kind of fault is it? (ID-GLF-77)

A	Reverse fault
B	Right-lateral strike slip fault
C	Thrust fault
D	Normal fault
E	Left-lateral strike slip fault

Question 89 Explanation:

The key term "map view" should taken in to account. If you do not pay attention to that two words, you may pick the normal fault.

Question 90

Which of the following energy product has the highest number of carbons in their hydrocarbon molecule? (ID-GLF-49)

A	Kerosene
B	Heating oil
C	Natural gas
D	Gasoline
E	Bottled gas
F	Tar

Question 90 Explanation:

Note tar is also the most most viscous material listed above.

Question 91

Which of the following statement regrading Appalachian orogeny is true? (ID-GLF-103)

A	Appalachian orogeny is occurred as a result of four separate continental collisions. Hint: Three separate continental collisions.
B	Appalachian orogeny occurred after the Grenville orogeny.
C	Appalachian orogeny occurred at the same time as the Grenville orogeny.
D	Allegheny Mountains formed before the both of the Appalachian and Grenville orogenies.

Question 91 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 92

Upstream erosion of a river is known as... (ID-GLF-92)

A	dendritic network.
B	surface erosion.
C	fracture network.
D	drainage erosion.
E	headward erosion.

Question 92 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 93

Where do majority of fossils found? (ID-GLF-66)

A	Within sedimentary rocks
B	Within underwater mudslides
C	Within fluvial deposits
D	Withing igneous rocks
E	Within metamorphic rocks

Question 93 Explanation:

Note, almost no fossil can survive metamorphism and very few fossils have been found in very good condition in igneous rocks.

Question 94

What is the exaggeration factor for a cross section with horizontal scale of 1:20,000 and vertical scale of 1:10,000? (ID-GLF-79)

A	Factor of 20,000
B	Factor of 2
C	Factor of 10,000
D	Factor of 1
E	Factor of 3

Question 95

Which of the following sedimentary rocks would it be easiest to determine the type of rocks from which the sediment was derived? (ID-GLF-78)

A	Sandstone
B	Siltstone
C	Conglomerate
D	Mudstone

Question 96

Where is the ocean floor deepest? (ID-GLF-10)

A	in rift valleys
B	in oceanic trenches
C	on the continental shelf
D	on the abyssal plain

Question 97

Which of the following is the main force in driving plate tectonics? (ID-GLF-13)

A	slab pull
B	ridge push
C	trench roll back
D	suction force

Question 98

The principle of inclusions state... (ID-GLF-18)

A	inclusions are always older than the rock which contains them.
B	inclusions only occur in magma chambers.
C	younger rocks are always will be on top of the older rocks.
D	inclusions are younger than the rock which contains them.
E	inclusions never appear on the surface of rocks.

Question 99

Deep focus earthquakes are most commonly associated with ____. (ID-GLF-02)

A	hot spots
B	mid-ocean ridges
C	subduction zones
D	transform zones

Question 100

Which of the following describes the earthquake waves that travel through the interior of the Earth? (ID-GLF-08)

A	Rayleigh waves
B	Interior waves
C	Body waves
D	Love waves

Question 101

Diversity of genera/organisms peaked during what time? (ID-GLF-21)

A	Late Cenozoic
B	Early Proterozoic
C	Early Cenozoic
D	Early Cambrian
E	Late Mesozoic

Question 102

Geophysicists recognized that the Earth’s outer core was liquid because... (ID-GLF-05)

A	L-waves disappeared at the mantle-outer core boundary
B	R-waves disappeared at the mantle-outer core boundary
C	S-waves disappeared at the mantle-outer core boundary
D	P-waves disappeared at the mantle-outer core boundary

Question 103

What is Rodinia? (ID-GLF-27)

A	A supercontinent that consisted of today’s South America, Africa, Antarctica, India, and Australia.
B	The creatonic platform that forms the modern day Canada, USA and Mexico.
C	The ocean that was once covered the Alberta region, which helped the formation of oil/gas deposits.
D	A proposed Precambrian supercontinent that existed around 1 billion years ago.
E	A continent in the early Paleozoic Era composed of today’s North America and Greenland.

Question 104

Which of the following statement is most likely correct about wetlands? (ID-GLF-88)

A	The vadose zone must be extremely large (deep) in the wetland regions.
B	The hydraulic head must be very high in the wetland regions.
C	The water table must be relatively high in the wetland regions.
D	The permeability must be very low in the wetland regions.

Question 104 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 105

Which of the following is a characteristic of compressional waves? (ID-GLF-114)

A	Causes ground to ripple up and down like water waves in a lake.
B	They are S-waves that intersects the land surface.
C	Material moves back and forth parallel to the wave direction.
D	Slower than S-waves but faster than Love waves.
E	They are P-waves that intersects the land surface.

Question 105 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 106

What is the most common cause of earthquakes? (ID-GLF-110)

A	Volcanic eruptions
B	Human interference such as construction and nuclear detonations
C	Sudden changes in mineral structures
D	Magma migration
E	Crustal fault slips

Question 106 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 107

What is the difference between a joint and a fault? (ID-GLF-106)

A	Joints are much smaller in scale than faults.
B	Joints are planar metamorphic fabrics while faults are planer surfaces of physical separations within rocks.
C	Joints only occur in softer materials such as sediments and faults occur in hard rocks.
D	Joints are fractures that have no offsets, while faults are fractures with offsets.
E	Joints are usually associated with igneous processes and faults are usually associated with orogenic processes.

Question 107 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 108

What is a seismic zone? (ID-GLF-73)

A	An area where geoscientists predicted to have an earthquake in near future.
B	An area that has been known to have earthquakes in high frequency in the past.
C	The epicenter of an earthquake.
D	None of the listed answers are correct.
E	An area that is damaged by a recent earthquake.

Question 109

What process result in pelagic sediment depositions? (ID-GLF-63)

A	Accumulation of microscopic shells and file flakes of clay at the ocean floor.
B	Sudden decrease in energy of a river system result in accumulation of the bedloard.
C	Erosion of high standing sedimentary structures and subsequent deposition of the materials downstream.
D	Deposits of rock fragments and sediments left behind after a glacier has migrated through a region.
E	Deposition of organic matter on terrestrial sediments due to decay of plants and organisms.

Question 110

The ____ has a relatively stable and stratified column of air that also contains most of the ozone layer in our atmosphere. (ID-GLF-36)

A	thermosphere
B	troposphere
C	stratosphere
D	mesosphere
E	exosphere

Question 111

Mountain building involves all of the following except... (ID-GLF-105)
-Deformation
-Faulting
-Folding
-Partial melting
-Foliation
-Metamorphism
-Glaciation
-Erosion
-Sedimentation

A	Glaciation and Sedimentation
B	All of the above can be observed in mountain building processes.
C	Partial melting, Sedimentation and Glaciation
D	Partial melting
E	Partial melting and Sedimentation

Question 111 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 112

Which of the following type of aquifer has the highest possibility for contamination and contaminant transport? (ID-GLF-87)

A	Confined aquifers with very high permeability.
B	Unconfined aquifers with very high permeability.
C	Aquifers with very low porosity and permeability.
D	Aquifers with very high porosity, but very low permeability.

Question 112 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 113

This type of faults occurred in subsurface and are invisible. (ID-GLF-111)

A	Active faults
B	Marginal faults
C	Inactive faults
D	Crustal faults
E	Blind faults

Question 113 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Brandon Karchewski Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 114

Which of the following is an example of a orogenic mountain belt that has formed from the collision of two large continents? (ID-GLF-12)

A	Hawaiian Islands
B	Himalayas
C	Canadian Rockies
D	Basin and Range

Question 115

What is a river gradient? (ID-GLF-94)

A	It measures the rate at which the transport system deposit its load over a distance.
B	It measures the largest clast/sediment size a stream/river can transport.
C	It measures the speed at which the river flows.
D	It measures the elevation change over the distance of flow.
E	It measures the change in capacity of sediment load over a distance.

Question 115 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 116

Structural geologists measure deformation on outcrops as... (ID-GLF-44)

A	lineation. Hint: This is true, but this is an observation and not a measurement.
B	stress.
C	strain.
D	pressures.
E	foliations. Hint: This is true, but this is an observation and not a measurement.

Question 117

Abandoned deltas are characterized by which of the following? (ID-GLF-97)

A	Smaller lobes
B	Downcutting
C	Subsidence
D	Headward erosion
E	Uplift

Question 117 Explanation:

Ref: Dr. Alexander Dutchak Fall 2015 lecture notes.

Question 118

What is the best estimate of the age of Earth according to current scientific observations and evidence? (ID-GLF-25)

A	4.03 Ga
B	4.54 Ga
C	3.87 Ga
D	3.55 Ga
E	3.92 Ga

Question 119

In this section of our atmosphere the short-wavelength solar energy strips nitrogen molecules and oxygen molecules if their electrons and transforms them into positive ions. (ID-GLF-38)

A	Mesosphere
B	Thermosphere
C	Ionosphere
D	Exosphere
E	Stratosphere
F	Troposphere

Question 120

Which of the following is most likely a trace fossil? (ID-GLF-68)

A	Burrows
B	Amber embedded fossils
C	Shell fragments
D	Skeletons
E	Petrified wood

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Credits: Based on the excellent class notes provided by, Dr. Gerald Osborn during Fall 2010 and textbook ISBN-978-0-393-93750-3. This version has been updated on between September and December 2015 using excellent class notes provided by, Dr. Glenn Dolphin, Alex Dutchak and Dr. Brandon Karchewski during Fall 2015.
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Concepts and Additional Questions for Fall 2010 Final

Important!

↑ Some of these are already in the exam type questions in the quiz(above) ↑
Answers to these will NOT be posted. These are based on 2010 lecture notes!

-Know the definitions and features of Composite Volcanos (CV) and Shield volcanos (SV).
-Types of crystallization processes
-Geologic zones; subduction, mid ocean, etc and their features
-Difference between nonconformity and disconformity.
-Difference between stress and strain.
-Differences between tensile stress, compressional stress and shear stress
-Understanding geologic events based on relative deposition.
-Earthquakes and their nature of intensity.
-Types of waves; S-,P-,L- and R- waves.
-Earth’s components and their variation in composition.
-Be able to interpret features on a given map or cross-section.
-Mohorovic discontinuity and it’s importance to geologic studies.
-Know, asymmetrical syncline/anticline, symmetrical syncline/anticline.
-General history of geology as a study subject.
-Concept; slab pull, ridge push and hypothesis on why these occur.
-You should memorize this time scale. Yes, this will most likely appear on the final, but also very useful for the future of your geologic carrier. Most geologists and geophysicsts remember the Geologic Time Scale with respect to important events took place in the history.

Sanuja Senanayake

Geology 201 Final Exam-University of Calgary

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Geology (GLGY 201-UCAL) Final Exam

Concepts and Additional Questions for Fall 2010 Final

Standing on the shoulders of giants

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Geology (GLGY 201-UCAL) Final Exam

Concepts and Additional Questions for Fall 2010 Final

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Standing on the shoulders of giants