Notice
If you get a question wrong, you can still click on the other answers. This will open up hints and explanations(if available) with additional information.My personal advice: Since the exams are written, if you score less than 90% on the following MC questions, seriously reconsider your study strategies for this class.
Disclaimer: While every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, no guarantees for the currency or accuracy of information are made. It takes several proof readings and rewrites to bring the quiz to an exceptional level. If you find an error, please contact me as soon as possible. Please provide a description of the question because server may randomize the questions and answers.
Go to: Midterm II | Final
Geology (GLGY 381-UCAL) Midterm Exam I
Congratulations - you have completed Geology (GLGY 381-UCAL) Midterm Exam I.
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Question 1 |
A | Planar cross-lamination |
B | Trough cross-lamination |
C | Starved ripples |
D | Turbulent sweeps |
E | Climbing ripples |
Question 2 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 3 |
A | 5% |
B | 90% |
C | 50% |
D | 75% |
E | 98% |
Question 4 |
A | Borings are created by pushing the grains to walls of the structure and boring are created by mechanically/chemically cutting the grains. |
B | Burrows and borings are created by two distinct type of creatures that in burrows the sediments are removed mechanically and in borings the sediments are dissolved chemically. |
C | Burrows are created by pushing the grains to walls of the structure and borings are created by mechanically/chemically cutting the grains. |
D | Borings are trace fossils and burrows are body fossils. |
E | I have no freaking clue what the hell you asking about. |
F | Burrows are trace fossils and borings are body fossils. |
Question 5 |
A | dolostone |
B | sandstone |
C | mudstone |
D | limestone |
E | gypsum |
Question 6 |
A | a type of physical weathering caused by biogenic processes which result in breakdown of rocks/sediments. |
B | a type of physical weathering caused by water or hydrous fluids penetrate rocks/sediments and expand as a result of freezing; leads to cracks and physical breakdown of materials. |
C | a type of erosion caused by temperature and pressure change caused by exhumation of rocks/sediments. |
D | a type of chemical weathering caused by dissociation of water into H+ and OH- ions as a result of acidifying agent. |
E | a type of chemical weathering caused by oxidation of chemical compounds within rocks. |
Question 7 |
A | Warm and tropical wet environments |
B | Deep marine environments |
C | Shallow marine environments |
D | None of the answers posted here are correct. |
E | River bed environments |
Question 8 |

A | Neither due to incorrect representation of the internal flow direction. |
B | Neither due to incorrect representation of the initial flow direction. |
C | A |
D | B |
Question 9 |
A | None of the answers are correct |
B | At the base of the sourced region (very bottom) |
C | Within the upper flow regime |
D | Below massive/rapid deposition |
E | Below hemipelagic mud |
Question 10 |
A | quartz |
B | amphibole |
C | olivine |
D | biotite |
Question 11 |

A | B |
B | C |
C | D |
D | A |
E | F |
F | G |
Question 12 |
A | False-it should be other way around. |
B | True |
Question 13 |
A | Release of stress as a result of pressure decrease. |
B | Increase of stress as a result of pressure increase. |
C | Organic activities such as roots and biodegradation causing decrease in the mineral volume. |
D | Hydration of minerals result in increase in volume. |
E | Organic activities such as roots and biodegradation causing increase in the mineral volume. |
F | Freeze-thaw cycle result in change in volume. |
Question 14 |
A | lowerposition |
B | parsimony |
C | original horizontality |
D | superposition |
E | Uniformitarianism |
Question 15 |
A | True |
B | False |
Question 16 |
A | Sandy shore (littoral zone) |
B | Bathyal zone |
C | Above the normal sea level |
D | Abyssal zone |
E | Shelf (sublittoral zone) |
Question 17 |
A | Sedimentary rocks are unconsolidated materials that forms at the Earth's surface while sediments are formed as a result of burial and lithification of these sediment materials. |
B | Even though they have the similar names, they are unrelated each other because sedimentary rock is a geologic structure and sediment is a type of geologic material. |
C | Even though they have the similar names, they are unrelated each other because sediment is a geologic structure and sedimentary rock is a type of geologic material. |
D | Sediments are unconsolidated materials that forms at the Earth's surface while sedimentary rocks are formed as a result of burial and lithification of these sediment materials. |
Question 18 |

A | 1. is an antidune 2. is a dune |
B | 1. is a dune 2. is a dune |
C | 1. is a dune 2. is an antidune |
D | 1. is an antidune 2. is an antidune |
Question 19 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 20 |

A | Hydration/dehydration |
B | Physical |
C | Simple solution |
D | Chemical |
Question 21 |
A | ~ 10 degrees |
B | ~ 100 degrees |
C | ~ 30 degrees |
D | ~ 50 degrees |
E | ~ 90 degrees |
Question 22 |
A | I. higher II. laminar |
B | I. zero II. turbulent |
C | I. lower II. turbulent |
D | I. lower II. laminar |
E | None of the answers are correct. |
Question 23 |
A | Dunes form in marine environments and ripples form in non-marine river type environments. |
B | Dunes are distinctly larger than ripples. |
C | Dunes have interbedded cross laminations and ripples do not. |
D | Dunes forms in turbulent waters and ripples forms in calm waters. |
Question 24 |
A | detrital |
B | authigenic |
C | sedimentary |
D | native |
E | metamorphic |
Question 25 |
A | Gravitational force is proportional to the mass and acceleration due to gravity. |
B | For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. |
C | Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. |
D | The relationship between an object's mass m, its acceleration a, and the applied force F is F = ma. Acceleration and force are vectors (as indicated by their symbols being displayed in slant bold font); in this law the direction of the force vector is the same as the direction of the acceleration vector. |
Question 26 |
A | A. oceanic crust B. continental crust |
B | A. mafic minerals B. felsic minerals |
C | A. mafic and felsic minerals B. silica rich minerals |
D | A. felsic minerals B. mafic minerals |
E | A. iron rich minerals B. oxygen rich minerals |
Question 27 |
A | erosion |
B | sedimentation |
C | pedogenesis |
D | paleosols |
Question 28 |
A | Calcium carbonate produced as a by product of chemical weathering |
B | Precipitation of inorganic compounds out of water due to evaporation |
C | Transported rock fragments |
D | Magmas rich in calcium carbonates |
E | Hard organic parts from invertebrates |
Question 29 |
A | crawling |
B | fighting |
C | dwelling |
D | feeding |
E | extractions(pooping) |
Question 30 |
A | organic deposits |
B | evaporates |
C | precipitates |
D | clastic sediments |
E | carbonates |
Question 31 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 32 |
A | A. critical B. subcritical C. supercritical |
B | A. supercritical B. subcritical C. critical |
C | A. subercritical B. critical C. supcritical |
D | A. critical B. supercritical C. subcritical |
E | A. supercritical B. critical C. subcritical |
supercritical = Fr > 1 and the velocity of the stream is greater than the velocity of the surface wave.
subcritical = Fr < 1 and the velocity of the stream is lower than the velocity of the surface wave.
Question 33 |

A | depth in m |
B | grain size in um |
C | flow velocity in cm/s |
D | flow velocity in m/s |
E | grain size in mm |
Question 34 |
A | High pressures excreted on sediments from both through uplift and loading processes. |
B | Differential lateral compaction within bed forms resulting high pressures between bed contacts. |
C | Extreme pressure concentrated at the contacts between grains within sediments. |
D | Extreme temperatures and pressures between different sediment successions. |
E | Differential pressure-temperature gradient that increases with depth. |
Question 35 |
h(D) = 55 m
g = 9.81 m/s2
u = 33 m/s
A | 2.37 |
B | 0.06116 |
C | 1.95 |
D | 1.42 |
E | 0.6116 |
Question 36 |
A | False |
B | Yep |
Question 37 |

A | Position III where the flow rate is consistent and smooth |
B | Position IV in the lee side of the ripple |
C | Position I in the stoss side of the ripple |
D | Position II just above the ripple |
E | Position V between two ripples |
Question 38 |
A | A type of trace fossils created by echinoids. |
B | A type of depositional environment that provides the best suitable conditions for organisms to thrive. |
C | A sub set of beds and laminations that is defined by certain depositional structures. |
D | An assemblage of trace fossils that provides an indication of the palaeoenvironment. |
E | A a body of rock with specified mineralogical characteristics. |
Question 39 |
A | Sediment is totally reworked by bioturbation |
B | Bioturbation affects less than 30% of the sediment sample and the bedding is distinct |
C | Bioturbation is between 60% to 90% of the sediment bioturbated and bedding indistinct |
D | Bioturbation is between 30% and 60% of the sediment affected and bedding is distinct |
E | A sample with few discrete traces of bioturbation |
F | Bioturbation is over 90% of sediment bioturbated, and bedding
is barely detectable |
Question 40 |
A | Turbidity current |
B | Liquified flow |
C | Grain flow |
D | Debris flow |
Question 41 |

A | Left side is the stoss side and right side is the lee side. |
B | All statements are incorrect. |
C | Left side has the scour region and right side is the stoss side. |
D | Left side is the lee side and right side is the stoss side. |
E | Left side has the scour region and right side is the lee side. |
Question 42 |

A | 50% lithics
40 % feldspar
10% quartz |
B | 98% quartz
1 % lithics
1% feldspar |
C | 98% lithics
1 % feldspar
1% quartz |
D | 60% quartz
1 % lithics
90% feldspar |
Question 43 |
A | upwards acceleration |
B | inertial acceleration |
C | gravitational acceleration |
D | temporal acceleration |
E | spatial acceleration |
Question 44 |
A | Within oxbow lakes |
B | Under high-density turbidity currents |
C | Within river deltas |
D | Under current ripples |
E | Under low- to medium-density turbidity currents |
Question 45 |
A | Study of the mode of preservation. |
B | Classification of the trace fossils. |
C | Description of the identifiable parts. |
D | Study of behavior. |
Question 46 |
A | A. felsic rocks B. mafic rocks |
B | A. silicates B. carbonates |
C | A. mafic rocks B. felsic rocks |
D | A. carbonates B. silicates |
Question 47 |

A | False |
B | True |
Question 48 |
A | Low pH solutions in high temperature solutions |
B | High pH solutions |
C | Base solutions in high temperature environment |
D | Acids |
E | Base |
Question 49 |
A | rough bed velocity model |
B | turbulent velocity model |
C | laminar velocity model |
D | smooth current velocity model |
Question 50 |
A | Between dunes |
B | At the mouth of rivers |
C | Within channels |
D | Stoss side of ripples |
E | Lee side of ripples |
Question 51 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 52 |
A | decreasing , decreasing |
B | None of the answers are correct because it is not the acidity that is important, it is the pH. |
C | decreasing , increasing |
D | increasing , decreasing |
E | increasing , increasing |
Question 53 |
A | True |
B | False |
Question 54 |
A | Depositional sequences in very high energy environments. |
B | How flow rate, density of the fluid and pathway of flow dictates type of flows. |
C | Settling velocity of particles in a fluid. |
D | Flow of a fluid through a tapered tube results in an increase in velocity. |
Question 55 |

A | The pressure from above is much higher causing the grains to push hard against the bed. |
B | The stream lines(red lines) converging at the yellow arrow cause the velocity to decrease significantly(at that point). |
C | The pressure right above the yellow arrow is much lower than the pressure near the black rocks/sediments. |
D | The stream lines(red lines) converging at the yellow arrow cause the velocity to increase significantly(at that point). |
E | The lift at the yellow arrow is caused by the high pressure at the top caused by converging streamlines. |
Question 56 |

A | C |
B | B |
C | A |
Question 57 |
A | type of fluid |
B | viscosity of the fluid |
C | amplitude of the wave |
D | period of the wave |
Question 58 |
A | The rock is dominated by matrix and has very few clasts. |
B | The rock is composed of highly angular clasts. |
C | The rock is composed of just two or three clast types. |
D | The rock is composed of just one clast type. |
Question 59 |
A | suspension traction |
B | sliding |
C | paleoflow |
D | rolling |
E | saltation |
Question 60 |
A | Full relief structures are preserved within a single type of sediment while semi-relief structures are preserved at an interface between two strata. |
B | Semi- relief structures are preserved within a single type of sediment while full-relief structures are preserved at an interface between two strata. |
C | Full relief structures are preserved as 2D structures while semi-relief structures are preserved as 3D structures. Both are preserved within a single type of sediment. |
D | Full relief structures are partially preserved within a single type of sediment while semi-relief structures are fully preserved at an interface between two strata. |
Question 61 |

A | A |
B | C |
C | E |
D | B |
E | D |
Question 62 |
A | Deep sea ocean beds with rich organic matter |
B | Temperate climate with long cold winters and short warm summers |
C | Humid climates |
D | Dry climates with year-round permafrost |
E | Dry climates with long periods of droughts |
Question 63 |
A | physical weathering |
B | chemical weathering |
C | denudation |
D | erosion |
Question 64 |
A | Low energy and low sedimentation environments. |
B | Low energy and high sedimentation environments. |
C | High energy and low sedimentation environments. |
D | High energy and high sedimentation environments. |
Question 65 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 66 |
A | True |
B | False |
Question 67 |
A | (around) middle of the velocity profile. |
B | highest velocity point of the velocity profile. |
C | bed surface of the velocity profile. |
D | surface of the fluid. |
Question 68 |

A | NW to SE |
B | SE to NW |
C | N to S |
D | S to N |
E | NE to SE |
Question 69 |
A | True |
B | False because pedogenesis is the process of creating rivers. |
C | False because pedogenesis is the process of creating soil. |
D | False because pedogenesis is the process of erosion by both physical and chemical weathering. |
Question 70 |
A | Significant density contrast |
B | Pressure: soft water-bearing sediments escaping through overlying sediments |
C | High volume sediment loads |
D | Gravity: hard sediments sinking into soft underlying sediments |
Question 71 |
A | A. bed load B. suspended load |
B | A. gravity driven load B. inertial forces driven load |
C | A. inertial forces driven load B. gravity driven load |
D | A. suspended load B. bed load |
Question 72 |

A | C |
B | A |
C | B |
Question 73 |
A | At the top of a moving current, the velocity is close to zero. |
B | In the middle of the profile, the velocity is close to zero. |
C | Uniformly moving fluids will have an equal instantaneous velocities regardless of depth. |
D | Deeper in the fluid higher the velocity. |
E | Deeper in the fluid lower the velocity. |
Question 74 |
A | Burial(shrinking) and exfoliation(swelling). |
B | Freezing(swelling) and thawing(shrinking). |
C | Hydration(shrinking) and dehydration(swelling) |
D | Freezing(shrinking) and thawing(swelling). |
E | Hydration(swelling) and dehydration(shrinking) |
Question 75 |
A | Genology |
B | Ichnology |
C | Paleogeology |
D | Paleotracology Hint: LOL What the hell? |
Question 76 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 77 |
A | True |
B | False |
Question 78 |
A | Kaolinite |
B | Pyroxene |
C | Muscovite mica |
D | Calcium Feldspars |
E | Olivine |
Question 79 |
A | tangential stress |
B | normal stress |
C | sub-normal stress |
D | super-normal stress |
E | shear stress |
Question 80 |
A | Matrix is formed when the clasts are deposited under high temperatures while cement is formed when clasts are deposited under low temperatures. |
B | Matrix is deposited at the same time as clasts while cement forms after the deposition of sediment as precipitate. |
C | Both terms describes a material that binds clasts but the term "matrix" is used when the rock is mostly composed of clasts while cement is used when majority of the rock is composed of fined grained materials. |
D | Matrix is the substance that binds clasts together while cement is a fined grained material that deposits within crystals. |
Question 81 |
Description
-high velocity
-larger Reynold's number
-inertial forces dominates over the viscous forces

A | B |
B | Neither |
C | A |
D | It could be either A or B because the description is is insufficient. |
Question 82 |
A | Dewlling |
B | Grazing |
C | Resting |
D | Feeding |
E | Crawling |
F | Escape |
Question 83 |
A | Flow velocity |
B | Flow separation |
C | Gravity |
D | Potential energy |
E | Sediment load |
Question 84 |
A | Fluctuating velocity currents. |
B | Medium velocity currents. |
C | High velocity currents. |
D | Low velocity currents. |
Question 85 |
A | Minerals that primarily formed from organic materials. |
B | Minerals that are formed as a result of erosion due to chemical weathering. |
C | Minerals that formed as a result of magmatic processes that occurs under water. |
D | Minerals with very high densities resulting deposition at the bottom of a flow. |
E | Minerals that replaces (take others' place) other minerals during sedimentation. |
Question 86 |
A | Shelf (sublittoral zone) |
B | Sandy shore (littoral zone) |
C | Above the normal sea level |
D | Abyssal zone |
E | Bathyal zone |
Question 87 |
A | Debris flow |
B | Sheet wash |
C | Rock fall |
D | Turbidity current |
E | Slump |
Question 88 |
A | Slumps |
B | Turbidity currents |
C | Debris flows |
D | Rock falls |
E | Glacial breakups |
Question 89 |
A | A |
B | F |
C | C |
D | E |
E | D |
F | B |
G | G |
Question 90 |
A | Pore waters |
B | Pressure dissolution |
C | Geostatic pressure |
D | Salt Diapirs |
Question 91 |
A | clastic deposits |
B | carbonates |
C | chemical deposits |
D | ore deposits |
E | evaporites |
Question 92 |
A | artificial weathering |
B | biological weathering |
C | chemical weathering |
D | physical weathering |
Question 93 |
A | It change the chemical and physical characteristics of sediments after the deposition |
B | It transforms sediments into metamorphic rocks |
C | It transforms sedimentary rocks into metamorphic rocks |
D | It transforms igneous rocks into sedimentary rocks |
E | It occurs under temperatures above 500 degree Celsius |
Question 94 |
A | Point contacts |
B | Concavo-convex contacts |
C | Sutured contacts |
D | Long contacts |
E | Subrounded contacts |
Question 95 |
A | True |
B | False |
Antidunes can be formed as a result of beds deposition in phase to the surface water wave.
Question 96 |
A | Velocity decreases as the depth increases. |
B | At the bed, there is no slip conditions due to higher velocity. |
C | The lowest velocity is at the bed. |
D | The highest velocity is at the bed. |
E | Velocity increases as the depth increases. |
Question 97 |

A | E |
B | F |
C | C |
D | G |
E | D |
Question 98 |

A | C |
B | No such thing on the diagram above. |
C | E |
D | F |
E | D |
Question 99 |
A | turbulent flow |
B | low viscous forces in the folow |
C | gravity driven flow |
D | laminar flow |
Question 100 |

A | A. Quartz B. Feldspar C. Lilith fragments |
B | A. Continental block B. Recycled origin C. Magmatic arc |
C | A. Continental block B. Magmatic arc C. Recycled origin |
D | A. Magmatic arc B. Continental block C. Recycled origin |
E | A. Quartz B. Lilith fragments C. Feldspar |
F | A. Recycled origin B. Continental block C. Magmatic arc |
Question 101 |
A | Bioerosion is the reworking of soils and sediments by animals or plants. Bioturbation is caused by mechanically or chemically cutting/removing the grains by organisms. |
B | Bioturbation is caused by plants. Bioerosion is caused by animal activities. |
C | Bioturbation is the reworking of soils and sediments by animals or plants. Bioerosion is caused by mechanically or chemically cutting/removing the grains by organisms. |
D | They are the same except Bioturbation is the British English word for Bioerosion(US-English) |
Question 102 |
A | Deltaic environment with high sediment influx. |
B | Deep subsurface environments under high pressures and temperatures. |
C | Glacial environment where clasts are dragged across a flat surface. |
D | High energy environment with a one single direction of water flow. |
Question 103 |
A | Change in flow regime |
B | Critical flow |
C | Hydraulic jump |
D | Change in normality |
E | Gradient change |
Question 104 |
-high viscosity
-poorly sorted grains
-often larger clasts are separated by fine grained materials
-low Reynolds number and considered as a laminar flow
-low velocity (40-50 km/h)
A | Turbidity flow |
B | Debris flow |
C | Grain flow |
D | Liquified flow |
Question 105 |
A | It is difficult to determine the velocity hence we heavily relies on speed of flowing rivers for analysis. |
B | Velocity increases as the depth increases. |
C | The highest velocity is at the bed. |
D | At the bed, there is no slip conditions due to lower velocity. |
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Credits: Based on the excellent class notes provided by, Dr. Melissa Giovanni during Fall 2012.
FAQ | Report an Error
Some of the Lab Midterm sample images | Click here
Concepts and Additional Questions for Fall 2012 Midterm I
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 lecture notes!
-velocity profile; what is idealized modal’s limitations; where is the viscous sublayer and what is it
-bed formation; shape of the bed, x-beds, directional flows
-bed load vs suspended load
-Stoke’s law and the settling velocity
-flow separation concepts; eddy; stoss/lee with respect to x-beds in dunes and anti-dunes; water surface in or out of phase of bed formation
-unidirectional flow vs ocillating flow; be able to draw and describe the differences between them; wave base “feel my bottom”.
-type of sediment gravity flows; debris flow; grain flow; liquefied flow (remember that debris flow and liquefied flow are similar in operation, but different in terms of size of rocks/grains involved.
Dr. Spila’s stuff
-4 steps involving accurately identifying fossils; preservation, description, behaviour, classification(we don’t have to know how to name them)
-What is ichnology
-difference between biotrubation and bioerrosion; which is the most common type; what is the formula for degree of bioturbation
-what are borings and what are borrows
-6 major common categories of behaviours and their reliefs; crawling(semi), resting(semi), feeding(full), gazing(semi), dewlling(full), escape(full).
-meniscae and few other definitions
-preservation differences between full and semi-relief