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
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Question 1 |
A | True |
B | False |
Question 2 |
A | Pore waters |
B | Pressure dissolution |
C | Geostatic pressure |
D | Salt Diapirs |
Question 3 |
A | Within channels |
B | Between dunes |
C | At the mouth of rivers |
D | Stoss side of ripples |
E | Lee side of ripples |
Question 4 |
A | False |
B | True |
Antidunes can be formed as a result of beds deposition in phase to the surface water wave.
Question 5 |
A | limestone |
B | mudstone |
C | sandstone |
D | dolostone |
E | gypsum |
Question 6 |

A | NW to SE |
B | N to S |
C | NE to SE |
D | SE to NW |
E | S to N |
Question 7 |
A | saltation |
B | paleoflow |
C | rolling |
D | sliding |
E | suspension traction |
Question 8 |
A | Shelf (sublittoral zone) |
B | Abyssal zone |
C | Sandy shore (littoral zone) |
D | Above the normal sea level |
E | Bathyal zone |
Question 9 |

A | False |
B | True |
Question 10 |
A | False because pedogenesis is the process of creating rivers. |
B | False because pedogenesis is the process of erosion by both physical and chemical weathering. |
C | False because pedogenesis is the process of creating soil. |
D | True |
Question 11 |
A | amplitude of the wave |
B | type of fluid |
C | viscosity of the fluid |
D | period of the wave |
Question 12 |

A | C |
B | E |
C | D |
D | No such thing on the diagram above. |
E | F |
Question 13 |

A | Neither due to incorrect representation of the initial flow direction. |
B | A |
C | B |
D | Neither due to incorrect representation of the internal flow direction. |
Question 14 |
A | organic deposits |
B | precipitates |
C | carbonates |
D | clastic sediments |
E | evaporates |
Question 15 |
A | A. felsic minerals B. mafic minerals |
B | A. mafic and felsic minerals B. silica rich minerals |
C | A. oceanic crust B. continental crust |
D | A. mafic minerals B. felsic minerals |
E | A. iron rich minerals B. oxygen rich minerals |
Question 16 |

A | G |
B | C |
C | F |
D | E |
E | D |
Question 17 |
A | Matrix is deposited at the same time as clasts while cement forms after the deposition of sediment as precipitate. |
B | Matrix is the substance that binds clasts together while cement is a fined grained material that deposits within crystals. |
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 formed when the clasts are deposited under high temperatures while cement is formed when clasts are deposited under low temperatures. |
Question 18 |
A | Flow separation |
B | Gravity |
C | Potential energy |
D | Sediment load |
E | Flow velocity |
Question 19 |
A | C |
B | G |
C | E |
D | F |
E | D |
F | A |
G | B |
Question 20 |
A | Genology |
B | Paleogeology |
C | Ichnology |
D | Paleotracology Hint: LOL What the hell? |
Question 21 |
A | A. felsic rocks B. mafic rocks |
B | A. mafic rocks B. felsic rocks |
C | A. silicates B. carbonates |
D | A. carbonates B. silicates |
Question 22 |
A | Freezing(swelling) and thawing(shrinking). |
B | Hydration(shrinking) and dehydration(swelling) |
C | Burial(shrinking) and exfoliation(swelling). |
D | Hydration(swelling) and dehydration(shrinking) |
E | Freezing(shrinking) and thawing(swelling). |
Question 23 |
A | Turbidity currents |
B | Slumps |
C | Debris flows |
D | Glacial breakups |
E | Rock falls |
Question 24 |
A | Escape |
B | Grazing |
C | Crawling |
D | Resting |
E | Feeding |
F | Dewlling |
Question 25 |

A | C |
B | B |
C | A |
D | F |
E | G |
F | D |
Question 26 |
A | Minerals that formed as a result of magmatic processes that occurs under water. |
B | Minerals that are formed as a result of erosion due to chemical weathering. |
C | Minerals that replaces (take others' place) other minerals during sedimentation. |
D | Minerals with very high densities resulting deposition at the bottom of a flow. |
E | Minerals that primarily formed from organic materials. |
Question 27 |
A | Depositional sequences in very high energy environments. |
B | Settling velocity of particles in a fluid. |
C | How flow rate, density of the fluid and pathway of flow dictates type of flows. |
D | Flow of a fluid through a tapered tube results in an increase in velocity. |
Question 28 |
A | The rock is composed of just two or three clast types. |
B | The rock is dominated by matrix and has very few clasts. |
C | The rock is composed of highly angular clasts. |
D | The rock is composed of just one clast type. |
Question 29 |
A | Velocity increases as the depth increases. |
B | The highest velocity is at the bed. |
C | At the bed, there is no slip conditions due to higher velocity. |
D | The lowest velocity is at the bed. |
E | Velocity decreases as the depth increases. |
Question 30 |

A | Chemical |
B | Hydration/dehydration |
C | Physical |
D | Simple solution |
Question 31 |
A | Uniformly moving fluids will have an equal instantaneous velocities regardless of depth. |
B | At the top of a moving current, the velocity is close to zero. |
C | Deeper in the fluid higher the velocity. |
D | In the middle of the profile, the velocity is close to zero. |
E | Deeper in the fluid lower the velocity. |
Question 32 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 33 |
A | High energy and high sedimentation environments. |
B | High energy and low sedimentation environments. |
C | Low energy and low sedimentation environments. |
D | Low energy and high sedimentation environments. |
Question 34 |

A | 98% quartz
1 % lithics
1% feldspar |
B | 98% lithics
1 % feldspar
1% quartz |
C | 50% lithics
40 % feldspar
10% quartz |
D | 60% quartz
1 % lithics
90% feldspar |
Question 35 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 36 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 37 |
A | Turbidity current |
B | Grain flow |
C | Liquified flow |
D | Debris flow |
Question 38 |
A | Release of stress as a result of pressure decrease. |
B | Freeze-thaw cycle result in change in volume. |
C | Organic activities such as roots and biodegradation causing increase in the mineral volume. |
D | Organic activities such as roots and biodegradation causing decrease in the mineral volume. |
E | Hydration of minerals result in increase in volume. |
F | Increase of stress as a result of pressure increase. |
Question 39 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 40 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 41 |
A | 5% |
B | 98% |
C | 90% |
D | 50% |
E | 75% |
Question 42 |
A | It transforms igneous rocks into sedimentary rocks |
B | It occurs under temperatures above 500 degree Celsius |
C | It change the chemical and physical characteristics of sediments after the deposition |
D | It transforms sedimentary rocks into metamorphic rocks |
E | It transforms sediments into metamorphic rocks |
Question 43 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 44 |
A | True |
B | False |
Question 45 |
A | decreasing , increasing |
B | increasing , decreasing |
C | None of the answers are correct because it is not the acidity that is important, it is the pH. |
D | decreasing , decreasing |
E | increasing , increasing |
Question 46 |
A | None of the answers are correct |
B | Below massive/rapid deposition |
C | At the base of the sourced region (very bottom) |
D | Within the upper flow regime |
E | Below hemipelagic mud |
Question 47 |
A | Hard organic parts from invertebrates |
B | Magmas rich in calcium carbonates |
C | Precipitation of inorganic compounds out of water due to evaporation |
D | Transported rock fragments |
E | Calcium carbonate produced as a by product of chemical weathering |
Question 48 |
A | olivine |
B | quartz |
C | amphibole |
D | biotite |
Question 49 |
A | 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. |
B | 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. |
C | 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. |
D | 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. |
Question 50 |

A | depth in m |
B | grain size in mm |
C | flow velocity in m/s |
D | grain size in um |
E | flow velocity in cm/s |
Question 51 |
A | Climbing ripples |
B | Trough cross-lamination |
C | Starved ripples |
D | Turbulent sweeps |
E | Planar cross-lamination |
Question 52 |

A | All statements are incorrect. |
B | Left side has the scour region and right side is the stoss side. |
C | Left side has the scour region and right side is the lee side. |
D | Left side is the stoss side and right side is the lee side. |
E | Left side is the lee side and right side is the stoss side. |
Question 53 |
A | ~ 10 degrees |
B | ~ 30 degrees |
C | ~ 100 degrees |
D | ~ 90 degrees |
E | ~ 50 degrees |
Question 54 |
A | shear stress |
B | sub-normal stress |
C | normal stress |
D | tangential stress |
E | super-normal stress |
Question 55 |
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 56 |
A | fighting |
B | feeding |
C | dwelling |
D | extractions(pooping) |
E | crawling |
Question 57 |
A | I. zero II. turbulent |
B | I. lower II. laminar |
C | I. higher II. laminar |
D | None of the answers are correct. |
E | I. lower II. turbulent |
Question 58 |
A | superposition |
B | original horizontality |
C | lowerposition |
D | Uniformitarianism |
E | parsimony |
Question 59 |
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 | 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. |
C | 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. |
D | Semi- relief structures are preserved within a single type of sediment while full-relief structures are preserved at an interface between two strata. |
Question 60 |
A | Bathyal zone |
B | Above the normal sea level |
C | Sandy shore (littoral zone) |
D | Shelf (sublittoral zone) |
E | Abyssal zone |
Question 61 |
A | smooth current velocity model |
B | rough bed velocity model |
C | turbulent velocity model |
D | laminar velocity model |
Question 62 |
A | biological weathering |
B | physical weathering |
C | chemical weathering |
D | artificial weathering |
Question 63 |
A | Gravity: hard sediments sinking into soft underlying sediments |
B | Pressure: soft water-bearing sediments escaping through overlying sediments |
C | Significant density contrast |
D | High volume sediment loads |
Question 64 |
A | paleosols |
B | sedimentation |
C | erosion |
D | pedogenesis |
Question 65 |
A | denudation |
B | physical weathering |
C | erosion |
D | chemical weathering |
Question 66 |
A | Base solutions in high temperature environment |
B | Low pH solutions in high temperature solutions |
C | High pH solutions |
D | Acids |
E | Base |
Question 67 |
A | Long contacts |
B | Subrounded contacts |
C | Sutured contacts |
D | Point contacts |
E | Concavo-convex contacts |
Question 68 |
A | a type of physical weathering caused by biogenic processes which result in breakdown of rocks/sediments. |
B | a type of erosion caused by temperature and pressure change caused by exhumation of rocks/sediments. |
C | a type of chemical weathering caused by oxidation of chemical compounds within rocks. |
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 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. |
Question 69 |
A | Dry climates with long periods of droughts |
B | Deep sea ocean beds with rich organic matter |
C | Humid climates |
D | Dry climates with year-round permafrost |
E | Temperate climate with long cold winters and short warm summers |
Question 70 |
A | Muscovite mica |
B | Kaolinite |
C | Olivine |
D | Calcium Feldspars |
E | Pyroxene |
Question 71 |
A | inertial acceleration |
B | upwards acceleration |
C | temporal acceleration |
D | gravitational acceleration |
E | spatial acceleration |
Question 72 |
A | A. supercritical B. subcritical C. critical |
B | A. supercritical B. critical C. subcritical |
C | A. critical B. supercritical C. subcritical |
D | A. critical B. subcritical C. supercritical |
E | A. subercritical B. critical C. supcritical |
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 73 |
A | Deltaic environment with high sediment influx. |
B | High energy environment with a one single direction of water flow. |
C | Glacial environment where clasts are dragged across a flat surface. |
D | Deep subsurface environments under high pressures and temperatures. |
Question 74 |
-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 | Debris flow |
B | Grain flow |
C | Liquified flow |
D | Turbidity flow |
Question 75 |
A | low viscous forces in the folow |
B | gravity driven flow |
C | laminar flow |
D | turbulent flow |
Question 76 |
A | Velocity increases as the depth increases. |
B | The highest velocity is at the bed. |
C | At the bed, there is no slip conditions due to lower velocity. |
D | It is difficult to determine the velocity hence we heavily relies on speed of flowing rivers for analysis. |
Question 77 |
A | A sub set of beds and laminations that is defined by certain depositional structures. |
B | A type of depositional environment that provides the best suitable conditions for organisms to thrive. |
C | A type of trace fossils created by echinoids. |
D | A a body of rock with specified mineralogical characteristics. |
E | An assemblage of trace fossils that provides an indication of the palaeoenvironment. |
Question 78 |
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 the reworking of soils and sediments by animals or plants. Bioerosion is caused by mechanically or chemically cutting/removing the grains by organisms. |
C | They are the same except Bioturbation is the British English word for Bioerosion(US-English) |
D | Bioturbation is caused by plants. Bioerosion is caused by animal activities. |
Question 79 |
A | Under high-density turbidity currents |
B | Within oxbow lakes |
C | Under current ripples |
D | Within river deltas |
E | Under low- to medium-density turbidity currents |
Question 80 |
A | True |
B | False |
Question 81 |

A | Position I in the stoss side of the ripple |
B | Position V between two ripples |
C | Position II just above the ripple |
D | Position III where the flow rate is consistent and smooth |
E | Position IV in the lee side of the ripple |
Question 82 |
A | Critical flow |
B | Change in normality |
C | Change in flow regime |
D | Gradient change |
E | Hydraulic jump |
Question 83 |
A | authigenic |
B | detrital |
C | sedimentary |
D | native |
E | metamorphic |
Question 84 |

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 lift at the yellow arrow is caused by the high pressure at the top caused by converging streamlines. |
D | The stream lines(red lines) converging at the yellow arrow cause the velocity to increase significantly(at that point). |
E | The pressure right above the yellow arrow is much lower than the pressure near the black rocks/sediments. |
Question 85 |
A | False |
B | True |
Question 86 |
A | Bioturbation affects less than 30% of the sediment sample and the bedding is distinct |
B | Bioturbation is over 90% of sediment bioturbated, and bedding
is barely detectable |
C | A sample with few discrete traces of bioturbation |
D | Sediment is totally reworked by bioturbation |
E | Bioturbation is between 60% to 90% of the sediment bioturbated and bedding indistinct |
F | Bioturbation is between 30% and 60% of the sediment affected and bedding is distinct |
Question 87 |
A | Burrows are created by pushing the grains to walls of the structure and borings 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 trace fossils and borings are body fossils. |
D | Borings are trace fossils and burrows are body fossils. |
E | Borings are created by pushing the grains to walls of the structure and boring are created by mechanically/chemically cutting the grains. |
F | I have no freaking clue what the hell you asking about. |
Question 88 |
A | For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. |
B | Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it. |
C | Gravitational force is proportional to the mass and acceleration due to gravity. |
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 89 |

A | A |
B | C |
C | B |
Question 90 |
A | Slump |
B | Sheet wash |
C | Rock fall |
D | Debris flow |
E | Turbidity current |
Question 91 |

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 92 |

A | A |
B | B |
C | C |
Question 93 |
h(D) = 55 m
g = 9.81 m/s2
u = 33 m/s
A | 0.06116 |
B | 0.6116 |
C | 2.37 |
D | 1.42 |
E | 1.95 |
Question 94 |
A | Fluctuating velocity currents. |
B | Low velocity currents. |
C | High velocity currents. |
D | Medium velocity currents. |
Question 95 |
A | Yep |
B | False |
Question 96 |
A | Dunes have interbedded cross laminations and ripples do not. |
B | Dunes form in marine environments and ripples form in non-marine river type environments. |
C | Dunes forms in turbulent waters and ripples forms in calm waters. |
D | Dunes are distinctly larger than ripples. |
Question 97 |

A | C |
B | A |
C | B |
D | E |
E | D |
Question 98 |
A | Deep marine environments |
B | None of the answers posted here are correct. |
C | Shallow marine environments |
D | Warm and tropical wet environments |
E | River bed environments |
Question 99 |
Description
-high velocity
-larger Reynold's number
-inertial forces dominates over the viscous forces

A | A |
B | Neither |
C | B |
D | It could be either A or B because the description is is insufficient. |
Question 100 |
A | Differential lateral compaction within bed forms resulting high pressures between bed contacts. |
B | Differential pressure-temperature gradient that increases with depth. |
C | High pressures excreted on sediments from both through uplift and loading processes. |
D | Extreme pressure concentrated at the contacts between grains within sediments. |
E | Extreme temperatures and pressures between different sediment successions. |
Question 101 |
A | ore deposits |
B | clastic deposits |
C | carbonates |
D | chemical deposits |
E | evaporites |
Question 102 |
A | bed surface of the velocity profile. |
B | (around) middle of the velocity profile. |
C | highest velocity point of the velocity profile. |
D | surface of the fluid. |
Question 103 |
A | False-it should be other way around. |
B | True |
Question 104 |
A | Description of the identifiable parts. |
B | Study of the mode of preservation. |
C | Classification of the trace fossils. |
D | Study of behavior. |
Question 105 |

A | A. Magmatic arc B. Continental block C. Recycled origin |
B | A. Continental block B. Magmatic arc C. Recycled origin |
C | A. Quartz B. Feldspar C. Lilith fragments |
D | A. Recycled origin B. Continental block C. Magmatic arc |
E | A. Continental block B. Recycled origin C. Magmatic arc |
F | A. Quartz B. Lilith fragments C. Feldspar |
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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