Geology 461 Final Exam-University of Calgary

Please note the materials prior to the midterm exam is not part of this quiz questions set. Refer to the midterm sample set here for materials before midterm. Final exam covers every dam thing we ever learned in this class.

Geology (GLGY 461-UCAL) Final Exam

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Question 1

Autocyclic controls are independent of allocyclic controls on sedimentation.

A	True
B	False

Question 2

In an open system with fluid flux driven reactions, the removal of sodium (Na) and potassium (K) from feldspars will form what type of clay mineral?

A	illite
B	kaolinite
C	smectite
D	dickite

Question 3

The bedded charts lack internal sedimentary structures.

A	True
B	False

Question 4

Which of the following are characteristics of microquartz?

A	Equant grains with greater than 20 um in size.
B	Equant grains with less than 20 um in size.
C	Elongated grains with less than 20 um in size.
D	Elongated grains with greater than 20 um in size.

Question 5

Which of the following can be used to identify recrystallized metamorphic quartz?

A	Straight or slightly-undulose extinction and straight boundaries between grains.
B	Elongated subgrains with crenulated boundaries.
C	Straight extinction and large volume of vacuoles.
D	Radiating fibers within sub-grains and highly-undulose extinction.

Question 6

Which of the following can be used to identify plutonic quartz?

A	Monocrystalline, undulatory extinction, relative lack of inclusions.
B	Monocrystalline, undulatory extinction, relative lack of inclusions.
C	Polycrystalline, straight extinction, relative lack of inclusions.
D	Monocrystalline, straight extinction, some vacuoles.
E	Polycrystalline, >5-deg extinction, relative lack of inclusions.

Question 7

Shallow mesogenesis occurs at what ranges of temperature and depth?

A	30 - 50 deg C and 1 -2 km of depth
B	70 - 100 deg C and 2 -3 km of depth
C	100 - 150 deg C and 3 - 4 km of depth
D	0 - 60 deg C and 1 - 2 km of depth

Question 8

The solubility of opal-A is primarily driven by....

A	temperature.
B	pH level.
C	abundance of quartz/silica.
D	abundance of marine-sediments in pore waters.

Question 9

The composition of metamorphic rocks formed under humid conditions are characterized by....

A	high proportion of lithic fragments.
B	high proportion of quartz.
C	high proportion of feldspars.
D	high proportion of angular clasts.

Question 10

If you discover cutans in a stratigraphical column, what would be your best interpretation of the environment?

A	Oxygen rich and well drained environment.
B	Nutrients rich environment above the below table.
C	Nutrients rich environment above the water table.
D	Clay rich and Well drained region above the water table.

Question 10 Explanation:

Few answers are "correct", but only one is better. In difficult exams, you should be able to pick the best choice.

Question 11

When classifying conglomerates, rocks with stable clasts of one type known as __I__ and rocks with a mixture of unstable and metastable clasts known as __II__.

A	I. petromict II. oligomict
B	I. petromict II. polymict
C	I. oligomict II. polymict
D	I. oligomict II. petromict
E	I. polymict II. petromict
F	I. polymict II. oligomict

Question 12

The seal level transgression and regression is primarily driven by what factor?

A	tectonics
B	annual rainfall (global)
C	volume of water produced by springs, rivers, etc
D	changes in global temperature or climate Hint: This is what the media is reporting with respect to Global Warming issue. However, this is NOT the primary force behind sea level change.

Question 13

What is the most fundamental unit of soil structure?

A	Cutans
B	Coats
C	Peds
D	Horizons

Question 14

Which of the following porosity type depended on the type of fabric (fabric selective)?

A	Moldic
B	Vug
C	Channel
D	Fracture

Question 15

During burial diagenesis, what is the first transformation of the opal-CT?

A	opal-CT into mega-quartz
B	opal-CT into opal-A
C	opal-CT into micro-quartz
D	opal-CT into nodular chert

Question 16

What is the typical scale of a soil horizon boundaries?

A	mm to cm scale
B	m to km scale
C	mm to km scale
D	cm to m scale

Question 17

What causes the formation of chert in alkaline lakes?

A	Low solubility of quartz.
B	Very high pH (over 9).
C	Low temperature with respect to the environment.
D	High concentration of opal-A.

Question 18

Which of the following "type" of chert deposition will result in opal-A rich composition (in chert)?

A	Radiolaria
B	Diatoms
C	Spicular
D	Nodular

Question 19

Paleosols are best indicators of what paleo-environment or environmental condition?

A	Subaerial exposure
B	Increase in sea level
C	Past organic conditions
D	Past basins

Question 20

Reduction in porosity due to mechanical and chemical compaction with depth will result in...

A	very high flow rates as sediments get compacted.
B	high amount of salinity driven reactions.
C	high temperature driven reactions with fast reaction rates.
D	mineral reactions as a result of the high rate of de-hydration and hydration cycles.

Question 21

What is the most important factor for sediment accumulation?

A	holes (depressions)
B	eustasy (sea level)
C	type of bedrock
D	chemical and physical composition of sediments

Question 21 Explanation:

The key is to have a depression (a hole/basin) in order to accumulate seds. That is the most fundamental item needed.

Question 22

What can be directly linked to the maturity of paleosols?

A	Organic activity rate. Higher the organic activity, higher the maturity of the paleosols.
B	Organic activity rate. Higher the organic activity, lower the maturity of the paleosols.
C	Sediment accumulation rate. Lower the rate, higher the maturity of paleosols.
D	Sea level transgression. More mature paleosols forms with the increase in sea level.

Question 23

What are the primary factors that affect the formation of peat?

A	The porosity and the drainage of water and water soluble chemical compounds.
B	The amount of clay available in the soil composition.
C	The amount and seasonality of rainfall.
D	The temperature and humidity of the environment.
E	The type of soil forming bacteria and chemical compounds within the sub layers of sediments.

Question 24

Lowering of pH in the environment will lead to....

A	...increase in precipitation of carbonate minerals.
B	...increase in organic activities.
C	...dissolution of carbonate minerals.
D	....increased in formation of mixed clays.

Question 25

Blocky carbonate cements such as ferroan dolomite and calcite are inhibited by...

A	decrease in activity of CO2 gas.
B	increase in the organic acid reactions (carboxylic acid for ex).
C	increase in HCO3.
D	decease in temperature.

Question 26

Mottling in paleosols develop during what stage of soil formation?

A	Very late stage
B	During development (somewhere in the middle)
C	Very early stage
D	During the entire pedogenisis process.

Question 27

What element or compound is released at the end of the albitization of detrital plagioclase?

A	Al³⁺
B	O₂
C	Mg²⁺
D	Water

Question 28

What is the best description for a conglomerate that was composed of fragments of older rocks? Assume you know nothing else about the sample.

A	Extraformational conglomerate
B	Intraformational conglomerate
C	Oligomict conglomerate
D	Polymict conglomerate
E	Epiclastic conglomerate

Question 28 Explanation:

With the limited information, the only thing we can say; it is Epiclastic by definition.

Question 29

What is the most common framework mineral for sedimentary rocks?

A	Quartz
B	Feldspar
C	Clay minerals
D	Volcanic grains
E	Plutonic grains

Question 30

Pedphemesis is highly altered by the changes in....

A	seasonality of rainfall.
B	global temperature change.
C	change in sea levels.
D	change in regional temperature.
E	change in global temperature.

Question 31

Illite is a type of clay. Which of the following statements are true about Illite?

A	It is a pore-filling and grain-rimming cement that precipitate by replacing the previously formed smectite.
B	It is a pore-filling cement that precipitate by consuming minerals from pore waters and it replaces kaolinite.
C	It is pore-filling and grain-rimming cement in which the precipitation is enhanced by deceased in temperature.
D	It is a grain-rimming cement that precipitate as a result of increase in the activity of carbon dioxide in pore water.

Question 31 Explanation:

This is a hard question because most of the answers above is partially right. But only ONE can be considered as perfect statement.

Question 32

Which of the statements are true about external sources of silica?

A	In order to deposit this type of silica, large volume of water must flow through rocks (in which they deposit).
B	This type of silica is limited to large scale depositional environments.
C	External silica is extensively provided by organisms.
D	The precipitation of external silica occurs when the in situ concentration of silica is supersaturated with respect to CO2.

Question 33

Which of the following statements are true for aragonitic sea?

A	Aragonite is favored by increased in temperature and decrease in Mg and SiO4.
B	Aragonite is favored by decreased in temperature, Mg and SiO4.
C	Aragonite is favored by increased in temperature, Mg and SiO4.
D	Aragonitic seas corresponds to high sea levels due to increase in activity at oceanic spreading centers.

Question 34

Global variations in carbonate composition of ooids and unaltered cements can be directly linked to (mainly attributed to)....

A	the composition of the sea water.
B	increase and decease in global temperature.
C	cyclic global warming/cooling events.
D	rate of carbonate deposition at sea.
E	type of organisms.

Question 35

Which of the statement is true about silica?

A	Silica is added to the seawater from rivers.
B	Silica is removed from seawater by evaporation.
C	Silica in opal-A will dissolve first before the silica in quartz as temperature increase.
D	Solubility of silica much higher in lower pH (<5) waters.

Question 36

Which of the following is a true statement on roots/ rootlets /rhizoliths in paleosols.

A	Original organic matter is often preserved.
B	Roots are more commonly found than root molds and rhizoliths.
C	Branching of roots only occur above the water table.
D	Drab halos are formed as a result of aerobic microbial reactions.
E	Rhizoliths are formed as a result of replacement reactions.

Question 37

When will the Kaolinite will transform into dickite?

A	Under shallow mesogenesis with high concentration of potassium. Hint: If K is high, it will form illite.
B	Under shallow mesogenesis with low concentration of potassium.
C	Deep mesogenesis with low concentration of potassium.
D	Deep mesogenesis with high concentration of potassium.

Question 38

When freshwater penetrates into sediments with marine pore-waters, the waters within the pore space will remain ______ with respect to silicate minerals for a long period of time.

A	saturated
B	supersaturated
C	unchanged (equilibrium state)
D	undersaturated

Question 39

Grain size range of 62.5 to 125 microns is classified as what grain-size grade?

A	Granular
B	Fine sand
C	Medium sand
D	Very fine sand
E	Medium sand

Question 40

What is the difference between pedoturbation and bioturbation?

A	Both are the same but pedoturbation occur naturally and bioturbation caused by animal activities.
B	They are different. Pedoturbation occur as a result of chemical changes due to sediments and bioturbation caused by animal activities.
C	They are different because bioturbation process requires oxygen and pedoturbation does not.
D	They are the same but bioturbation forms soil primarily using animal waste while pedoturbation forms soil by compaction of sediments.

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Credits: Based on the excellent class notes provided by, Dr. Rudi Meyer during Winter 2014.
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Sanuja Senanayake

Geology 461 Final Exam-University of Calgary

Geology (GLGY 461-UCAL) Final Exam

Standing on the shoulders of giants

Geology (GLGY 461-UCAL) Final Exam

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Standing on the shoulders of giants