GEOLOGY CERTIFICATION EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS VERIFIED
◉ In an eolian sand aquifer, hydraulic conductivity would be expected
to generally:
Answer: Be uniform
◉ Which of the following pairs likely would be composed of sediments
with DIFFERENT grain size and sorting characteristics?
Answer: Outwash plain - end moraine
◉ It has been determined that a prospective strippable reserve contains
1000 acres (1 acre = 43,560 sq. ft.) of lignite in beds averaging 20 feet in
thickness. Assume specific gravity of 1.28 (80 lbs/ft3). What is the
reserve in tons?
Answer: 34,848,000
◉ The scale for describing the effects or damage caused by an
earthquake at a given geographic location is called the:
Answer: Modified Mercalli scale
◉ Which statement best describes the effect of diagenesis on the overall
quality of an oil/gas reservoir?
,Answer: Diagenesis may enhance or diminish reservoir quality
◉ The rate of production from a subsurface reservoir is most directly
related to:
Answer: Permeability
◉ What is the best radiometric dating technique to determine the age
difference between two Miocene-age volcanic ash deposits separated by
500 feet vertically?
Answer: Potassium-Argon
◉ What geophysical method would generally be most effective to map
deeply buried (1500' deep) bedrock pediments?
Answer: Seismic reflection
◉ A groundwater model is considered calibrated when:
Answer: Hydraulic heads and fluxes reproduce the system modeled
within an acceptable
tolerance
◉ A rock described as argillaceous:
Answer: Is clay-rich
◉ The creation of new oceanic crust is balanced by:
, Answer: An equal amount of old ocean crust being subducted
◉ When collecting duplicate samples to validate the quality of the
laboratory results, the geologist should always:
Answer: Be sure that the duplicates cannot be identified by the lab
◉ A stream crosses a strike-slip fault with no deviation in its course.
Which of the following statements must be true?
Answer: The stream crossed the fault since the last fault movement
◉ The horizontal scale of a cross-section is 1:24,000; the vertical scale
is 1 inch equals 1000 feet. The vertical exaggeration is:
Answer: 2x
◉ A topographic map shows several circular depressions in a limestone
region. What are these features called?
Answer: Dolines
◉ A cross-stratified sand lens that contains thin streaks of mud in the
ripple troughs is called:
Answer: Flaser bedding
◉ In which of the following areas are the largest volumes of andesite
lava commonly extruded?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS VERIFIED
◉ In an eolian sand aquifer, hydraulic conductivity would be expected
to generally:
Answer: Be uniform
◉ Which of the following pairs likely would be composed of sediments
with DIFFERENT grain size and sorting characteristics?
Answer: Outwash plain - end moraine
◉ It has been determined that a prospective strippable reserve contains
1000 acres (1 acre = 43,560 sq. ft.) of lignite in beds averaging 20 feet in
thickness. Assume specific gravity of 1.28 (80 lbs/ft3). What is the
reserve in tons?
Answer: 34,848,000
◉ The scale for describing the effects or damage caused by an
earthquake at a given geographic location is called the:
Answer: Modified Mercalli scale
◉ Which statement best describes the effect of diagenesis on the overall
quality of an oil/gas reservoir?
,Answer: Diagenesis may enhance or diminish reservoir quality
◉ The rate of production from a subsurface reservoir is most directly
related to:
Answer: Permeability
◉ What is the best radiometric dating technique to determine the age
difference between two Miocene-age volcanic ash deposits separated by
500 feet vertically?
Answer: Potassium-Argon
◉ What geophysical method would generally be most effective to map
deeply buried (1500' deep) bedrock pediments?
Answer: Seismic reflection
◉ A groundwater model is considered calibrated when:
Answer: Hydraulic heads and fluxes reproduce the system modeled
within an acceptable
tolerance
◉ A rock described as argillaceous:
Answer: Is clay-rich
◉ The creation of new oceanic crust is balanced by:
, Answer: An equal amount of old ocean crust being subducted
◉ When collecting duplicate samples to validate the quality of the
laboratory results, the geologist should always:
Answer: Be sure that the duplicates cannot be identified by the lab
◉ A stream crosses a strike-slip fault with no deviation in its course.
Which of the following statements must be true?
Answer: The stream crossed the fault since the last fault movement
◉ The horizontal scale of a cross-section is 1:24,000; the vertical scale
is 1 inch equals 1000 feet. The vertical exaggeration is:
Answer: 2x
◉ A topographic map shows several circular depressions in a limestone
region. What are these features called?
Answer: Dolines
◉ A cross-stratified sand lens that contains thin streaks of mud in the
ripple troughs is called:
Answer: Flaser bedding
◉ In which of the following areas are the largest volumes of andesite
lava commonly extruded?
