ASBOG PRACTICE QUIZ QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS WITH VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS
Which geologic law explains the relative ages of rocks with respect to one another in a map or cross
section? - ANSWER Principle of Initial Horizontality
Law of Superposition
Law of Cross-cutting Relationship
Surface exposure, in a temperate environment, of aluminum silicate minerals such as feldspar would
result in the development of which of the following clay minerals? - ANSWER Montmorillonite
What geologic condition would produce slow drainage within the cone of depression of an unconfined
aquifer? - ANSWER Glacial drift
What type of slope failure would you expect to find in a well-cemented conglomerate overlying a shale
in an area of high ground water levels? - ANSWER Translational slide
Rotational landslide - ANSWER the downward and outward movement of a mass on top of a concave
upward failure surface
When constructing an isopach map you ... - ANSWER contouring the thickness of a bed
Under low pH conditions... - ANSWER *Cyanide and sulfide are more toxic to fish
*Ammonia is less toxic to fish
*Acid mine drainage conditions exit.
A good index fossil is characterized by - ANSWER a restricted stratigraphic range and a wide geographic
range
What would be the most logical engineering geologic classification of a till using the USCS? - ANSWER
GM - GC
, In the process of natural gas production, what is the purpose of injecting sand? - ANSWER It keeps
fractures open
Aerial photographs that were shot an an elevation of 3000' and using a focal length of 6". What is the
scale of the map? - ANSWER 6 = 3000 -> 1 = 500
Gossan or "rust' is formed at the surface as a result of hydration of iron oxides during natural weathering
and/or alteration processes in areas that are underlain by valuable mineralization of metal sulfides. What
technique is particularly suited for investigating these types of ore bodies? - ANSWER Landsat remote
sensing
An area with a collection of closed depressions, some of which are full of water, resulted from what? -
ANSWER *Collapse of coal mine
*Collapse of rock over an underground cavity in limestone
*A large landslide in an area underlain by clayey soils
MTBE - ANSWER Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether
Finding MTBE source in an unconfined aquifer - ANSWER GIS
Trilobites are important to the dating of rocks b/w the Cambrian and the Permian b/c - ANSWER Their
presence defines the lower limit of the Cambrian Period and Paleozoic Era.
Generate a series of maps providing geologic features, delineating map coverage of
investigations/reports done in the area. One million acres. What scale of maps would be appropriate for
the presentation? - ANSWER Small-scale maps
In an area of limited surface outcrops, is a large overturned anticline composed of an incompetent bed
bounded by two competent beds. How would you determine which limb is overturned? - ANSWER
Examine drag folding within the incompetent bed
AND ANSWERS WITH VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS
Which geologic law explains the relative ages of rocks with respect to one another in a map or cross
section? - ANSWER Principle of Initial Horizontality
Law of Superposition
Law of Cross-cutting Relationship
Surface exposure, in a temperate environment, of aluminum silicate minerals such as feldspar would
result in the development of which of the following clay minerals? - ANSWER Montmorillonite
What geologic condition would produce slow drainage within the cone of depression of an unconfined
aquifer? - ANSWER Glacial drift
What type of slope failure would you expect to find in a well-cemented conglomerate overlying a shale
in an area of high ground water levels? - ANSWER Translational slide
Rotational landslide - ANSWER the downward and outward movement of a mass on top of a concave
upward failure surface
When constructing an isopach map you ... - ANSWER contouring the thickness of a bed
Under low pH conditions... - ANSWER *Cyanide and sulfide are more toxic to fish
*Ammonia is less toxic to fish
*Acid mine drainage conditions exit.
A good index fossil is characterized by - ANSWER a restricted stratigraphic range and a wide geographic
range
What would be the most logical engineering geologic classification of a till using the USCS? - ANSWER
GM - GC
, In the process of natural gas production, what is the purpose of injecting sand? - ANSWER It keeps
fractures open
Aerial photographs that were shot an an elevation of 3000' and using a focal length of 6". What is the
scale of the map? - ANSWER 6 = 3000 -> 1 = 500
Gossan or "rust' is formed at the surface as a result of hydration of iron oxides during natural weathering
and/or alteration processes in areas that are underlain by valuable mineralization of metal sulfides. What
technique is particularly suited for investigating these types of ore bodies? - ANSWER Landsat remote
sensing
An area with a collection of closed depressions, some of which are full of water, resulted from what? -
ANSWER *Collapse of coal mine
*Collapse of rock over an underground cavity in limestone
*A large landslide in an area underlain by clayey soils
MTBE - ANSWER Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether
Finding MTBE source in an unconfined aquifer - ANSWER GIS
Trilobites are important to the dating of rocks b/w the Cambrian and the Permian b/c - ANSWER Their
presence defines the lower limit of the Cambrian Period and Paleozoic Era.
Generate a series of maps providing geologic features, delineating map coverage of
investigations/reports done in the area. One million acres. What scale of maps would be appropriate for
the presentation? - ANSWER Small-scale maps
In an area of limited surface outcrops, is a large overturned anticline composed of an incompetent bed
bounded by two competent beds. How would you determine which limb is overturned? - ANSWER
Examine drag folding within the incompetent bed
