FUNDAMENTALS OF GEOLOGY EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
When water contacts pyrite at the earth's surface, the runoff is commonly: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Acidic
In an eolian sand aquifer, hydraulic conductivity would be expected to generally: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Be uniform
Which of the following pairs likely would be composed of sediments with DIFFERENT grain size and
sorting characteristics? - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅34,848,000
The scale for describing the effects or damage caused by an earthquake at a given geographic location is
called the: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Modified Mercalli scale
Which statement best describes the effect of diagenesis on the overall quality of an oil/gas reservoir? -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Diagenesis may enhance or diminish reservoir quality
The rate of production from a subsurface reservoir is most directly related to: - CORRECT
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? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Potassium-Argon
What geophysical method would generally be most effective to map deeply buried (1500' deep) bedrock
pediments? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Seismic reflection
A groundwater model is considered calibrated when: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Hydraulic heads and
fluxes reproduce the system modeled within an acceptable
, tolerance
A rock described as argillaceous: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Is clay-rich
The creation of new oceanic crust is balanced by: - CORRECT 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: - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT 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: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅2x
A topographic map shows several circular depressions in a limestone region. What are these features
called? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Dolines
A cross-stratified sand lens that contains thin streaks of mud in the ripple troughs is called: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Flaser bedding
In which of the following areas are the largest volumes of andesite lava commonly extruded? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Where oceanic lithosphere is subducting beneath continental crust
Which of the following safety factor (SF) values for slope stability shows that a slope is considered
stable: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Greater than one (1)
The effects of solution during diagenesis can be seen in: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Stylolites
ANSWERS
When water contacts pyrite at the earth's surface, the runoff is commonly: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Acidic
In an eolian sand aquifer, hydraulic conductivity would be expected to generally: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Be uniform
Which of the following pairs likely would be composed of sediments with DIFFERENT grain size and
sorting characteristics? - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅34,848,000
The scale for describing the effects or damage caused by an earthquake at a given geographic location is
called the: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Modified Mercalli scale
Which statement best describes the effect of diagenesis on the overall quality of an oil/gas reservoir? -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Diagenesis may enhance or diminish reservoir quality
The rate of production from a subsurface reservoir is most directly related to: - CORRECT
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? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Potassium-Argon
What geophysical method would generally be most effective to map deeply buried (1500' deep) bedrock
pediments? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Seismic reflection
A groundwater model is considered calibrated when: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Hydraulic heads and
fluxes reproduce the system modeled within an acceptable
, tolerance
A rock described as argillaceous: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Is clay-rich
The creation of new oceanic crust is balanced by: - CORRECT 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: - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT 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: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅2x
A topographic map shows several circular depressions in a limestone region. What are these features
called? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Dolines
A cross-stratified sand lens that contains thin streaks of mud in the ripple troughs is called: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Flaser bedding
In which of the following areas are the largest volumes of andesite lava commonly extruded? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Where oceanic lithosphere is subducting beneath continental crust
Which of the following safety factor (SF) values for slope stability shows that a slope is considered
stable: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Greater than one (1)
The effects of solution during diagenesis can be seen in: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Stylolites
