California Specific PG questions and answers
2024\2025 A+ Grade
Anorthosite
- correct answer a plutonic igneous rock composed almost entirely of plagioclase feldspar, found in the
San Gabriel Mountains and dated about 1.022 billion years
Connate Water
- correct answer Water trapped in a formation at the time of deposition
Franciscan Formation
- correct answer a heterogeneous unit of sedimentary and volcanic rocks consisting of graywakce and
inter-bedded shale, minor amounts of chert, limestone, greenstone, andd metamorphic rocks of
greenschist and blueschist facies. May be 50,000 ft thick.
Franciscan Formation
- correct answer Basement rock in Coast Ranges
Lake Cocoran
- correct answer Freshwater lake that covered much of the western San Joaquin Valley about 600,000
years ago. Freshwater deposits include lake clays, volcanic ash, and diatomite of Corcoran Clay member
of Tulare formation
Los Angeles Basin
- correct answer A large downwarped basin formed in Late Tertiary that received thousands of feet of
marine sediments. The basin produced petroleum in prolific quantities.
Ma
- correct answer millions of years
,Monterey Formation
- correct answer A widespread Mioceene marine formation consisting of siliceous shales and cherts.
Silica was deposited as diatomites and silicic ash beds. Phosphates were also deposited in the formation.
Overdraft
- correct answer The condition of water withdrawal by pumping exceeding the amount of water
recharged, occurring over a time frame longer than a year.
Pelona Schist
- correct answer Low-grade metamorphic rock of Cretaceous age in Transverse Ranges
Monterey Formation
- correct answer Most likely source of much of the petroleum and natural gas in the Transverse Ranges
Province.
Salinian Block
- correct answer The structural block located west of the San Andreas Fault zone and east of the
Ncimiento Fault Zone. The basement is composed of Late Cretaceous granitic rocks. The other main
basement type in the Coast Ranges Province
San Andreas Fault
- correct answer Northwest-trending, right-lateral, strike slip fault, 750+ feet long. Separates Pacific and
North American plates.
Franciscan Formation, Salinian Block, Coast Ranges
- correct answer The San Andreas Fault separates the _____ and the _____ in the ____ Province.
Sierra Nevada Batholith
- correct answer A great uplifted block of granitic rocks intruded and uplifted beginning in the Late
Jurassic. The bulk was emplaced in the Cretaceous. Granitic compositions range from granite to quartz
monzonite, quartz diorite, and granodiorite.
Santa Ynez Fault
- correct answer Boundary fault between the Coast Ranges and Transverse Ranges Provinces.
, Franciscan Basement, Transverse Ranges Basement
- correct answer The Santa Ynez Fault separates the _____ and the _____.
Southern California Batholith
- correct answer The dominant rock outcrop of the Peninsular Ranges, consisting of gabbro, diorite,
quartz diorite, quartz monzonite, and granite. Quartz diorite predominates. Was emplaced mainly
during the Cretaceous.
Subjaceent Series
- correct answer One of two major subdivisions of rocks in the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains
Provinces applied to the rocks younger than the Nevadan Orogeny that emplaced the Sierra Nevada
Batholith.
Superjacent Series
- correct answer One of two major subdivisions of rocks in the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains
Provinces applied to the rocks older than the Nevadan Orogeny that emplaced the Sierra Nevada
Batholith.
Sutter Buttes
- correct answer A prominent circular feature in the Central Valley that is volcanic in origin. The core is
andesite and tuff and is surrounded by sedimentary rocks. The core was later intrusded by rhyolite
porphyry.
Pleistocene
- correct answer Explosive activity in the Sutter Buttes was recorded in the _____.
Active Fault
- correct answer A fault that has exhibited ssurface displacement within Holocene time (about 11,000
years) as determined by the California Geologic Survey under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning
Act.
Afterslip
- correct answer Aseismic fault slip that occurs following a large earthquake.
2024\2025 A+ Grade
Anorthosite
- correct answer a plutonic igneous rock composed almost entirely of plagioclase feldspar, found in the
San Gabriel Mountains and dated about 1.022 billion years
Connate Water
- correct answer Water trapped in a formation at the time of deposition
Franciscan Formation
- correct answer a heterogeneous unit of sedimentary and volcanic rocks consisting of graywakce and
inter-bedded shale, minor amounts of chert, limestone, greenstone, andd metamorphic rocks of
greenschist and blueschist facies. May be 50,000 ft thick.
Franciscan Formation
- correct answer Basement rock in Coast Ranges
Lake Cocoran
- correct answer Freshwater lake that covered much of the western San Joaquin Valley about 600,000
years ago. Freshwater deposits include lake clays, volcanic ash, and diatomite of Corcoran Clay member
of Tulare formation
Los Angeles Basin
- correct answer A large downwarped basin formed in Late Tertiary that received thousands of feet of
marine sediments. The basin produced petroleum in prolific quantities.
Ma
- correct answer millions of years
,Monterey Formation
- correct answer A widespread Mioceene marine formation consisting of siliceous shales and cherts.
Silica was deposited as diatomites and silicic ash beds. Phosphates were also deposited in the formation.
Overdraft
- correct answer The condition of water withdrawal by pumping exceeding the amount of water
recharged, occurring over a time frame longer than a year.
Pelona Schist
- correct answer Low-grade metamorphic rock of Cretaceous age in Transverse Ranges
Monterey Formation
- correct answer Most likely source of much of the petroleum and natural gas in the Transverse Ranges
Province.
Salinian Block
- correct answer The structural block located west of the San Andreas Fault zone and east of the
Ncimiento Fault Zone. The basement is composed of Late Cretaceous granitic rocks. The other main
basement type in the Coast Ranges Province
San Andreas Fault
- correct answer Northwest-trending, right-lateral, strike slip fault, 750+ feet long. Separates Pacific and
North American plates.
Franciscan Formation, Salinian Block, Coast Ranges
- correct answer The San Andreas Fault separates the _____ and the _____ in the ____ Province.
Sierra Nevada Batholith
- correct answer A great uplifted block of granitic rocks intruded and uplifted beginning in the Late
Jurassic. The bulk was emplaced in the Cretaceous. Granitic compositions range from granite to quartz
monzonite, quartz diorite, and granodiorite.
Santa Ynez Fault
- correct answer Boundary fault between the Coast Ranges and Transverse Ranges Provinces.
, Franciscan Basement, Transverse Ranges Basement
- correct answer The Santa Ynez Fault separates the _____ and the _____.
Southern California Batholith
- correct answer The dominant rock outcrop of the Peninsular Ranges, consisting of gabbro, diorite,
quartz diorite, quartz monzonite, and granite. Quartz diorite predominates. Was emplaced mainly
during the Cretaceous.
Subjaceent Series
- correct answer One of two major subdivisions of rocks in the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains
Provinces applied to the rocks younger than the Nevadan Orogeny that emplaced the Sierra Nevada
Batholith.
Superjacent Series
- correct answer One of two major subdivisions of rocks in the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains
Provinces applied to the rocks older than the Nevadan Orogeny that emplaced the Sierra Nevada
Batholith.
Sutter Buttes
- correct answer A prominent circular feature in the Central Valley that is volcanic in origin. The core is
andesite and tuff and is surrounded by sedimentary rocks. The core was later intrusded by rhyolite
porphyry.
Pleistocene
- correct answer Explosive activity in the Sutter Buttes was recorded in the _____.
Active Fault
- correct answer A fault that has exhibited ssurface displacement within Holocene time (about 11,000
years) as determined by the California Geologic Survey under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning
Act.
Afterslip
- correct answer Aseismic fault slip that occurs following a large earthquake.
