SEDIMENTARY LECTURE TEST # 1 - SPRING, 2010
1. A "Geosol" is the formal ? unit. A.hydrostratigraphic B.lithodemic C.pedostratigraphic
D.allostratigraphic E.parastratigraphic
2. Feldspars in volcanic rocks would most likely be dated by means of A.thorium-radium B.uraniumlead C.carbon 14 D.potassium-argon E.rubidium-strontium
3. Lithication ? take place at the time of deposition. A.can B.cannot
4. Fluid inclusions are found in A.carbonates B.quartz cement C.sulfur deposits D.petroleum
reservoir rocks E.fluid inclusions may be found in all of these
5. Contacts between stratigraphic units are often A.gradational B.abrupt C.intercalated
D.represented by unconformities E.all of these may describe contacts between stratigraphic units
6. The release of huge amounts of methane clathrates on the seafloor would likely ? global
temperature. A.decrease B.increase C.the release of methane would not influence global
temperatures; global temperature imbalance is due almost entirely to fluctuation of carbon dioxide
7. The North American "Sloss Sequences" have been correlated to ? Cycles on "Exxon-Vail Curves".
A.first order B.second order C.third order D.fourth order E.fifth order
8. Tectonic or "thermal" events may "reset" the "clock" and make ? dating useless to determine the
age of rocks. A.radiometric B.paleomagnetic C.both radiometric and paleomagnetic dates are
affected by tectonic or "thermal" events
9. Compaction of sands is typically ? than that of clays. A.less B.more C.clays and sands compact
in the same way
10. Which of the following is the best example of a marker bed? A.Mineral Wells Formation
B.Strawn Group C.Brannon Bridge Limestone D.Mingus Formation E.Brazos River Formation
11. The Principle of Faunal Succession is a fundamental concept in formulating ? units.
A.lithostratigraphic B.biostratigraphic C.chronostratigraphic D.the Principle of Faunal
Succession is often utilized in formulating all of these units
12. Isotopes of a single element would differ in the number of A.neutrons B.electrons C.protons
13. According to the Goldich Stability Series, the mineral that will weather last in the following
sequence will be A.olivine B.muscovite mica C.pyroxene D.amphibole E.feldspar
14. Flysch sequences are associated with A.eolian processes B.glaciation C.fluvial facies
D.turbidites E.paleosols
15. Lacunas are A.sedimentary sequences characterized by high sedimentation rates B.gaps in the
stratigraphic record
16. 4.5 Ka would represent ? years before the present on the radioisotopic time scale. A.4,500
B.4,500,000 C.4,500,000,000
17. The Phanerozoic is a A.erathem B.system C.stage D.series E.eonothem
18. ? dating measures the numbers of electrons caught up in defects in the crystal structure of
minerals. A.fission track B.uranium disequilibrium C.thermoluminescence D.amino acid
racemization E.carbon-14
19. Which of these was probably not formed by "soft sediment deformation"? A.convolute bedding
B.flame structures C.sandstone dikes D.recumbent foresets E.flute marks
20. Relative sealevel change may be due to A.glaciation B.sediment aggradation C.tectonism
D.seafloor spreading E.all of these may produce relative sealevel change
21. ? dating has a half life of 1.25 billion years. A.thorium-radium B.uranium-lead C.carbon 14
D.potassium-argon E.rubidium-strontium
22. ? occurs at shallow depths, largely under conditions of the depositional environment.
A.mesodiogenesis B.telodiagenesis C.eodiagenesis
23. The problem with paleomagnetic dating is that A.the polarity reversals are only local events
B.iron is a relatively rare component in rocks C.it does not give a direct measurement of time
D.these are all "issues" with paleomagnetic dating
24. Clay moves in a river as part of the A.bed load B.suspended load C.dissolved load D.clay could
move as any of these
25. Geophysical characteristics of strata, such as well logs, may be used to establish ? units.
A.hydrostratigraphic B.lithodemic C.pedostratigraphic D.allostratigraphic E.parastratigraphic
26. Syntaxial overgrowths have ? crystallographic orientations than the grains they "overgrow". A.the
same B.different
27. Plane Beds are in the ? Flow Regime. A.lower B.upper
28. The Froude Number may increase as A.current velocity increases B.as channel depth increases
C.the Froude Number increases as the current velocity increases and the depth of the channel
increases
29. Illite is a ?-temperature clay than smectite. A.lower B.higher C.all clays form at the same
temperature
30. Which of the following would typically be least utilized in biostratigraphy? A.planktonic creatures
B.nektonic creatures C.benthonic creatures
31. Mud diapirs would most likely be formed in the ? environment. A.delta channel B.prodelta
C.delta front D.interdistributary bay E.delta marsh
32. A high rate of "seafloor spreading" will typically produce ? seas. A.aragonite B.calcite
33. Loess is transported through A.aqueous suspension B.aqueous traction C.glacial erosion
D.eolian suspension
34. ? increases porosity, especially "vuggy" and "moldic" types. A.recrystallization B.polymorphism
C.silicification D.leaching E.all of these increase "vuggy" and "moldic" porosity
35. Which of these is oldest? A.Silurian B.Devonian C.Cretaceous D.Ordovician E.Mississippian
36. Groups are A.combined to form formations B.subdivided into formations C.it depends upon the
type of group
37. ? is due to the removal of "overburden" pressure, typically above "exposed" igneous plutons.
A.insolation weathering B.bioturbation C.root wedging D.exfoliation E.diagenesis
38. With increased paleotemperature, the reflectance of vitrinite A.decreases B.increases C.there is
no correlation of paleotemperature and vitrinite reflectance
39. The basic mapping unit in stratigraphy is the A.bed B.member C.formation D.group
E.supergroup
40. Depositional Sequences are bounded by A.faults B.diastems C.hiatuses D.unconformities
E.marker beds
41. The hydrogen ion concentration determines A.pH B.Eh C.the hydrogen ion concentration
determines both pH and Eh
42. Sand moves along the bottom of a stream by A.traction B.saltation C.suspension D.sand may
move along the bottom of a stream by any of these methods
43. Antidunes are in the ? Flow Regime. A.lower B.upper
44. ? consists of blocks of sediment that move downslope as a unit. A.creep B.slump C.mass flows
D.rock falls E.turbidites
45. ? dating uses "D" and "L" Isomers to date objects such as bird eggshells. A.fission track
B.uranium disequilibrium C.obsidian hydration D.amino acid racemization E.carbon-14
46. If calcite replaces dolomite, there is an ? in porosity. A.increase B.decrease
47. The most powerful erosive force is A.gravity B.glacial ice C.wind D.water
48. Diamictites are associated with A.eolian processes B.glaciation C.fluvial facies D.turbidites
E.paleosols
49. The "Hjulström Effect" explains the difficulty for ? to be eroded and transported in water. A.gravel
B.sand C.clay D.the "Hjulström Effect" explains transport processes in general
50. Which of these is youngest? A.Oligocene B.Eocene C.Paleocene D.Pliocene E.Miocene
51. Which of the following designations for stratigraphic units is "proper", following rules of
stratigraphic nomenclature for naming a stratigraphic unit? A.Edwards Formation B.Newark
Supergroup C.Thorp Spring Member D.Bushveld Igneous Complex E.all of these designations
are "proper"; they follow the "rules" of nomenclature in naming a stratigraphic unit
52. It has been theorized that Milankovitch Cycles were probably responsible for ? Cycles on "ExxonVail Curves". A.first order B.second order C.third order D.Milankovitch Cycles probably
produced all of these cycles
53. The creation of secondary porosity by dissolution of cement by meteoric waters would involve
A.mesodiogenesis B.telodiagenesis C.eodiagenesis
54. A brown conodont element probably underwent a ? paleotemperature than a yellow conodont
element. A.lower B.higher C.there is no correlation between conodont color and
paleotemperature
55. In physical weathering, there will be ? change in the chemistry of the weathering minerals. A.little
B.a lot of
56. Eustatic sealevel changes would be classified as types of ? successions. A.autocyclic
B.allocyclic
57. The ? is the youngest "Precambrian". A.Phanerozoic B.Archean C.Proterozoic D.Hadean
58. Which of the following rock types has the fewest numbers of "datable" isotopes? A.metamorphic
B.igneous C.sedimentary
59. A major ? would most likely produce unconformities. A.regression B.transgression
C.regressions and transgressions have nothing to do with unconformities
60. The youngest epoch of the Paleogene is the A.Pleistocene B.Quaternary C.Pliocene
D.Oligocene E.Miocene
61. The establishment of "Exxon-Vail Curves" was primarily accomplished by analyzing ?
sedimentary facies. A.continental B.coastal C.both of these were equally utilized in establishing
"Exxon-Vail Curves"
62. Typically, ripples involve A.smaller particles than those that create dunes B.lower flow velocity
than those that create dunes C.in general, ripples are both finer-grained and have lower flow
velocities than those that create dunes
63. An unconformity between a gneiss and a sandstone would be classified as an A.angular
unconformity B.paraconformity C.nonconformity D.disconformity E.you would never find a
sandstone on top of a gneiss
64. At the end of the ?, there was a huge mass extinction of organisms. A.Silurian B.Carboniferous
C.Miocene D.Jurassic E.Permian
65. ? isotope fluctuations are especially influenced by glaciation. A.sulfur B.strontium C.calcium
D.carbon E.oxygen
66. "Polar Wandering Curves" have proven useful for A.biostratigraphic correlation
B.chronostratigraphic correlation C.lithostratigraphic correlation D.plotting the movement of
continents E.formulating causes of extinction
67. Some portions of the Bell Canyon Formation in the Guadalupe Mountains exhibit considerable
structural deformation, with steeply-dipping beds. The geologic principle that indicates that
deformation has taken place is the principle of A.superposition B.original lateral continuity
C.cross-cutting relationships D.inclusions E.original horizontality
68. Most stratigraphic units are A.isochronous B.diachronous
69. Stratigraphic "breaks" are fewer in ? sediments. A.continental B.oceanic C.both of these are
typically "free" of stratigraphic "breaks"
70. The geochronologic equivalent of a System is a A.age B.epoch C.eon D.era E.period
71. If enormous amounts of dead plant tissue is buried, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere
would typically A.decrease B.increase C.the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere has nothing
to do with the burial of organics
72. Although the Colorado River has eroded a huge expanse of the Grand Canyon, you can still
correlate individual strata from the south side to the north side of the canyon. The stratigraphic
principle that allows the matching of individual stratigraphic units across the canyon is
A.superposition B.original lateral continuity C.cross-cutting relationships D.inclusions E.original
horizontality
73. Complexes often contain ? rocks. A.igneous B.metamorphic C.sedimentary D.a complex can
contain any of these types of rocks
74. Quartz-rich sediments deposited in terrestrial environments would most likely form rocks with ?
cement. A.carbonate B.silica C.both carbonate and silica cement would be equally likely
75. Which of the following rock types would probably be least useful for lithostratigraphic studies?
A.sedimentary B.intrusive igneous C.extrusive igneous D.metasedimentary E.metavolcanic
76. ? dating is based on the theory that volcanic glass absorbs moisture at a constant rate. A.fission
track B.uranium disequilibrium C.obsidian hydration D.amino acid racemization E.carbon-14
77. The "younger Carboniferous" is the A.Permian B.Devonian C.Mississippian D.Silurian
E.Pennsylvanian
78. We know that the Terlingua Fault is younger than the Cretaceous strata in Santa Elena Canyon
because of the principle of A.superposition B.original lateral continuity C.cross-cutting
relationships D.inclusions E.original horizontality
79. The most important biozones used for relative dating are ? zones. A.assemblage B.lineage
C.Oppel D.abundance E.taxon range
80. The oldest period of the Mesozoic is the A.Permian B.Cretaceous C.Carboniferous D.Triassic
E.Jurassic
81. The Comanchean and Gulfian are ? of the Cretaceous. A.stages B.series C.systems
D.eonothems B.erathems