G202 EXAM 3 ADVANCED GEOLOGY
AND EARTH SCIENCE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 100% VERIFIED. JUST
RELEASED
1. Which factor primarily determines the viscosity of magma and consequently the
explosiveness of a volcanic eruption?
A. The concentration of dissolved nitrogen gas
B. The silica content and degree of polymerization
C. The temperature of the surrounding wall rock
D. The depth of the magma chamber below the surface
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: High silica content leads to greater polymerization of silicate
tetrahedra, increasing viscosity, which traps gases and leads to more explosive eruptions.
2. In the context of chemical weathering, which process is primarily responsible for the
alteration of feldspar into kaolinite clay?
A. Oxidation
B. Dissolution
C. Hydrolysis
,D. Hydration
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Hydrolysis involves the reaction of silicate minerals with slightly
acidic water, where hydrogen ions replace other cations, commonly turning feldspars into
clay minerals.
3. Which soil horizon is characterized by the accumulation of iron, aluminum, and clay
leached from overlying layers, often referred to as the zone of accumulation?
A. O Horizon
B. A Horizon
C. E Horizon
D. B Horizon
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The B horizon, or subsoil, is the zone of accumulation where
minerals leached from the A and E horizons precipitate.
4. Which type of mass wasting involves the slow, downslope movement of water-saturated
soil over a permafrost layer?
A. Slump
B. Rock avalanche
C. Debris flow
, D. Solifluction
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Solifluction is a specific type of creep that occurs in arctic or
high-elevation environments where the top layer of soil thaws and moves over the frozen
substrate.
5. According to the Hjulström curve, which particle size requires the highest velocity to be
eroded from a cohesive stream bed?
A. Sand
B. Silt
C. Clay
D. Gravel
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Due to electrostatic forces and cohesion, very fine particles like
clay require surprisingly high velocities to be lifted into the flow, even though they remain
in suspension at very low velocities.
6. What is the term for a crescent-shaped lake formed when a meander is cut off from the
main river channel?
A. Kettle lake
B. Oxbow lake
AND EARTH SCIENCE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 100% VERIFIED. JUST
RELEASED
1. Which factor primarily determines the viscosity of magma and consequently the
explosiveness of a volcanic eruption?
A. The concentration of dissolved nitrogen gas
B. The silica content and degree of polymerization
C. The temperature of the surrounding wall rock
D. The depth of the magma chamber below the surface
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: High silica content leads to greater polymerization of silicate
tetrahedra, increasing viscosity, which traps gases and leads to more explosive eruptions.
2. In the context of chemical weathering, which process is primarily responsible for the
alteration of feldspar into kaolinite clay?
A. Oxidation
B. Dissolution
C. Hydrolysis
,D. Hydration
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Hydrolysis involves the reaction of silicate minerals with slightly
acidic water, where hydrogen ions replace other cations, commonly turning feldspars into
clay minerals.
3. Which soil horizon is characterized by the accumulation of iron, aluminum, and clay
leached from overlying layers, often referred to as the zone of accumulation?
A. O Horizon
B. A Horizon
C. E Horizon
D. B Horizon
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The B horizon, or subsoil, is the zone of accumulation where
minerals leached from the A and E horizons precipitate.
4. Which type of mass wasting involves the slow, downslope movement of water-saturated
soil over a permafrost layer?
A. Slump
B. Rock avalanche
C. Debris flow
, D. Solifluction
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Solifluction is a specific type of creep that occurs in arctic or
high-elevation environments where the top layer of soil thaws and moves over the frozen
substrate.
5. According to the Hjulström curve, which particle size requires the highest velocity to be
eroded from a cohesive stream bed?
A. Sand
B. Silt
C. Clay
D. Gravel
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Due to electrostatic forces and cohesion, very fine particles like
clay require surprisingly high velocities to be lifted into the flow, even though they remain
in suspension at very low velocities.
6. What is the term for a crescent-shaped lake formed when a meander is cut off from the
main river channel?
A. Kettle lake
B. Oxbow lake
