Ontario Geoscientist Licensing Exam
d d d
Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answ d d d d d
ers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A |
d d d d d
Instant Download Pdf d d
1. The primary mineral in granite that is most resistant to weathering i
d d d d d d d d d d d d
s:
a) Biotite
b) Feldspar
c) Quartz
d) Mica
Answer: c) Quartz d d
Quartz is highly resistant to chemical weathering due to its strong
d d d d d d d d d d d
Si–O bonds. d
2. The principle of superposition in stratigraphy states that:
d d d d d d d
a) Older layers lie above younger layers
d d d d d
b) Younger layers lie above older layers
d d d d d
c) All layers are the same age
d d d d d
d) Fossils cannot be used for correlation
d d d d d
Answer: b) Younger layers lie above older layers
d d d d d d d
In undisturbed sedimentary sequences, the oldest layers are at th
d d d d d d d d d
e bottom and the youngest are at the top.
d d d d d d d d
,3. Which type of fault occurs when the hanging wall moves d
d d d d d d d d d d
ownward relative to the footwall? d d d d
a) Reverse fault d
b) Normal fault d
c) Strike-slip fault d
d) Thrust fault d
Answer: b) Normal fault d d d
Normal faults are caused by extensional stress, resulting in the hangi
d d d d d d d d d d
ng wall moving down.
d d d
4. The Mohs hardness of calcite is:
d d d d d
a) 2 d
b) 3 d
c) 5d
d) 7 d
Answer: b) 3 d d
Calcite is relatively soft and can be scratched with a copper coin.
d d d d d d d d d d d
5. Groundwater flow in an unconfined aquifer is primarily controlled
d d d d d d d d d
by:
a) Hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic gradient d d d d
b) Porosity only d
c) Aquifer thickness only d d
d) Water table depth only d d d
Answer: a) Hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic gradient Darcy’s
d d d d d d d
Law explains groundwater flow depending on hydraulic conducti
d d d d d d d d
vity and gradient.
d d
6. A geologist identifies a rock with interlocking crystals of feldspar,
d d d d d d d d d d
quartz, and mica. This rock is most likely:
d d d d d d d
, a) Basalt
b) Granite
c) Sandstone
d) Shale
Answer: b) Granite d d
Granite is an intrusive igneous rock with coarse-
d d d d d d d
grained interlocking crystals of these minerals.
d d d d d
7. Which radiometric dating method is most suitable for dating very
d d d d d d d d d d
old igneous rocks (>1 billion years)?
d d d d d
a) Carbon-14
b) Uranium-Lead
c) Potassium-Argon
d) Rubidium-Strontium
Answer: b) Uranium-Lead d d
U–Pb dating has a very long half-
d d d d d d
life and is ideal for Precambrian rocks.
d d d d d d
8. The principle of cross-cutting relationships states that:
d d d d d d
a) Rock layers are deposited horizontally
d d d d
b) Faults and intrusions are younger than the rocks they cut
d d d d d d d d d
c) Fossils indicate relative age
d d d
d) Sedimentary layers thin laterally d d d
Answer: b) Faults and intrusions are younger than the rocks they c
d d d d d d d d d d d
ut
Any feature that cuts another is younger than the feature it cuts throu
d d d d d d d d d d d d
gh.
9. Which type of unconformity separates tilted sedimentary rocks f
d d d d d d d d
rom overlying horizontal layers?
d d d
, a) Nonconformity
b) Angular unconformity d
c) Disconformity
d) Paraconformity
Answer: b) Angular unconformity
d d d
Angular unconformities occur when older tilted strata are overlai
d d d d d d d d
n by younger horizontal layers.
d d d d
10. The most common element in the Earth’s crust is:
d d d d d d d d
a) Silicon
b) Aluminum
c) Oxygen
d) Iron
Answer: c) Oxygend d
Oxygen makes up roughly 46% of the Earth’s crust by weight, primaril
d d d d d d d d d d d
y in silicate minerals.
d d d
11. Which metamorphic rock forms from limestone under high t
d d d d d d d d
emperature and pressure? d d
a) Slate
b) Quartzite
c) Marble
d) Schist
Answer: c) Marbled d
Marble is the metamorphic product of limestone, consisting mainl
d d d d d d d d
y of recrystallized calcite.
d d d
12. The primary agent of chemical weathering of feldspar is:
d d d d d d d d
a) Oxidation
b) Hydrolysis
d d d
Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answ d d d d d
ers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A |
d d d d d
Instant Download Pdf d d
1. The primary mineral in granite that is most resistant to weathering i
d d d d d d d d d d d d
s:
a) Biotite
b) Feldspar
c) Quartz
d) Mica
Answer: c) Quartz d d
Quartz is highly resistant to chemical weathering due to its strong
d d d d d d d d d d d
Si–O bonds. d
2. The principle of superposition in stratigraphy states that:
d d d d d d d
a) Older layers lie above younger layers
d d d d d
b) Younger layers lie above older layers
d d d d d
c) All layers are the same age
d d d d d
d) Fossils cannot be used for correlation
d d d d d
Answer: b) Younger layers lie above older layers
d d d d d d d
In undisturbed sedimentary sequences, the oldest layers are at th
d d d d d d d d d
e bottom and the youngest are at the top.
d d d d d d d d
,3. Which type of fault occurs when the hanging wall moves d
d d d d d d d d d d
ownward relative to the footwall? d d d d
a) Reverse fault d
b) Normal fault d
c) Strike-slip fault d
d) Thrust fault d
Answer: b) Normal fault d d d
Normal faults are caused by extensional stress, resulting in the hangi
d d d d d d d d d d
ng wall moving down.
d d d
4. The Mohs hardness of calcite is:
d d d d d
a) 2 d
b) 3 d
c) 5d
d) 7 d
Answer: b) 3 d d
Calcite is relatively soft and can be scratched with a copper coin.
d d d d d d d d d d d
5. Groundwater flow in an unconfined aquifer is primarily controlled
d d d d d d d d d
by:
a) Hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic gradient d d d d
b) Porosity only d
c) Aquifer thickness only d d
d) Water table depth only d d d
Answer: a) Hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic gradient Darcy’s
d d d d d d d
Law explains groundwater flow depending on hydraulic conducti
d d d d d d d d
vity and gradient.
d d
6. A geologist identifies a rock with interlocking crystals of feldspar,
d d d d d d d d d d
quartz, and mica. This rock is most likely:
d d d d d d d
, a) Basalt
b) Granite
c) Sandstone
d) Shale
Answer: b) Granite d d
Granite is an intrusive igneous rock with coarse-
d d d d d d d
grained interlocking crystals of these minerals.
d d d d d
7. Which radiometric dating method is most suitable for dating very
d d d d d d d d d d
old igneous rocks (>1 billion years)?
d d d d d
a) Carbon-14
b) Uranium-Lead
c) Potassium-Argon
d) Rubidium-Strontium
Answer: b) Uranium-Lead d d
U–Pb dating has a very long half-
d d d d d d
life and is ideal for Precambrian rocks.
d d d d d d
8. The principle of cross-cutting relationships states that:
d d d d d d
a) Rock layers are deposited horizontally
d d d d
b) Faults and intrusions are younger than the rocks they cut
d d d d d d d d d
c) Fossils indicate relative age
d d d
d) Sedimentary layers thin laterally d d d
Answer: b) Faults and intrusions are younger than the rocks they c
d d d d d d d d d d d
ut
Any feature that cuts another is younger than the feature it cuts throu
d d d d d d d d d d d d
gh.
9. Which type of unconformity separates tilted sedimentary rocks f
d d d d d d d d
rom overlying horizontal layers?
d d d
, a) Nonconformity
b) Angular unconformity d
c) Disconformity
d) Paraconformity
Answer: b) Angular unconformity
d d d
Angular unconformities occur when older tilted strata are overlai
d d d d d d d d
n by younger horizontal layers.
d d d d
10. The most common element in the Earth’s crust is:
d d d d d d d d
a) Silicon
b) Aluminum
c) Oxygen
d) Iron
Answer: c) Oxygend d
Oxygen makes up roughly 46% of the Earth’s crust by weight, primaril
d d d d d d d d d d d
y in silicate minerals.
d d d
11. Which metamorphic rock forms from limestone under high t
d d d d d d d d
emperature and pressure? d d
a) Slate
b) Quartzite
c) Marble
d) Schist
Answer: c) Marbled d
Marble is the metamorphic product of limestone, consisting mainl
d d d d d d d d
y of recrystallized calcite.
d d d
12. The primary agent of chemical weathering of feldspar is:
d d d d d d d d
a) Oxidation
b) Hydrolysis
