ESS 101 Final Exam Questions and
answers 2025
Joints .facilitate .weathering .because .___________.
a. .they .increase .the .acidity .of .the .water
b. .permit .water .and .other .chemical .agents .to .penetrate .below .the .surface.
c. .provide .more .surface .area .for .the .weathering .front .to .attack.
d. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct.
e. .only .answers .b .and .c .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-
e. .only .answers .b .and .c .are .correct.
Why .did .the .rill .depth .increase .on .the .limestone .boulders .measured .on .three .di
fferent .alpine .glacial .moraines .studied .along .the .valley .floor?
a. .the .lower .moraine .received .more .precipitation.
b. .the .lower .moraine .was .comprised .of .weaker .limestone .rock .that .was .pre-
weathered .prior .to .deposition.
c. .the .lower .moraine .was .older .and .subjected .to .longer .weathering.
d. .all .of .the .above.
e. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct .as .the .rill .depth .remained .constant. .- .
ANS✓✓-c. .the .lower .moraine .was .older .and .subjected .to .longer .weathering.
Limestone .will .tend .to .precipitate .in .sea .water .when .________.
a. .carbon .dioxide .content .decreases
b. .carbon .dioxide .content .increases
c. .it .is .agitated .by .wave .actions. .
d. .answers .b .and .c .are .correct
e. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct .- .ANS✓✓-e. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct
Frost .wedging .occurs .in .rock .because:
a. .water .contracts .when .it .freezes .to .form .ice.
b. .water .expands .when .it .melts
c. .water .expands .when .it .freezes .to .form .ice.
d. .water .will .expand .when .it .evaporates.
e. .none .of .the .above .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-
c. .water .expands .when .it .freezes .to .form .ice.
Besides .frost .wedging .which .of .the .following .are .examples .of .mechanical .weat
hering?
a. .oxidation .of .iron
b. .hydrolysis .reaction .converting .potassium .feldspar .to .kaolinite .clay
c. .dissolution .of .calcite
d. .all .of .the .above .answers .are .correct
,e. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct .- .ANS✓✓-
e. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct
H+ .ions .utilized .in .hydrolysis .weathering .reactions .come .from ._________.
a. .primordial .waster .emitted .directly .from .volcanic .eruptions. .
b. .hydrogen .sulfide .gas
c. .carbonic .acid
d. .hydrogen .gas .from .the .atmosphere
e. .hydrogen .peroxide .- .ANS✓✓-c. .carbonic .acid
Which .of .the .following .transport .agents .generally .results .in .cross .beds?
a. .wind
b. .turbidity .currents
c. .rivers
d. .glaciers
e. .answers .a .and .c .are .both .correct .- .ANS✓✓-
e. .answers .a .and .c .are .both .correct
Over .time .angular .joints .blocks .will ._________ .due .to .surface .weathering. .
a. .become .larger
b. .retain .their .geometric .form
c. .become .round .
d. .evolve .into .faults
e. .become .more .angular .- .ANS✓✓-c. .become .round
Chert .generally .precipitates .in .deep .ocean .water .because .______.
a. .calcium .carbonate .precipitates .in .cold .water. .
b. .silica .is .less .soluble .(dissolvable) .in .cold .water. .
c. .silica .is .more .soluble .in .cold .water. .
d. .silica .bearing .organisms .live .in .deep .water. .
e. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-b. .silica .is .less .soluble .
(dissolvable) .in .cold .water.
Monocline .folds .result .from .______.
a. .bi-directional .stresses.
b. .uni-directional .stresses.
c. .extensional .stresses. .
d. .erosion .of .plunging .(tilted) .anticlines .and .synclines.
e. .erosion .of .tilted .strats. .- .ANS✓✓-b. .uni-directional .stresses.
Oolites .form .from ._________. .
a. .precipitation .of .silica .around .sand .grains .oscillated .by .waves.
b. .precipitation .of .calcite .around .sand .grains .oscillated .by .waves.
c. .iron .oxide .mottles .in .the .B .horizon .of .a .soil.
d. .burrowing .tubes .from .marine .forams.
e. .none .of .the .above .- .ANS✓✓-
b. .precipitation .of .calcite .around .sand .grains .oscillated .by .waves.
,A .sedimentary .rock .unit .with .graded .beds .that .fine .towards .the .base .would .indi
cate ._________.
a. .the .the .rock .unit .has .not .beed .deformed .(remains .right .side .up)
b. .that .the .rock .unit .was .tilted .vertically
c. .that .the .rock .unit .was .overturned .(upside .down)
d. .the .the .rock .unit .has .been .buried .
e. .all .of .the .above .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-c. .that .the .rock .unit .was .overturned .
(upside .down)
If .a .fault .offset .a .layer .of .volcanic .ash .that .is .15000 .years .old .and .was .buried .b
y .a .landslide .deposit .that .is .radiocarbon .dated .at .12000 .years .old, .one .can .infe
r .that .the .faulting .event ._________.
a. .occurred .after .12,000 .years .ago.
b. .occurred .prior .to .12,000 .years .ago.
c. .occurred .after .15,000 .years .ago. .
d. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct .
e. .answers .b .and .c .are .correct .- .ANS✓✓-e. .answers .b .and .c .are .correct
According .to .the .principle .of .inclusions .the .closest .age .for .the .formation .of .a .c
onglomerate .rock .________.
a. .would .be .the .oldest .clast .(pebble) .age .comprising .the .conglomerate. .
b. .would .be .the .youngest .clast .(pebble) .age .comprising .the .conglomerate. .
c. .would .be .the .average .clast .(pebble) .age .comprising .the .conglomerate. .
d. .would .be .the .age .of .the .largest .clast .(pebble) .comprising .the .conglomerate. .
e. .answers .c .and .d .are .both .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-b. .would .be .the .youngest .clast .
(pebble) .age .comprising .the .conglomerate.
How .might .you .recognize .in .the .field .that .a .disconformity .exists .between .two .s
equences .of .rock?
a. .you .might .observe .a .buried .soil .or .weathering .zone .between .the .two .units.
b. .you .would .find .unmetamorphosed .sedimentary .rock .in .direct .contact .with .an
.igneous .pluton. .
c. .the .sediment .grain .size .will .always .vary .between .two .units.
d. .you .might .observe .fossils .that .are .not .temporally .compatible .between .the .tw
o .rock .units .that .did .not .live .during .the .same .time .period. .
e. .answers .a .and .d .are .correct .- .ANS✓✓-e. .answers .a .and .d .are .correct
James .Flutton .recognized ._____________.
a. .the .the .geological .processes .operating .today .at .the .surface .of .the .earth .also .
operate .in-the-past
b. .the .the .geological .processes .operating .today .at .the .surface .of .the .earth .did .
not .operate .in-the-past.
c. .the .Principle .of .Uniformitarianism
d. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct.
e. .answers .b .and .c .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-d. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct.
The .lone .survivor .of .the .St. .Pierre .Nuee .Ardente .was:
a. .Guy .LaFleur
b. .Serge .Savard
, c. .Yvonne .Cournyer
d. .Raoul .Sartaret .
e. .Jean .Beliveau .- .ANS✓✓-d. .Raoul .Sartaret
What .does .the .presence .of .goethite .tell .you .about .drainage .conditions .of .a .soil
?
a. .the .soil .is .well .drained .and .aerated .all .year.
b. .the .soil .is .composed .of .predominately .aluminum .oxide. .
c. .the .soil .is .saturated .at .some .point .during .the .year.
d. .the .soil .is .very .young.
e. .none .of .the .above .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-
c. .the .soil .is .saturated .at .some .point .during .the .year.
A .minimum .of ._____ .seismic .stations .is .necessary .to .determine .the .focus .of .an
.earthquake.
a. .3
b. .10
c. .1
d. .300
e. .5 .- .ANS✓✓-a. .3
If .an .earthquake .occurs, .the ._____ .waves .are .the .last .to .arrive .at .a .seismic .stat
ion.
a. .surface
b. .shear
c. .S
d. .P
e. .all .of .the .seismic .waves .travel .at .the .same .velocity .- .ANS✓✓-a. .surface
Topset .beds .of .a .delta ._________.
a. .are .graded .to .the .elevation .of .the .lake .or .sea .level .
b. .are .deposited .a .the .bottom .of .a .lake .embayment
c. .are .prograded .in .the .direction .that .a .stream .flows .into .a .lake.
d. .all .of .the .above. .
e. .only .answers .a .and .b .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-
a. .are .graded .to .the .elevation .of .the .lake .or .sea .level
In .order .to .relieve .stress .buildup .that .would .cause .a .magnitude .7 .earthquake, .a
pprox .how .many .magnitude .5 .earthquakes .would .have .to .occur?
a. .3 .
b. .30
c. .300
d. .900
e. .27,000 .- .ANS✓✓-d. .900
High .Temperature .is .conductive .to .____________ .deformation .in .rock. .
a. .brittle .fracture
b. .elastic
c. .ductile
answers 2025
Joints .facilitate .weathering .because .___________.
a. .they .increase .the .acidity .of .the .water
b. .permit .water .and .other .chemical .agents .to .penetrate .below .the .surface.
c. .provide .more .surface .area .for .the .weathering .front .to .attack.
d. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct.
e. .only .answers .b .and .c .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-
e. .only .answers .b .and .c .are .correct.
Why .did .the .rill .depth .increase .on .the .limestone .boulders .measured .on .three .di
fferent .alpine .glacial .moraines .studied .along .the .valley .floor?
a. .the .lower .moraine .received .more .precipitation.
b. .the .lower .moraine .was .comprised .of .weaker .limestone .rock .that .was .pre-
weathered .prior .to .deposition.
c. .the .lower .moraine .was .older .and .subjected .to .longer .weathering.
d. .all .of .the .above.
e. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct .as .the .rill .depth .remained .constant. .- .
ANS✓✓-c. .the .lower .moraine .was .older .and .subjected .to .longer .weathering.
Limestone .will .tend .to .precipitate .in .sea .water .when .________.
a. .carbon .dioxide .content .decreases
b. .carbon .dioxide .content .increases
c. .it .is .agitated .by .wave .actions. .
d. .answers .b .and .c .are .correct
e. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct .- .ANS✓✓-e. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct
Frost .wedging .occurs .in .rock .because:
a. .water .contracts .when .it .freezes .to .form .ice.
b. .water .expands .when .it .melts
c. .water .expands .when .it .freezes .to .form .ice.
d. .water .will .expand .when .it .evaporates.
e. .none .of .the .above .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-
c. .water .expands .when .it .freezes .to .form .ice.
Besides .frost .wedging .which .of .the .following .are .examples .of .mechanical .weat
hering?
a. .oxidation .of .iron
b. .hydrolysis .reaction .converting .potassium .feldspar .to .kaolinite .clay
c. .dissolution .of .calcite
d. .all .of .the .above .answers .are .correct
,e. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct .- .ANS✓✓-
e. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct
H+ .ions .utilized .in .hydrolysis .weathering .reactions .come .from ._________.
a. .primordial .waster .emitted .directly .from .volcanic .eruptions. .
b. .hydrogen .sulfide .gas
c. .carbonic .acid
d. .hydrogen .gas .from .the .atmosphere
e. .hydrogen .peroxide .- .ANS✓✓-c. .carbonic .acid
Which .of .the .following .transport .agents .generally .results .in .cross .beds?
a. .wind
b. .turbidity .currents
c. .rivers
d. .glaciers
e. .answers .a .and .c .are .both .correct .- .ANS✓✓-
e. .answers .a .and .c .are .both .correct
Over .time .angular .joints .blocks .will ._________ .due .to .surface .weathering. .
a. .become .larger
b. .retain .their .geometric .form
c. .become .round .
d. .evolve .into .faults
e. .become .more .angular .- .ANS✓✓-c. .become .round
Chert .generally .precipitates .in .deep .ocean .water .because .______.
a. .calcium .carbonate .precipitates .in .cold .water. .
b. .silica .is .less .soluble .(dissolvable) .in .cold .water. .
c. .silica .is .more .soluble .in .cold .water. .
d. .silica .bearing .organisms .live .in .deep .water. .
e. .none .of .the .above .answers .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-b. .silica .is .less .soluble .
(dissolvable) .in .cold .water.
Monocline .folds .result .from .______.
a. .bi-directional .stresses.
b. .uni-directional .stresses.
c. .extensional .stresses. .
d. .erosion .of .plunging .(tilted) .anticlines .and .synclines.
e. .erosion .of .tilted .strats. .- .ANS✓✓-b. .uni-directional .stresses.
Oolites .form .from ._________. .
a. .precipitation .of .silica .around .sand .grains .oscillated .by .waves.
b. .precipitation .of .calcite .around .sand .grains .oscillated .by .waves.
c. .iron .oxide .mottles .in .the .B .horizon .of .a .soil.
d. .burrowing .tubes .from .marine .forams.
e. .none .of .the .above .- .ANS✓✓-
b. .precipitation .of .calcite .around .sand .grains .oscillated .by .waves.
,A .sedimentary .rock .unit .with .graded .beds .that .fine .towards .the .base .would .indi
cate ._________.
a. .the .the .rock .unit .has .not .beed .deformed .(remains .right .side .up)
b. .that .the .rock .unit .was .tilted .vertically
c. .that .the .rock .unit .was .overturned .(upside .down)
d. .the .the .rock .unit .has .been .buried .
e. .all .of .the .above .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-c. .that .the .rock .unit .was .overturned .
(upside .down)
If .a .fault .offset .a .layer .of .volcanic .ash .that .is .15000 .years .old .and .was .buried .b
y .a .landslide .deposit .that .is .radiocarbon .dated .at .12000 .years .old, .one .can .infe
r .that .the .faulting .event ._________.
a. .occurred .after .12,000 .years .ago.
b. .occurred .prior .to .12,000 .years .ago.
c. .occurred .after .15,000 .years .ago. .
d. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct .
e. .answers .b .and .c .are .correct .- .ANS✓✓-e. .answers .b .and .c .are .correct
According .to .the .principle .of .inclusions .the .closest .age .for .the .formation .of .a .c
onglomerate .rock .________.
a. .would .be .the .oldest .clast .(pebble) .age .comprising .the .conglomerate. .
b. .would .be .the .youngest .clast .(pebble) .age .comprising .the .conglomerate. .
c. .would .be .the .average .clast .(pebble) .age .comprising .the .conglomerate. .
d. .would .be .the .age .of .the .largest .clast .(pebble) .comprising .the .conglomerate. .
e. .answers .c .and .d .are .both .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-b. .would .be .the .youngest .clast .
(pebble) .age .comprising .the .conglomerate.
How .might .you .recognize .in .the .field .that .a .disconformity .exists .between .two .s
equences .of .rock?
a. .you .might .observe .a .buried .soil .or .weathering .zone .between .the .two .units.
b. .you .would .find .unmetamorphosed .sedimentary .rock .in .direct .contact .with .an
.igneous .pluton. .
c. .the .sediment .grain .size .will .always .vary .between .two .units.
d. .you .might .observe .fossils .that .are .not .temporally .compatible .between .the .tw
o .rock .units .that .did .not .live .during .the .same .time .period. .
e. .answers .a .and .d .are .correct .- .ANS✓✓-e. .answers .a .and .d .are .correct
James .Flutton .recognized ._____________.
a. .the .the .geological .processes .operating .today .at .the .surface .of .the .earth .also .
operate .in-the-past
b. .the .the .geological .processes .operating .today .at .the .surface .of .the .earth .did .
not .operate .in-the-past.
c. .the .Principle .of .Uniformitarianism
d. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct.
e. .answers .b .and .c .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-d. .answers .a .and .c .are .correct.
The .lone .survivor .of .the .St. .Pierre .Nuee .Ardente .was:
a. .Guy .LaFleur
b. .Serge .Savard
, c. .Yvonne .Cournyer
d. .Raoul .Sartaret .
e. .Jean .Beliveau .- .ANS✓✓-d. .Raoul .Sartaret
What .does .the .presence .of .goethite .tell .you .about .drainage .conditions .of .a .soil
?
a. .the .soil .is .well .drained .and .aerated .all .year.
b. .the .soil .is .composed .of .predominately .aluminum .oxide. .
c. .the .soil .is .saturated .at .some .point .during .the .year.
d. .the .soil .is .very .young.
e. .none .of .the .above .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-
c. .the .soil .is .saturated .at .some .point .during .the .year.
A .minimum .of ._____ .seismic .stations .is .necessary .to .determine .the .focus .of .an
.earthquake.
a. .3
b. .10
c. .1
d. .300
e. .5 .- .ANS✓✓-a. .3
If .an .earthquake .occurs, .the ._____ .waves .are .the .last .to .arrive .at .a .seismic .stat
ion.
a. .surface
b. .shear
c. .S
d. .P
e. .all .of .the .seismic .waves .travel .at .the .same .velocity .- .ANS✓✓-a. .surface
Topset .beds .of .a .delta ._________.
a. .are .graded .to .the .elevation .of .the .lake .or .sea .level .
b. .are .deposited .a .the .bottom .of .a .lake .embayment
c. .are .prograded .in .the .direction .that .a .stream .flows .into .a .lake.
d. .all .of .the .above. .
e. .only .answers .a .and .b .are .correct. .- .ANS✓✓-
a. .are .graded .to .the .elevation .of .the .lake .or .sea .level
In .order .to .relieve .stress .buildup .that .would .cause .a .magnitude .7 .earthquake, .a
pprox .how .many .magnitude .5 .earthquakes .would .have .to .occur?
a. .3 .
b. .30
c. .300
d. .900
e. .27,000 .- .ANS✓✓-d. .900
High .Temperature .is .conductive .to .____________ .deformation .in .rock. .
a. .brittle .fracture
b. .elastic
c. .ductile
