GEOLOGY 12
EXAMINATION
SPECIFICATIONS
SEPTEMBER 2004
Assessment Department
The information in this booklet is intended to be helpful for both teachers and students.
Teachers are encouraged to make this information available to all students.
GEOLOGY 12
The intent of the Examination Specifications is to convey to the classroom teacher and student how the
Geology 12 curriculum will be tested on the provincial examinations. The Table of Specifications
provides percentage weightings for each of the curriculum organizers as well as the cognitive levels that
are applied to questions. A detailed description of examinable material within each curriculum organizer
will be found in the curriculum section of the Earth Science 11 and Geology 12 Integrated Resource
Package (IRP), 1995 and in Appendix A of that package.
Replaces All Previous Versions of Geology 12 Examination Specifications
1. Since June 1998, the Geology 12 Provincial Examinations conform to the curriculum organizers
for Geology 12 from the Earth Science 11 and Geology 12 Integrated Resource Package, 1995.
The examinations will be offered in June and August only.
2. It is essential that teachers thoroughly familiarize themselves with the content of the Earth Science
11 and Geology 12 Integrated Resource Package, 1995.
3. The “topics” in previous specifications have been replaced by curriculum organizers. These are
described in greater detail as Prescribed Learning Outcomes in Appendix A of the Earth Science
11 and Geology 12 Integrated Resource Package, 1995.
4. Teachers should note that sub-organizer S (Ground Water) is included in the curriculum organizer
Surficial Processes.
5. The following tables will be provided for the provincial examinations:
Geologic Time Scale
Basic Data on the Solar System
Bowen’s Reaction Series
Properties of Common and Important Minerals
Percentage of Minerals in Igneous Rocks
Fossil Samples
Development of Life Through Time
Common Isotope Pairs Chart
Table of Hardness
Additional photographs, diagrams and data tables will be provided as required.
6. Sample questions are provided in this document.
7. Aside from an approved calculator, electronic devices, including dictionaries and pagers, are not
permitted in the examination room.
It is expected that there will be a difference between school marks and provincial examination marks
for individual students. Some students perform better on classroom tests and others on provincial
examinations. School assessment measures performance on all curricular outcomes, whereas
provincial examinations may only evaluate performance on a sample of these outcomes.
The provincial examination represents 40% of the student’s final letter grade and the classroom mark
represents 60%.
Acknowledgement
The Assessment Department wishes to acknowledge the contribution of British Columbia teachers
in the preparation and review of this document.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Description of the Provincial Examination ............................................................................................. 1
Table of Specifications for the Provincial Examination ........................................................................ 2
Description of Cognitive Levels .............................................................................................................. 3
Sample Questions ....................................................................................................................................... 4
GEOLOGY 12
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVINCIAL EXAMINATION
The provincial examination is divided into two parts:
PART A: Multiple-choice questions worth 55% of the examination.
PART B: Written-response questions worth 45% of the examination.
The number of written-response questions may vary from one examination to the next, depending on the
value of each question; however, the total marks for the written-response questions will remain the same.
The Table of Specifications (page 2) outlines the curriculum organizers, sub-organizers, and the cognitive
level emphases covered on the provincial examination. A detailed description of examinable material
within each curriculum organizer will be found in the Earth Science 11 and Geology 12 Integrated
Resource Package, 1995.
The time allotted for the provincial examination is two hours. Students may, however, take up to
30 minutes of additional time to finish.
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
GEOLOGY 12
TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PROVINCIAL EXAMINATION
CURRICULUM
COGNITIVE LEVEL
Higher
Mental
Processes
%
<——— 23 ———>
7
30
Relative Dating
Absolute Dating
Geologic Time Scale
The Fossil Record
<——— 15 ———>
5
20
Plate Tectonics
Seismology
Isostasy
Earth’s Interior
Structural Geology
<——— 23 ———>
7
30
Weathering and Erosion
Running Water
Glaciers
Ground Water
<——— 11 ———>
4
15
<——— 3 ———>
2
5
75
25
100
Knowledge
ORGANIZERS
SUB-ORGANIZERS
Earth Materials
A. Introduction to Geology
B. Minerals
C. Igneous Rocks and
Processes
D. Sedimentary Rocks and
Processes
E. Metamorphic Rocks and
Processes
F. Mineral, Rock and
Energy Resources
G.
H.
I.
J.
Time and the
Fossil Record
K.
L.
Internal Processes M.
and Structures
N.
O.
Surficial
Processes
Comparative
Planetology
P.
Q.
R.
S.
Understanding
and
Application
TOTAL
T. Comparative
Planetology
TOTAL %
The values in this table are approximate and may fluctuate.
Examination configuration: 55 marks in multiple-choice format
45 marks in written-response format
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
DESCRIPTION OF COGNITIVE LEVELS
The following three cognitive levels are based on a modified version of Bloom’s taxonomy (Taxonomy
of Educational Objectives, Bloom et al., 1956). Bloom’s taxonomy describes six cognitive categories:
Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. For ease of classification,
the six cognitive categories have been collapsed into three.
Knowledge
Knowledge is defined as including those behaviours and test situations that emphasize the remembering,
either by recognition or recall, of ideas, material, or phenomena. Incorporated at this level is knowledge
of terminology, specific facts (dates, events, persons, etc.), conventions, classifications and categories,
criteria, methods of inquiry, principles and generalizations, theories and structures.
Understanding and Application
Understanding refers to responses that represent a comprehension of the literal message contained in a
communication. This means that the student is able to interpret or extrapolate. Interpretation involves the
reordering of ideas (inferences, generalizations, or summaries). Extrapolation includes estimating or
predicting based on an understanding of trends or tendencies.
Application requires the student to apply an appropriate abstraction (theory, principle, idea, method) to a
new situation.
Higher Mental Processes
Included at this thought level are the processes of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Analysis involves the ability to recognize unstated assumptions, to distinguish facts from hypotheses, to
distinguish conclusions from statements that support them, to recognize which facts or assumptions are
essential to a main thesis or to the argument in support of that thesis, and to distinguish cause-effect
relationships from other sequential relationships.
Synthesis involves the production of a unique communication, the ability to propose ways of testing
hypotheses, the ability to design an experiment, the ability to formulate and modify hypotheses, and the
ability to make generalizations.
Evaluation is defined as the making of judgments about the value of ideas, solutions, and methods.
It involves the use of criteria as well as standards for appraising the extent to which details are accurate,
effective, economical, or satisfying. Evaluation involves the ability to apply given criteria to judgments of
work done, to indicate logical fallacies in arguments, and to compare major theories and generalizations.
Questions at the higher mental processes level subsume both knowledge and understanding and
application levels.
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
GEOLOGY 12
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
B: Minerals
Understanding
RE F E R E N C E
DA T A BO O K L E T
For question 1, refer to the photograph below and the following
in the Data Booklet.
Table of Hardness
1. The test result shown in photograph 2 indicates that the Mohs hardness of the mineral is
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
less than 3.5
exactly 3.5
between 3.5 and 5.5
greater than 5.5
Higher Mental Processes
2. Oxygen and silicon are the two most abundant elements in the earth’s crust. Support this fact
using your knowledge of the abundance of common minerals and their composition. (1 mark)
Response:
Silicon and oxygen are the most common elements in the earth’s crust
because silicate minerals are by far the most abundant.
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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} ¨ 1 mark
Geology 12 Examination Specifications
C: Igneous Rocks and Processes
Understanding
RE F E R E N C E
DA T A BO O K L E T
For question 3, refer to the following in the Data Booklet.
Percentage of Minerals in Igneous Rocks
3. A student views a rock sample with a hand lens. Tiny, randomly-arranged, interlocking crystals
are seen. The sample contains mostly calcium-rich (dark grey) plagioclase feldspar and dark
ferromagnesian minerals. The rock is most likely
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
basalt.
gabbro.
rhyolite.
peridotite.
D: Sedimentary Rocks and Processes
Understanding
4. The sample has small (< 2.0 mm) rounded grains of quartz. Cement can be seen between the
grains. The rock is most likely
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
garnet schist.
red sandstone.
black quartzite.
fossil limestone.
E: Metamorphic Rocks and Processes
Understanding
5. Metamorphic rocks are often classified according to their “grade”. Which of the following is
the highest grade metamorphic rock?
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
slate
shale
gneiss
phyllite
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
F: Mineral, Rock and Energy Resources
Knowledge
6. Which of the following minerals is a source of a metal used to produce home electrical wiring?
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
gold
galena
sphalerite
chalcopyrite
Understanding
Use the following diagram of a fold trap to answer question 7.
gas
oil
7. Which of the following pairs of properties best describes the characteristics of the rock layer in
which the oil and gas are found?
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
porous and permeable
porous and impermeable
non-porous and permeable
non-porous and impermeable
G: Relative Dating
Understanding
8. The process of matching rock layers from different locations based on the presence of the same
guide (index) fossils is an example of
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
correlation.
superposition.
included fragments.
original horizontality.
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
Higher Mental Processes
Use the following geological block diagram to answer question 9.
X
Unit
J
Y
Z
R
Q
Unit
M
20 m
9. The geological block diagram shows a series of geologic events involving intrusions, tilting,
deposition and erosion. In the table below, the events are not listed in chronological order.
Place a number beside each event to indicate the correct order, from oldest (1) to youngest (8).
(4 marks)
Response:
Event
Order
(not in order)
Deposition of Unit M
1
Deposition of Unit J
6
Erosion of Surface Y
5
Erosion of Surface X
8
Erosion of Surface Z
3
Intrusion Q
7
Intrusion R
4
Tilting of Unit M
2
Marking:
Relative age of intrusions
Relative age of erosions
Relative age of depositions
Correct order
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
1 mark
1 mark
1 mark
1 mark
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
H: Absolute Dating
Understanding
10. The water in the graduated cylinders represents the amount of parent isotope in a mineral
sample. The decrease in the water level illustrates the radioactive decay of parent material
within the sample. The percentage of original parent material remaining after three half-lives
is closest to
*
A. 6%
B. 13%
C. 25%
D. 33%
I: Geologic Time Scale
Understanding
RE F E R E N C E
DA T A BO O K L E T
For question 11, refer to the following in the Data Booklet.
Development of Life Through Time
11. Which of the following is the correct sequence of events in Earth’s history?
A.
B.
* C.
D.
Youngest
Youngest
Youngest
Youngest
mammals dominated
fishes dominated
mammals dominated
amphibians dominated
amphibians dominated
mammals dominated
invertebrates dominated invertebrates dominated
fishes dominated
mammals dominated
fishes dominated
invertebrates dominated
amphibians dominated
amphibians dominated
invertebrates dominated
fishes dominated
Oldest
Oldest
Oldest
Oldest
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
J: The Fossil Record
Understanding
RE F E R E N C E
DA T A BO O K L E T
For question 12, refer to the geologic columns below and the following
in the Data Booklet.
Geological Time Scale and the Fossils Samples
COLUMN 1
COLUMN 2
COLUMN 3
Layer
Layer
Layer
I
II
III
Layer
Layer
III
III
Layer
V
W
Layer
IV
X
Layer
Layer
IV
V
Y
Layer
Layer
VI
VII
Layer
VII
Z
Layer
VII
100 m
between
columns
Sandstone
200 m
between columns
Limestone
Shale
Carboniferous
coal
12. Based on the fossil found in layer IV in Columns 1 and 2, what was the probable environment
at the time the layer was forming?
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
hot, dry desert
deep ocean trench
cold, dry mountain
shallow, tropical sea
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
K: Plate Tectonics
Understanding
13. Which of the following is a possible driving mechanism for the movement of the earth’s
tectonic plates?
A.
B.
C.
D.
*
fault creep
mantle convection
magnetic reversals
isostatic adjustment
L: Seismology
14. After an earthquake, rocks that were deformed snap back to their pre-stressed shape.
This process is called
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
seismic creep.
elastic rebound.
transform faulting.
plastic deformation.
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
M: Isostasy
Understanding
Use the following cross section to answer question 15.
Before erosion of sediments
Metres above
sea level
After erosion of sediments
200
Ground surface
Sediments
150
Ground
surface
Granite
X
Granite
X
100
Sandstone
Sandstone
15. After the sediments have been eroded, location X in the granite will be at a higher elevation
above sea level. This is due to the process of
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
isostasy.
subduction.
contact metamorphism.
regional metamorphism.
N: Earth’s Interior
Understanding
16. Which of the following is the best evidence that the earth has a layered internal structure?
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
xenoliths
drill core samples
composition of lavas
sudden changes in the velocity of P- and S-waves
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
O: Structural Geology
Understanding
17. Which of the following block diagrams shows a left lateral strike-slip fault?
*
A.
B.
UM
XIM
MA
50
5km0
/h
/h
C.
km
D.
UM
XIM
MA
UM
XIM
MA
5km0
5km0
/h
/h
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
UM
XIM
MA
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
P: Weathering and Erosion
Understanding
18. All of the following are examples of chemical weathering except
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
ice expanding in rock cracks.
organic material dissolving rock.
iron and oxygen forming iron oxide.
potassium feldspar changing into clay.
Higher Mental Processes
19. The Grand Canyon of Arizona, USA, is approximately 1.5 km (1.5 million mm) deep. Recent
measurements suggest the canyon depth is increasing at a rate of 0.25 mm yr . At this rate, how
long did it take to create the canyon?
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
6 hundred years
6 thousand years
6 million years
6 billion years
Q: Running Water
Understanding
20. A river is likely to pick up more sedimentary material where it
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
enters a lake.
flows into a wider channel.
flows around the outside of a meander.
flows from a high gradient to a low gradient.
R: Glaciers
Understanding
21. All of the following result from glacial deposition except
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
kames.
erratics.
moraines.
striations.
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
S: Ground Water
Understanding
Use the following diagram and table to answer question 22.
The water level was
maintained here
Overflow
Water
Sediment
Filter
The volume of water
that flowed through
the sediment each
hour was measured.
Flow rate of water
Porosity
(litres per hour)
(%)
3 000
30
Well-sorted sand
250
40
Well-sorted silt
0.5
45
Well-sorted clay
0.0001
55
Silty sand
5
20
Glacial till
0.2
10
Sediment
Well-sorted gravel
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications
22. A student used the equipment shown on the previous page to determine the rate of water flow
through a variety of sediments. The student also measured the porosity of each material by
determining how much water was required to completely saturate the dry sediment.
a) According to the data for the well-sorted sediments, what is the relationship between
particle size and porosity of the sediments?
(1 mark)
Response:
} ¨ 1 mark
The smaller the particle size, the greater the porosity, or:
The larger the particle size, the smaller the porosity.
b) Which of the six sediments listed in the table would make the best seal to stop toxic waste
from leaching from a toxic waste pond? Give a reason for your answer.
(2 marks)
Response:
¨ 1 mark
Sediment: Clay
Reason: Clay has the smallest flow rate, and thus the lowest permeability. The
} ¨ 1 mark
c) Give a reason why the permeability and porosity of the silty sand is so different from the
permeability and porosity of the well-sorted sand.
(1 mark)
Response:
The smaller silt particles tend to fill the spaces between the sand particles,
therefore reducing both the porosity and the permeability.
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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} ¨ 1 mark
Geology 12 Examination Specifications
Higher Mental Processes
23. In the spaces provided below, describe how human activities affect both the quality and quantity
of groundwater. An example is provided. Point form answers are acceptable.
(4 marks)
Response:
Answers may vary. One word answers (i.e. pollution) are worth
Human activity
Example:
Septic tank fields
1. Urbanization
Effect on groundwater quantity
mark .
Effect on groundwater quality
Example:
Large amounts of waste water are
introduced into the ground.
Example:
Groundwater is contaminated by
bacteria.
• a larger population means more
demand, therefore greater quantities
of groundwater are removed.
• water that makes it back into the
ground would most likely carry the
effects of the city; i.e., pollution.
• with urban sprawl there is more
pavement created, therefore less
water gets back into the ground
(recharge).
• excessive withdrawal could lead to
saltwater intrusion in coastal areas.
• subsidence caused by too much water
being removed too quickly could
constrict the aquifer.
1 mark
2. Agriculture
1
2
• farming requires huge amounts of
water for irrigation.
• farmland enables the water to get
back into the groundwater system.
• chemicals added to ground may
filter into groundwater, i.e., salt on
roads.
1 mark
• pesticides and fertilizers used in
agriculture seep into the
groundwater system.
• soil erosion may affect the stream
systems which feed the
groundwater supply.
• animal effluent may reach
groundwater.
1 mark
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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1 mark
Geology 12 Examination Specifications
T: Comparative Planetology
Understanding
24. All of the following can be found on the earth and the moon except
*
A.
B.
C.
D.
metallic cores.
impact craters.
basaltic plains.
active volcanoes.
Higher Mental Processes
25. The moon has a more highly-cratered surface than the earth. Give two reasons for this
difference.
(2 marks)
Response:
Any two for 2 marks
• There are no tectonics on the moon.
• There are no surface processes; i.e., wind, water, vegetation, freezing, thawing, etc. on the
moon.
• There is no atmosphere on the moon.
• Earth is 75% water.
Assessment Department
(Issued August 2002)
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Geology 12 Examination Specifications