24-Pet-A1 Principles of Stratigraphy and Sedimentation
Worked solutions to 6 past sittings (2013–2018), 115 questions. Pick a sitting, or start from a topic below.
Topics across the sittings
Topics that come up in more than one sitting, taken from the headings of our worked solutions. A topic counts once per sitting.
- Biostratigraphy (3 sittings): December 2015 Q15 · May 2013 Q7 · Undated paper Q11
- Coal Rank Series (3 sittings): May 2018 Q7 · May 2016 Q8 · Undated paper Q6
- Deltaic Depositional System (3 sittings): May 2018 Q4 · May 2016 Q6 · December 2015 Q4
- Bouma Sequence (2 sittings): December 2015 Q7 · December 2014 Q4
- Breccias (2 sittings): May 2018 Q5 · Undated paper Q5
- Chronostratigraphic (2 sittings): May 2016 Q15 · December 2014 Q17
- Classes (2 sittings): May 2018 Q1 · Undated paper Q1
- Conglomerates (2 sittings): May 2018 Q5 · Undated paper Q5
- Depositional Sequences (2 sittings): May 2016 Q18 · December 2015 Q14
- Diagenesis (2 sittings): May 2016 Q5 · December 2014 Q6
- Four Short Definitions (2 sittings): May 2018 Q16 · December 2014 Q24
- Geochronologic Units (2 sittings): May 2016 Q15 · December 2014 Q17
- Geochronology (2 sittings): May 2018 Q13 · Undated paper Q13
- Geochronostratigraphy (2 sittings): May 2018 Q13 · Undated paper Q13
- Its Prograding Sequence (2 sittings): May 2018 Q4 · May 2016 Q6
Questions by sitting
May 2018
- Question 1: Sandstone Classification – Procedure and Classes
- Question 2: Limestone Classification – Dunham and Folk Schemes
- Question 3: Lithofacies and a Shallowing-Upward Carbonate Succession
- Question 4: Deltaic Depositional System and Its Prograding Sequence
- Question 5: Conglomerates versus Breccias and Breccia-Forming Processes
- Question 6: Negatively-Skewed Grain-Size Curves
- Question 7: Coal Definition and the Coal Rank Series
- Question 8: Principal Kinds of Modern Deep-Sea Sediments
- Question 9: Modern Warm-Water versus Cool-Water Carbonates
- Question 10: Porosity-Enhancing versus Porosity-Destroying Diagenetic Processes
- Question 11: Building Blocks of Sequence Stratigraphy and Relative Sea-Level Change
- Question 12: Oxygen Stable Isotopes in Quaternary Stratigraphy
- Question 13: Geochronostratigraphy versus Geochronology
- Question 14: Why First/Last Appearance Data May Be Misleading
- Question 15: Walther's Law of Facies Succession
- Question 16: Four Short Definitions
- Question 17: Well Logs for Stratigraphic Correlation
- Question 18: Major Kinds of Sedimentary Basins and Their Tectonic Settings
- Question 19: Stratigraphic Terminology – Matching Exercise
May 2016
- Question 1: Evaporite Precipitation Requirements and Anhydrite/Gypsum Structural Groups
- Question 2: Paleocurrent Indicators and Rose-Diagram Depositional Patterns
- Question 3: Sedimentary Facies and a Shallowing-Upward Carbonate Succession
- Question 4: Sandstone Framework Grains, Matrix and Cement
- Question 5: Diagenesis and Its Stages
- Question 6: The Deltaic Depositional System and Its Prograding Sequence
- Question 7: Compaction, Grain Contacts and Porosity with Burial Depth
- Question 8: Coal Rank Series
- Question 9: Dunham/Embry-Klovan Carbonate Classification
- Question 10: Arenite versus Wacke Sandstones
- Question 11: Skolithos Ichnofacies
- Question 12: Carbonate Platform Types and Energy Distribution
- Question 13: Categories of Biozones
- Question 14: Conformable and Unconformable Stratigraphic Contacts
- Question 15: Chronostratigraphic versus Geochronologic Units
- Question 16: The Geologic Time Scale (Paleozoic–Mesozoic–Cenozoic)
- Question 17: Biostratigraphic Unit Scope
- Question 18: Depositional Sequences and Systems Tracts
- Question 19: Parasequence Stacking Patterns (S versus A)
- Question 20: Sedimentary Basins of an Extensional Tectonic Regime
December 2015
- Question 1: Paleocurrent Structures and Rose-Diagram Patterns
- Question 2: Sandstone Components and the QFL Classification
- Question 3: Carbonate Textural Terms – Wackestone, Packstone, Grainstone, Rudstone, Framestone
- Question 4: Deltaic Depositional System
- Question 5: Stylolite Formation
- Question 6: Bedded vs. Nodular Chert
- Question 7: The Bouma Sequence
- Question 8: Rip Currents and Longshore Currents
- Question 9: Storm-Dominated Shelf Log Between Fair-Weather and Storm Wave Base
- Question 10: Alteration of CaCO 3 Hard Parts with Increasing Water Depth
- Question 11: Nereites Ichnofacies
- Question 12: Facies and Walther's Law of Succession of Facies
- Question 13: Unconformities and Their Types
- Question 14: Depositional Sequences, System Tracts and Sea-Level Change
- Question 15: Fundamental Units of Lithostratigraphy and Biostratigraphy
- Question 16: Systems of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic Erathems
- Question 17: Transgression and Regression
- Question 18: Types of Contact Between Conformable Lithostratigraphic Units
December 2014
- Question 1: Transport Distance and Particle Size, Roundness & Sphericity
- Question 2: Cumulative Grain-Size Curves – Steep vs. Gently-Sloping
- Question 3: Carbonate Platforms and Their Types
- Question 4: The Bouma Sequence
- Question 5: Textural vs. Mineralogical Maturity of Sandstone
- Question 6: Diagenesis and Reservoir Rock Quality
- Question 7: Dunham Classification with Embry & Klovan Modifications
- Question 8: Best Provenance-Lithology Indicator in Sandstone
- Question 9: Framework Grains of Carbonate Sediments
- Question 10: Herringbone Cross-Lamination
- Question 11: Detrital Grain Contacts vs. Burial Depth
- Question 12: Trace Fossil Indicator of High-Energy Sandy Shore
- Question 13: Sediment Transport Modes in Fluvial Systems
- Question 14: Stability of Calcitic Hard Parts with Increasing Marine Depth
- Question 15: Grain Sorting and Reservoir Quality
- Question 16: Unconformities and Their Types
- Question 17: Chronostratigraphic vs. Geochronologic Units
- Question 18: Ranks of Lithostratigraphic Units
- Question 19: Basic Stratigraphic Principles for Relative Dating
- Question 20: Index Fossils and Stratigraphic Correlation
- Question 21: Progradational vs. Retrogradational Parasequence Sets
- Question 22: Stacking Patterns of Conformable Lithostratigraphic Units
- Question 23: Correct Order of Paleozoic Periods
- Question 24: Four Short Definitions
May 2013
- Question 1: Dunham's Classification of Limestones
- Question 2: Marine Evaporite Minerals
- Question 3: Terrestrial Depositional Systems for Uranium, Coal and Placer Gold
- Question 4: Clay Mineral Families – Structure and Importance
- Question 5: Transgressions and Regressions
- Question 6: Debris Flows vs. Turbidites
- Question 7: Lithostratigraphy, Biostratigraphy and Chronostratigraphy
- Question 8: Clay Mineral Families – Diagenetic and Petroleum-Reservoir Importance
- Question 9: Storm-Dominated Siliciclastic Shelf Deposits
- Question 10: Subaqueous Bedforms – Grain Size and Flow Velocity
- Question 11: How Dolostones (Dolomites) Are Thought to Form
- Question 12: Characteristics of the Carbonate Reef Facies Model
- Question 13: Petroleum Source Rocks – Features, Origin and Burial Evolution
- Question 14: Carbon and Oxygen Stable Isotopes in Diagenetic and Sedimentological Studies
- Question 15: The Geological Time Scale
Undated paper
- Question 1: Sandstone Classification – Procedure and Classes
- Question 2: Limestone Classification – Folk and Dunham Schemes
- Question 3: Alluvial Fans versus Deltas – Morphological and Sedimentological Differences
- Question 4: Turbidite Depositional Systems and the Proximal-to-Distal Facies Trend
- Question 5: Conglomerate, Diamictite and Breccia – Definitions and Genesis
- Question 6: Coal Rank Series – Multiple Choice
- Question 7: Hemipelagic versus Pelagic Sediments
- Question 8: Total versus Effective Porosity in Carbonate Rocks
- Question 9: Rip Currents and Longshore Currents
- Question 10: Hydrolysis Weathering of Potassium Feldspar
- Question 11: The Principle of Fossil Succession and Biostratigraphy
- Question 12: The Supply/Accommodation (S/A) Ratio and Parasequence Stacking
- Question 13: Geochronostratigraphy versus Geochronology
- Question 14: Acoustic Impedance and Seismic Reflection
- Question 15: Walther's Law of Facies Succession
- Question 16: Biostratigraphic Units – Multiple Choice
- Question 17: Wireline Logs for Subsurface Stratigraphic Correlation
- Question 18: Applications of Sedimentary Basin Analysis
- Question 19: Stratigraphic Terminology – Matching Exercise