ASBOG Practice Exam

In the context of geological features with vertical bedding, how should these features align across the valley?

1. They should create a winding path

2. They should cut directly across the contours

3. They should follow the slope of the valley

4. They should form concentric patterns

The correct answer is: They should cut directly across the contours

In geological features that display vertical bedding, these formations typically align directly across the contours of the valley. This alignment occurs because vertical bedding implies that the layers of rock or sediment were deposited in a way that is perpendicular to the horizon, thus creating structures that intersect the land surface sharply rather than following the natural slope of the valley. This kind of bedding is commonly associated with sedimentary processes in which layers are deposited in environments that do not conform to the existing topography, such as in regions of tectonic uplift or faulting. As a result, when observed across a valley, the bedding generally appears to cut straight across the contours, rather than winding around them or forming a pattern that follows the slope or is concentric in nature. Therefore, the correct understanding of the alignment of vertical bedding in a valley context is that it cuts across the contours, reflecting the geological processes that govern the formation and alteration of these features.