‫كلية البنات لآلداب والعلوم والتربية‬

‫قسم النبات‬
Second Level
Geophysics

Exam. Model
Ques. 1 : What is geophysics ? What are the main sections of
geophysics ?
Ques. 2 : What are the main scientific fields of geophysics ? What is
meant by geophysical exploration and what is it used for ?
Ques. 3 : What is geophysical prospecting ? What are the methods used
in it ?
Ques. 4 : Gave brief for the following :
Engineering geophysics - Environmental Geophysics .
Ques. 5 : Mention the physical property used in the following
geophysical methods and definition it ?
Magnetic – Electromagnetic – Earth’s heat

Answers
Ans. Q1 : Geophysics is a research and applied branch of earth sciences
that uses the fundamentals of physics to study the Earth's interior and its
hydrosphere and atmosphere.
Geophysics includes the application of natural theories and their
measurements to reveal the properties of the Earth and the nature of its
hydrosphere and atmosphere.
 ‫كلية البنات لآلداب والعلوم والتربية‬
‫قسم النبات‬
Second Level
Geophysics
The main sections of geophysics :
- Pure Geophysics : A science that investigates the nature of the Earth
and the physical relationships of its three envelopes, the solid, the
hydrosphere, the atomosphere. For example, gravitational field changes,
magnetic field changes and inversion, the Earth's temperature changes
with depth, the nature of water and the Earth's atmosphere.

- Applied Geophysics : It is divided into two branches, global

geophysics, explorative geophysics or exploration geophysics, the
meaning global geophysics " geophysics of solid earth, that includes all
fields used in the study of the Earth's interior and the dynamics of its
different layers and the extent of its impact on the surface of the Earth as
a field of geodesy, which means studying the shape and size of the Earth
and its field Gravitational.

As for explorative geophysics ( exploration geophysics ) is the

application of the basics and methods of geophysics for the purpose of
detection, evaluation, extraction and management of natural resources
such as oil, gas, ores and minerals, water, for economic purposes .

Ans. Q2 : The main scientific fields of geophysics :

- gravimetry
- geomagnetism
- telluric currents and magnetotelluric
- seismology
- geodesy
- geothermometry
- volcanology
- meteorology
 ‫كلية البنات لآلداب والعلوم والتربية‬
‫قسم النبات‬
Second Level
Geophysics
- hydrology
- glaciology
- physical oceanography
- radioactivity

Geophysical exploration

Apply methods and basics of geophysics for the purpose of detecting the
extraction of natural resources such as oil and gas, mineral ores, and
water, for economic purposes .

Geophysical exploration relies on either a direct measurement of natural

properties or a measure of the variance ( difference ) in properties
between the source it is searching for and the materials surrounding it.

Used for :

- measurement of the physical properties of surface roads or in wells for

underground geological structures and rocks to determine the locations
of mineral resources below the surface of the earth and the geological
structures that contain them .
- mapping subsurface geological structures .
- the spatial distribution of the rock units .
- detecting geological structures of a special nature, such as crevasses,
folds, and rock interference .

Ans. Q3 :
The geophysical prospecting : A process of testing geological
formations and studying the Earth's crust structures using various
observations tools to collect data on the composition, size and nature of
 ‫كلية البنات لآلداب والعلوم والتربية‬
‫قسم النبات‬
Second Level
Geophysics
geological formations, and to identify and evaluate sites of interest to
determine whether they are worthy of additional detailed exploration .

The methods used in geophysical prospecting :

1) The direct method used for detailed exploration of ores, especially
iron ores and magnetic ores .
2) The indirect method, which is used to excavate the structural body of
the ore depth and geometrical shape, and also determines the depth of
the base that is of structural importance in exploring petroleum .
3) The method of magnetic exploration, which provides data on the
magnetic properties of the rock .
4) The method of thermal prospecting that provides data on the thermal
conductivity in rocks .
5) The method of radiation prospecting provides us with data on natural
radioactivity and the elements emitted by it, especially gamma radiation.
Each method uses the essentials and physical properties related with it .

Ans. Q4 :
Engineering geophysics
It is concerned with geological structures and types of materials,
exploring properties and structures of subsurface rocks when planning
cities, identifying voids under roads and in buildings especially concrete,
studying ground movements affecting dams and bridges, tunnels and
energy projects such as nuclear plants, studying the safety of dams,
studying the ground risks, studying the ground tunnels .
 ‫كلية البنات لآلداب والعلوم والتربية‬
‫قسم النبات‬
Second Level
Geophysics
Engineering geology is also used to detect infrastructure installations
such as electricity and communications wires and drinking water and gas
pipelines .

It is also used to locate gaps and the possibility of landslides, study the
soil and its properties .

Environmental Geophysics
Environmental geophysics carries out many studies, namely the study of
geological structures close to the ground, the study of groundwater
pollution and defines the areas of contamination of contaminated water,
the identification of areas of landslides, mapping of pollution sites with
chemicals and residues, the identification of toxic substances resulting
from oxidation of sulfide minerals, locating military purposes explosive
and non-explosive, and is used to detect these locations measuring
magnetic or electrical ground devices, as well as accurate gravitational
surveys and shallow ( seismic ) seismic methods, and radar penetrating
the ground .
 ‫كلية البنات لآلداب والعلوم والتربية‬
‫قسم النبات‬
Second Level
Geophysics
Ans. Q5 :
The physical property used in the following geophysical methods and
definition it : Magnetic – Electromagnetic – Earth’s heat .

Physical method Physical property used Definition of property

- A measure of the
malleability of a material ,
meaning its ability to
magnetize . It is important
geological element for
rocks and metals .
- magnetic susceptibility
Magnetic - It is the magnetization that
- remnant magnetization
varies in matter in the
absence of an effective
magnetic field . And
independent on content of
magnetic material and its
historical magnetic .
Ability of rocks and metals
Electromagnetic electrical conductivity to conduct of electric
current .
A physical property of the
flow of heat within the
solid Earth (from its interior
to its surface) from high-
Earth’s heat thermal conductivity temperature points to low-
temperature points, where
heat transfer by conduction
is relatively slow through
the soil and rocks.