The Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) administers two national licensing examinations used across the United States to certify professional geologists. The Fundamentals of Geology (FG) exam is taken by recent geology graduates to establish foundational competence, while the Practice of Geology (PG) exam is designed for candidates with at least five years of professional experience and tests applied, field-level expertise. Both exams are required steps toward becoming a Licensed Professional Geologist (LPG) in most states.
This free ASBOG practice test PDF gives you printable, exam-style questions covering the core subject areas tested on both the FG and PG examinations. Download the file, print it, and work through each question at your own pace — at a desk, in the field, or anywhere you study best. Use it alongside our online practice test to build well-rounded exam readiness.
Mineralogy is a foundational FG topic. You must be able to identify common rock-forming minerals by their physical properties — hardness on the Mohs scale, cleavage versus fracture, luster, crystal form, streak, and specific gravity. The most frequently tested minerals include quartz, orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars, muscovite and biotite micas, calcite, dolomite, olivine, pyroxene (augite), and amphibole (hornblende). Know how to distinguish calcite from dolomite using the acid test and how to differentiate pyroxene from amphibole by cleavage angle.
Petrology spans all three rock families. For igneous rocks, understand the relationship between cooling rate and texture — coarse-grained (plutonic) versus fine-grained (volcanic) versus glassy rocks — and how bulk composition ranges from ultramafic (peridotite, komatiite) through mafic (basalt, gabbro), intermediate (andesite, diorite), and felsic (rhyolite, granite). Bowen's Reaction Series explains the order of mineral crystallization and the concept of magmatic differentiation. For sedimentary rocks, distinguish clastic rocks (classified by grain size — conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, mudstone/shale) from chemical precipitates (rock salt, gypsum, chert, travertine) and biochemical rocks (limestone, coal). Understand diagenesis — the compaction and cementation processes that convert sediment to rock. For metamorphic rocks, know foliated types (slate, phyllite, schist, gneiss — increasing metamorphic grade) versus non-foliated types (quartzite, marble, hornfels), and the concept of index minerals (chlorite, biotite, garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite) used in mapping metamorphic zones.
Structural geology on the ASBOG exam tests both descriptive and mechanical concepts. Be able to classify faults by relative motion: normal faults (hanging wall drops, extensional tectonics), reverse faults (hanging wall rises, compressional tectonics), thrust faults (low-angle reverse faults), and strike-slip faults (lateral motion — dextral vs. sinistral). Understand the stress-strain relationship, elastic versus plastic deformation, and the role of confining pressure and temperature on rock behavior. For folds, know anticlines (oldest rocks in core), synclines (youngest rocks in core), plunging folds, domes, and basins. Distinguish joints (fractures without displacement) from faults. Unconformities — angular, disconformity, nonconformity — represent gaps in the geologic record and appear frequently on the exam.
Stratigraphy tests the classic principles: superposition (younger rocks overlie older in undisturbed sequences), original horizontality (sediments deposited as horizontal layers), cross-cutting relationships (a feature cutting through rock is younger than the rock it cuts), and faunal succession (fossil assemblages change through time and can be used for correlation). Know the difference between relative age dating (stratigraphic position, fossils) and absolute age dating (radiometric methods — U-Pb, K-Ar, Rb-Sr, C-14 for young organic material). Be able to read the geologic time scale from Hadean through Phanerozoic eons and understand the boundaries between major periods.
Hydrogeology on the FG exam covers the basics of groundwater flow. Master Darcy's Law (Q = KiA) and be able to solve for hydraulic conductivity, hydraulic gradient, and flow rate. Know the difference between porosity (total void space) and permeability (ability to transmit fluid), and why a high-porosity material like clay can have low permeability. Understand unconfined (water table) versus confined (artesian) aquifers, the concept of the potentiometric surface, and how pumping tests are used to characterize aquifer properties.
Geomorphology covers the processes that shape landscapes. Key areas include stream dynamics (discharge, gradient, base level, stream capture, meanders, floodplains, terraces), mass wasting (rockfalls, slides, flows — classification by material type and movement speed), glacial landforms (moraines, drumlins, eskers, kettles, outwash plains, U-shaped valleys), coastal processes (wave refraction, longshore drift, barrier islands, sea-level change), and karst topography (dissolution of carbonate rock forming sinkholes, caves, disappearing streams). Applied geology for the PG exam adds slope stability analysis, engineering soil classification (Unified Soil Classification System — gravel, sand, silt, clay fractions), earthquake hazard assessment (liquefaction potential, fault proximity, ground motion amplification), geologic mapping conventions, and report writing for regulatory submissions.
Consistent practice across all ASBOG content domains is the surest path to exam success. After working through the printable PDF questions, continue building your skills with our full ASBOG practice test online — get instant feedback on every question and track which topics need the most review before your licensing exam.