Question

A borehole inclined at 60° to the horizontal pierces a vertical basaltic dyke of uniform thickness. If the length of the basaltic drill core along the core axis is 12 m, the thickness of the dyke is____ m. (In integer)

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 6

To determine the thickness of the dyke, we must relate the inclined drill core's length to the actual thickness of the vertical dyke. Given the inclination angle θ = 60°, the drill core length (L) = 12 m, the dyke's vertical thickness (T) can be found using trigonometry. The cosine of the angle gives the relationship between the drill core and the vertical thickness: cos(θ) = T/L.

Substitute the known values:

cos(60°) = T/12.

Since cos(60°) = 1/2, we have:

T/12 = 1/2.

Thus, T = 12 * 1/2 = 6 m.

The calculated thickness of the dyke (6 m)