Lab 8: The Awe of Sandstone

For this most recent blog assignment, I had the choice of discussing either limestone or sandstone, both common forms of sedimentary rock. However, since I have grown up in the south, I have decided to discuss the more exotic and foreign of the two, sandstone. Out west, especially in the desert Southwest, sandstone structures are very common. Some of the most incredible of these structures are the sandstone arches such as the ones in Utah's Arches National Park. Most of the sandstone in this area is derived from iron-rich red sand that, over time, has cemented into the structures seen today. Below is a picture of an arch, a link to an article about Arches National Park, and a video taken with a GoPro camera as people use "the world's largest rope swing" on an arch.

Arches National Park

Lab 7: Connecting to Nature

Our recent discussions in Geology have been on soil and sediments. This led to our lab period being in a local community garden. From there, we discussed the importance of getting back to nature, weather that is through silence, being outside, or working in a community garden. To me, getting back to nature means unplugging and going outside, and connecting to nature has always been a powerful experience for me. In fact, connecting to nature is so important to me that I will be spending my summer working as a counselor at a Girl Scout summer camp. The opportunity to work outside will allow me to truly listen to nature and to learn about myself and my surroundings, both things that I could not do sitting inside on my computer. While working as a counselor will give me a very different nature experience from simply hiking, backpacking, or camping, it will still get me outside and truly connected with the natural world. While Girl Scouts has given me the opportunity to connect to nature through camping, it has also allowed me to connect with and learn about nature in other ways. One way is that I have learned about sustainability, something I saw first hand in the community garden. We promise to "make the world a better place" and ways that we carry that promise out from a very young age (Daisy or Brownie age) are recycling, Leave No Trace, and other sustainability initiatives. The ability to connect to nature can bring a sense of raw happiness and empowerment. How will you connect?

Girl Scout Camping

Lab 6: Box of Rocks

My box of rocks. 

Basalt, Calcite, Granite, Olivine, Shale, Obsidian, Marble, and an unknown rock

Lab 5: Graphing Elevation

The task of this lab was to determine the elevation along some path and graph that elevation. I measured the path that I took on a trip to Colorado when I traveled from the Denver Airport to Glenwood Springs. The path shown is an approximation, not the exact path I took.

X-Axis=Distance in Miles
Y-Axis=Elevation in Feet Above Sea Level

I used Google Earth tools (including the path and ruler tools) to create a path, determine 10 mile increments, and determine the elevation every 10 miles. As the graph shows, the elevation from Denver to Glenwood Springs increases until about halfway then decreases. This is due to the mountainous terrain as this path goes right through the Rocky Mountains.

Lab 4: Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents

At the places where the plates meet in the middle of the ocean lie deep sea hydrothermal vents. At these vents, hot gases from deep within the earth shoot up through the crust and into the water. The warmth creates a unique environment for various organisms; the vents themselves allow scientists to learn more about the Earth and its composition.

View from Alvin at a hydrothermal vent

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and its submarine "Alvin" has been a leading figure in research on deep sea hydrothermal vents. Alvin has been used to look at the gases and rocks from within the earth as well as the creatures living near these vents.

Click here for a video

Click here for more info

The various organisms that live near the vents thrive on chemosynthesis which is the process of using chemicals, instead of light, for energy. Microorganisms use this process and serve as prey for more complex organisms such as shrimp and crab.

Lab 3: Mineral Identification

Olivine [(Mg, Fe)2SiO4]

The picture shown is an example of peridot, a variation of olivine. Olivine is an example of a silicate mineral and its crystal structure is made up of individual tetrahedra causing it to form small, round crystals. Olivine is categorized more specifically in the dark silicate group and is characterized by its greenish color and its glassy luster. It is typically found in the Earth's mantle and is brought to the surface through volcanic activity and can be found most commonly in basalt, an igneous rock. 
Click here to learn more about olivine!

Fluorite [CaF2]

Fluorite is a non-silicate mineral and is a member of the halide group. It typically comes in purple (as shown), green, or yellow, but can come in other colors. It is also a fairly soft mineral and has four lines of cleavage. Fluorite is often found inside of rocks that have resulted from some sort of hydrothermal activity. Fluorite is used for many industrial purposes including steelmaking and lens making. 

Click here to learn more about fluorite!

Lab 2: Maps and Topography- Part 2

Topographic Map of Georgia with Water Trajectories

Note: Each topo line signifies 200 ft elevation changes

Lab 2: Maps and Topography- Part 1

Choropleth Map

A choropleth map is a color coded thematic map where each feature receives a different color. In this map, which shows the electoral votes of each state during the 2004 presidential election, each state receives a color (red or blue) signifying which candidate that state's votes went to.

Isarithmic Map

An isarithmic map is another type of color coded thematic map. However, in this kind of map, the colors are not confined to different features. For example, in the map above, which shows temperatures in the US, the colors are not confined by the state lines; rather, they just show regions of the country with similar temperatures.

Dot Density Map

A dot density map uses dots to denote some characteristic where clusters of dots show the density of the characteristic. The map shown uses dots to show population based on lights where clusters of dots show denser populations.

Proportional Symbol Map

A proportional symbol map uses some symbol (usually dots) to denote some characteristic. In this map, different sized circles are used to denote the number of women enrolled in college in each state in 2005 where larger dots mean a larger number of women enrolled.

Lab 1: Google Earth Skills

Topography of Stone Mountain using Google Earth