Week 8: Geodes, Weathering, and Erosion

 

  1. This week in lab, we explored rocks and fossils. However, we began by discussing the sweater article and the importance of inquiry-based learning. We then moved into our activity exploring different types of sand and fossils under the microscope. I have my notes and photos attached below. We ended lab by taking a field trip to Macbride Hall and exploring the museum. We noted the different fossils that we found today in relation to Iowa’s history. 

Rocks:

  1. All different colors (orange, gold, green), Different sizes, Different shapes, Smooth, Shiny. 

  2. Smaller similar sizes, smaller than 1, similar shapes different warm colors (orange, red, yellow), dry texture: Desert 

  3. Bigger pieces, Similar sizes, Different shapes, Black color with some gold and red spots, Sharp edges, Dull: Volcano 

  4. Primarily small pieces some large, varying shapes, shiny, white/clear colors: Ocean

  5. Multicolored (red, white, orange, black), varying shapes and sizes, shiny: River 

  6. 11: White, pearl appearance, small size, similar round/oval shape, shiny: Beach

Fossils: 

  • What was Iowa like during this time period? I think this is when Iowa was under water or near the ocean due to the corals and brachiopods that we found.  

​​

  1. How can rocks and fossils be used to better understand Earth and Earth’s history? 

  2. Lecture Notes:

Oct 16 Lecture

The Devonian in Iowa

  • A time when much of the state was submerged under warm, shallow seas 

  • Iowa was a warm, shallow, inland sea; it was not in the ocean. We were South of the equator 

  • Following the Devonian, Iowa eventually became swamp land, leading to plants, including trees and new animals on the land. 

Characteristics of Sand

  • Have kids bring sand back from vacations

  • Sand created through water is polished, smooth, and generally similar in size

  • Sand created through glaciers is polished, smooth, but irregular in size

  • Sand created through wind is opaque, frosted, pitted, and very fine grained. 

Rock Cycle

  • Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic

  • 3 kinds, they can do 3 different types of things 

  • All stated as igneous (born from fire); the Earth was magma and cooled 

  • Simplified example: Igneous has 3 choices

    • Melt and become magma and cool back into an igneous rock

    • It could break down in weathering and erosion to sediments and become a sedimentary rock 

    • It could undergo heat and pressure and become metamorphic 

  • Complex Example: 

    • When magma cools it can exit the Earth; extrusive or stay inside the Earth; intrusive 

    • Extrusive cools faster, especially when dropped into water; obsidian rock. Used in brain surgery, bow and arrows,

    • Intrusive coolers slower, creates crystals  

Weathering and Erosion

  • Chemical: Changes the rock by reacting with water, oxygen, acid, or other organisms 

  • Mechanical/Physical: Does NOT change the rock 

  • Erosion does not break it down, it moves it through wind, water, glaciers 

    • Water: Most prevalent, V-shaped Valleys; young/mature/old rivers determined by energy levels

    • Wind: weakest, small particles, sand blasting, arches 

    • Glaciers: most powerful, u-shaped, bulldozer, moraines, kettle lake (MN)

Law of Supervision

  • Sedimentary rocks form layers that become buried under more layers over time. The layers above are younger than the layers below

  • Helps geologists determine the relative ages of rocks or fossils

  • Layers of sedimentary rocks are horizontal when they are formed (Law of Horizonality)

  1. In Chapter 8, I deepened my understanding of geological features and processes around Earth. I began by learning more about the Law of Superposition. This law states that the deeper layers of rock are older. Whereas the Law of Original Horizontality states that successive layers of rock are formed in flat, horizontal layers, due to gravity. These laws combined can be used to determine the relative age of layers of rocks. I then learned more about sand, such as that you can determine where sand is from based on its color and texture. Furthermore, sand is formed when rocks are weathered down by water or wind. Weathering is the breakdown of rocks on Earth’s surface and there are two types: mechanical and chemical. After rocks have been broken down through weathering, erosion can occur, which is the process by which small bits of rock are transported to a new location. Then, disposition occurs when the particles are added to or deposited at a new location. Lastly, I learned more about fossils. I found it interesting that fossils can only be found in sedimentary rocks because the extreme heat and pressure needed to form igneous and metamorphic rocks would destroy the fossil. Something I am still struggling to understand is the Devonian period and therefore plan to read further on this. However, the videos and visuals used throughout this chapter were helpful in strengthening my understanding. 

  2.  I have no questions, comments, or concerns at this time.

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