Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology, 12th edition

Laboratory 1

Filling Your Geoscience Toolbox

• ACTIVITY 1.1 A View of Earth from Above
• ACTIVITY 1.2 Finding Latitude and Longitude or UTM Coordinates of a Point
• ACTIVITY 1.3 Plotting a Point on a Map Using UTM Coordinates
• ACTIVITY 1.4 Scaling, Density, and Earth’s Deep Interior
• ACTIVITY 1.5 Investigating Earth’s Highs and Lows
• ACTIVITY 1.6 Unit Conversions, Scientific Notation, and Rates
• ACTIVITY 1.7 Graphing and Interpreting Data

Laboratory 2

Plate Tectonics

• ACTIVITY 2.1 Plate Motion from Different Frames of Reference
• ACTIVITY 2.2 Plate Motion and the San Andreas Fault
• ACTIVITY 2.3 Measuring Plate Motion Using GPS
• ACTIVITY 2.4 Hotspots and Plate Motions
• ACTIVITY 2.5 How Earth’s Materials Deform
• ACTIVITY 2.6 Paleomagnetic Stripes and Seafloor Spreading
• ACTIVITY 2.7 Atlantic Seafloor Spreading
• ACTIVITY 2.8 Using Earthquakes to Identify Plate Boundaries

Laboratory 3

Mineral Properties, Identification, and Uses

• ACTIVITY 3.1 Mineral Luster, Diaphaneity, Streak, and Color
• ACTIVITY 3.2 Mineral Shape
• ACTIVITY 3.3 Determining the Relative Hardness of a Mineral
• ACTIVITY 3.4 Determining Specific Gravity
• ACTIVITY 3.5 Mineral Analysis, Identification, and Uses
• ACTIVITY 3.6 The Mineral Dependency Crisis
• ACTIVITY 3.7 Urban Ore

Laboratory 4

Rock-Forming Processes and the Rock Cycle

• ACTIVITY 4.1 Rock and the Rock Cycle
• ACTIVITY 4.2 Rock Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 4.3 What Are Rocks Made Of?
• ACTIVITY 4.4 Rock-Forming Minerals
• ACTIVITY 4.5 What Are Rock Texture and Fabric?

Laboratory 5

Igneous Rocks and Processes

• ACTIVITY 5.1 Igneous Textures
• ACTIVITY 5.2 Investigating Mineral Grain Size in Igneous Rock
• ACTIVITY 5.3 Glassy and Vesicular Textures of Igneous Rock
• ACTIVITY 5.4 Minerals That Form Igneous Rocks
• ACTIVITY 5.5 Estimate the Percentage of Mafic Minerals
• ACTIVITY 5.6 Estimate Mineral Composition of a Phaneritic Rock by Point Counting
• ACTIVITY 5.7 Analysis and Interpretation of Igneous Rock
• ACTIVITY 5.8 Tectonic Setting of Some Major Volcanic Rock Types
• ACTIVITY 5.9 Geologic History of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Laboratory 6

Sedimentary Processes, Rocks, and Environments

• ACTIVITY 6.1 Clastic Sediment
• ACTIVITY 6.2 Bioclastic Sediment and Coal
• ACTIVITY 6.3 Sedimentary Rock Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 6.4 Sediment from Source to Sink
• ACTIVITY 6.5 Sediment Analysis, Classification, and Interpretation
• ACTIVITY 6.6 Hand Sample Analysis and Interpretation
• ACTIVITY 6.7 Grand Canyon Outcrop Analysis and Interpretation
• ACTIVITY 6.8 Using the Present to Imagine the Past—Dogs to Dinosaurs
• ACTIVITY 6.9 Using the Present to Imagine the Past—Cape Cod to Kansas

Laboratory 7

Metamorphic Rocks, Processes, and Resources

• ACTIVITY 7.1 Metamorphic Rock Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 7.2 Minerals in Metamorphic Rock
• ACTIVITY 7.3 Metamorphic Rock Analysis and Interpretation
• ACTIVITY 7.4 Hand Sample Analysis, Classification, and Origin
• ACTIVITY 7.5 Metamorphic Grades and Facies

Laboratory 8

Dating of Rocks, Fossils, and Geologic Events

• ACTIVITY 8.1 Geologic Inquiry for Relative Dating
• ACTIVITY 8.2 Determining Sequence of Events in Geologic Cross-Sections
• ACTIVITY 8.3 Using Fossils to Date Rocks and Events
• ACTIVITY 8.4 Numerical Dating of Rocks and Fossils
• ACTIVITY 8.5 Infer Geologic History from a New Mexico Outcrop
• ACTIVITY 8.6 Investigating a Natural Cross-Section in the Grand Canyon

Laboratory 9

Topographic Maps

• ACTIVITY 9.1 Map and Google Earth Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 9.2 Map Locations, Distances, Directions, and Symbols
• ACTIVITY 9.3 Topographic Map Construction
• ACTIVITY 9.4 Topographic Map and Orthoimage Interpretation
• ACTIVITY 9.5 Relief and Gradient (Slope) Analysis
• ACTIVITY 9.6 Topographic Profile Construction

Laboratory 10

Geologic Structures, Maps, and Block Diagrams

• ACTIVITY 10.1 Map Contacts and Formations
• ACTIVITY 10.2 Geologic Structures Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 10.3 Fault Analysis Using Orthoimages
• ACTIVITY 10.4 Appalachian Mountains Geologic Map
• ACTIVITY 10.5 Cardboard Model Analysis and Interpretation
• ACTIVITY 10.6 Block Diagram Analysis and Interpretation

Laboratory 11

Earthquake Hazards and Human Risks

• ACTIVITY 11.1 Earthquake Hazards Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 11.2 How Seismic Waves Travel Through Earth
• ACTIVITY 11.3 Locate the Epicenter of an Earthquake
• ACTIVITY 11.4 San Andreas Fault Analysis at Wallace Creek
• ACTIVITY 11.5 New Madrid Seismic Zone

Laboratory 12

Stream Processes, Geomorphology, and Hazards

• ACTIVITY 12.1 Streamer Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 12.2 Introduction to Stream Processes and Landscapes
• ACTIVITY 12.3 A Mountain Stream
• ACTIVITY 12.4 Escarpments and Stream Terraces
• ACTIVITY 12.5 Meander Evolution on the Rio Grande
• ACTIVITY 12.6 Retreat of Niagara Falls
• ACTIVITY 12.7 Flood Hazard Mapping, Assessment, and Risk

Laboratory 13

Groundwater Processes, Resources, and Risks

• ACTIVITY 13.1 Groundwater Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 13.2 Where Is the Nasty Stuff Going?
• ACTIVITY 13.3 Using Data to Map the Flow of Groundwater
• ACTIVITY 13.4 Karst Processes and Topography
• ACTIVITY 13.5 Floridan Aquifer System
• ACTIVITY 13.6 Land Subsidence from Groundwater Withdrawal

Laboratory 14

Glaciers and the Dynamic Cryosphere

• ACTIVITY 14.1 The Cryosphere and Sea Ice
• ACTIVITY 14.2 Mountain Glaciers and Glacial Landforms
• ACTIVITY 14.3 Nisqually Glacier Response to Climate Change
• ACTIVITY 14.4 Glacier National Park Investigation
• ACTIVITY 14.5 Some Effects of Continental Glaciation

Laboratory 15

Desert Landforms, Hazards, and Risks

• ACTIVITY 15.1 Dryland Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 15.2 Sand Seas of Nebraska and the Arabian Peninsula
• ACTIVITY 15.3 Dryland Lakes of Utah
• ACTIVITY 15.4 Death Valley, California

Laboratory 16

Coastal Processes, Landforms, Hazards, and Risks

• ACTIVITY 16.1 Coastline Inquiry
• ACTIVITY 16.2 Introduction to Coastlines
• ACTIVITY 16.3 Coastline Modification at Ocean City, Maryland
• ACTIVITY 16.4 The Threat of Rising Seas

Laboratory 17

Earth’s Dynamic Climate

• ACTIVITY 17.1 How Does Rising Temperature Affect Sea Level?
• ACTIVITY 17.2 Melting Ice and Rising Sea Level
• ACTIVITY 17.3 Using Tide Gauge Data to Model Sea-Level Change
• ACTIVITY 17.4 Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere
• ACTIVITY 17.5 The Climate Record from Cores
• ACTIVITY 17.6 Local Effects of Sea-Level Rise

Cardboard Models

GeoTools