This article was downloaded by: [University of Birmingham]On: 14 November 2014, At: 09:04Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House,37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Science Activities: Classroom Projects and CurriculumIdeasPublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vsca20
A Field Trip Guide: The Geology of Building Stones inMetropolitan AreasPamela C. Peebles & Gerald H. Johnson aa Geology Department , College of William and Mary , USAPublished online: 30 Jul 2010.
To cite this article: Pamela C. Peebles & Gerald H. Johnson (1984) A Field Trip Guide: The Geology of BuildingStones in Metropolitan Areas, Science Activities: Classroom Projects and Curriculum Ideas, 21:3, 19-26, DOI:10.1080/00368121.1984.9957990
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A Field TriD
3tones TheGeologPof B d d n g in Metropolitan Areas
PAMELA C. PEEBLES GERALD t i . JOHNSON
PAMELA PEEBLES recently graduated from the School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary. She has taught earth science at the high school level, geology at the college level, and given lectures and field trips. She has also prepared field trip guidebooks and activity plans for earth science teachers. GERALD JOHNSON teaches in the geology depart- ment of the College of William and Mary. In addi- tion, he lectures and arranges field trips for elemen- tary, high school, and college students and profes- sional groups. He has prepared field trip guidebooks and activity plans for earth science teachers and professional organizations.
Exciting opportunities for students to extend their study of earth science beyond the classroom lie in field trips to local buildings. Students have the op- portunity to explore the uses of geological materials, observe a variety of rock types and assess their weathering characteristics, and review important concepts. Walking tours may vary from less than one hour within the school building to several hours in a metropolitan area with visits to many buildings.
As in any field trip, the teacher or field trip leader should set guidelines for student behavior, safety, and needs. Metropolitan areas usually have heavy traffic; therefore, students must take care when SCIENCE ACTIVITIES
crossing streets and gathering for group discussions and also be courteous in pedestrian traffic, yielding plenty of room for people to pass by on the side- walks. Students must be orderIy inside buildings. They may take photographs but must not deface or damage the buildings in any way.
By working in pairs or small teams, students can discuss their observations and help each other while working on various activities. Parents or school per- sonnel should participate in the field trip to lend guid- ance and encouragement and serve as chaperones.
Although metropolitan areas are usually acces- sible throughout the year, a walking field trip is more enjoyable during warm, dry weather. Students should wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes appropriate to the season.
The field trip leader should
establish a route in advance; make certain a parking area is nearby; obtain information on the location of public restrooms; locate eating facilities or an area where students may eat a “brown bag” lunch, if appropriate for the time of day the field trip is taken; depending on which activities will be performed, instruct students to bring some of the following materials: worksheets, a hand lens or magnifying glass, tracing paper, a ruler, pencils, note paper, graph paper, a camera; carry a first-aid kit.
SEPTEMBEWOCTOBER 1984 19
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GEOLOGIC BACKGROUND
The rock cycle is a geologic concept which can serve as a unifying theme to place in perspective the types of geologic materials observed in buildings. Inquiry-oriented activities along with inquiry- oriented discussions of each geologic material pres- ent in the buildings visited allow students to think through the processes of rock formation, as mineral- ogy and texture are distinctive for each rock type.
Background information is available in all in- troductory geology textbooks. Also, see the Resources section following the activities for materials useful for this unit.
BUILDING MATERIALS
Building materials typically include both natural rocks, such as granite, sandstone, limestone, and slate, and processed geological materials, such as
* brick, concrete, asphalt, and crushed-stone ag- gregates. The use of these geological materials depends on their strength, durability, aesthetic qualities, cost, and availability.
Granite, sandstone, and limestone are often used for their strength as bearing walls. Rocks with in- terlocking grains, such as granite, and also sedimen- tary rocks with well-cemented grains are considered strong rocks because they resist crushing, fracturing, and cleaving. Foliated metamorphic rocks, however, are susceptible to cleaving, because the aligned minerals in these rocks possess planes of weakness.
The durability of a rock depends upon its resistance to weathering. This, in turn, depends upon how the rock is used in a building. Many ig- neous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are used as decorative dimension stone in buildings where steel constitutes the structural framework. The term “dimension stone’’ is used by architects and builders to denote a rock which is cut to specific shapes and sizes. Although chemical and physical stability of the dimension stone is not a factor deter- mining its use on walls or pillars inside a building, it is a factor when determining whether or not a par- ticular type of stone can be used on floors or on the outside wall of a building.
Granite is very durable because it is composed predominantly of quartz, K-feldspar, and Ca- feldspar. Gabbro is less durable than granite because it is predominantly composed of Ca-feldspar, am- phibole, and pyroxene; that is, the Ca, Fe, and M g which constitute a major fraction of the mineralogy of gabbro go into solution, rendering the rock less soluble than granite. This same principle applies to metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
A durable rock is not necessarily aesthetically pleasing as a dimension stone. Of course, the con- verse is also true. Dimension stones used for
decorative purposes on the outside of buildings are, therefore, usually granite, gabbro, slate, limestone, and marble. However, some more unusual stones are also used, such as verde antique (a metamorphic rock) and travertine (a chemically precipitated sedimentary rock composed of CaCO,).
The preparation of dimension stone is also a factor relating to aesthetics. Certain stones, such as granite, travertine, and marble, are more aesthetically pleasing when they are polished. Others, such as various types of sandstone and clastic limestone, can be sculpted, pitted, grooved, and chiseled into artistic shapes. Slate is usually most attractive in its natural state. In general, sedimentary rocks are more easily prepared than ig- neous or metamorphic rocks, but as indicated above even granite is commonly polished, regardless of the fact that it is a very durable, hard rock to prepare.
Cost is obviously a determining factor concerning the choice of geologic materials to be used in buildings. Consequently, due to transportation ex- penses, the building stones used in a metropolitan area frequently reflect the proximity of sources for geologic materials.
Conversely, some geologic materials are used even though they occur only in specific geographic locations. For example, Salem limestone (also called Indiana limestone) can almost assuredly be found in buildings of most metropolitan areas since it is an ideal dimension stone: well cemented and thus strong, relatively cheap, easily shaped, and aesthet- ically pleasing. As the name suggests, this limestone is limited in geographic extent to Indiana and near- by states. Travertine, commonly used as a decora- tive dimension stone on the inside of buildings throughout the United States, also entertains widespread use; most of it is quarried in Italy.
Cost may dictate using geologic materials other than dimension stone. Such materials include brick, (clay minerals), cement (clay minerals’ and calcium- magnesium carbonates), concrete (cement, sand, and gravel), and crushed aggregate or pebbles set in- to a matrix of concrete or some other material. Fac- tories producing these materials may be located near metropolitan areas and serve as effective corollary field trips to show how raw geologic materials are processed. These processed geologic materials are usually less aesthetically pleasing and less durable than natural stone.
Crushed stone aggregates can consist of rocks which cannot be used as dimension stones. These in- clude rocks which are fractured, as well as metamor- phic rocks such as greenschist or gneiss.
Processed geologic products are also used as bond- ing materials between dimension stones: specific- ally, cement and mortar (sand and cement or gyp- sum). However, plastics and other manmade pro-
SE PT E M B E WOCTO B E R 1 984 20 SCIENCE ACTIVITIES
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ducts are becoming more widely used because they are more pliable and durable than cement and mor- tar. Thorough examination of building materials yields numerous metallic geologic products as well: metal tracks or frames, metal bolts and other hard- ware, and copper tubing or fixtures, to name only a few.
ACTIVITY WORKSHEETS Although students can learn a great deal about
rocks by merely observing and comparing building stones, associated classroom lessons prior to the field trip allow students greater insight to the the significance of geologic materials and their uses. Also, planned activities and worksheets help the
students relate their observations to geologic con- cepts.
The following activity worksheets are part of a field trip guide to the Richmond, Virginia area but can be used in almost any metropolitan area. Sam- ple activities and questions are included for granite, sandstone, crystalline limestone, travertine, clastic limestone, and crushed aggregate. For those who can take advantage of the Richmond, Virginia area, the activities are ready to use; for others, they can be used as models to plan geology trips in other cities. Note that the photo captions are for orientation only and, as they answer some of the worksheet ques- tions, several would have to be deleted for actual use.
ACTIVITY 1
1. Study the white rock with black specks at the base of this building. Of what mineral(s) is it composed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. What size are the grains? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Are the grains interlocking? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. What is the rock name? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Figure I - 1 . View of the Blan- ton Building in downtown Richmond.
Figure 7-2. Picture showing fine-grained, interlocking
texture of the white granite.
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AC TlVlTY 2
Figure 2. showing
“granite” at
Photograph folds in the Thalhimers.
1. Of what minerals is this rock composed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.Describethetexture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Describe the variation in color (mineral). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. What is the name of this rock? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 . What state (solid, liquid, plastic) was this rock in before it was finally formed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Why? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. Where would you place this rock on the rock cycle?
7 . If this rock had been subjected to slightly higher temperatures, what state would it have been in? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ACTIVITY 3
Examine the reddish rock in the wall on either side of the doorway.
1. Of what minerals is the rock composed?
2. What color is the rock? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. What size are the grains?
4. Are they interlocking? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 3- I . View of the Virginia Department of Educa- tion Bureau of Teaching Materials Building.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . Carefully sketch the banding in the rock from one face. Compare your sketch with the sketch made from a different
5 . What mineral makes natural rock red?
6. What is the name of this rock?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
block made by another of your group. How are they similar?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. How are they dissimilar? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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9. Study the building stone on the right-hand side of the doorway-for example, the fifth stone above the street. Is this rockcrossorplanarbedded? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10. Based upon the sketches of bedding, is the rock right side up or upside down?
11. If the stone were turned over, in what direction would the current have flowed?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12. Describe the various ways the rock has been finished. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13. This rock is cemented with calcium carbonate (calcite) and hematite and was probably quarried in West Virginia. What properties make this rock desirable for sculptured building stone? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14. Is this stone durable? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15. Cite evidence to support your answer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16. What makes this rock fail? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Figure 3-2. Photograph of the cross-bedded sandstone on the exterior of the building.
C U R R E N T
Figure 3-3. Sketch showing the relationship between the current direction and the configuration of cross bedding.
SCIENCE ACTIVITIES SEPTEMBEWOCTOBER 1984 23
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ACTIVITY 4
Enter City Hall through the double doors, and stop in the foyer by the pillars covered with black rock. . . . . . . . . . .
1 . Of what mineral is this rock composed? (Hint: it has a hard$ss of three and will effervesce in dilute hydrochloric acid.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. What kind of rock is it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *
3. What other mineral(s) occurs as small flecks and blobs in the roc+? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. What mineral or substance could impart a black or dark color to the rocks?
5. What conditions are necessary for the formation of the mineral or substance in the question above?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. Why would you expect to find few fossils in this kind of rock? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7 . Is this rock fossiliferous?
8. Was the rock originally a sand or a mud? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9. Would sediment of this size have accumulated in a turbulent or quiet water
environment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10. Why? . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. Describe the probable environment of deposition of the black rock, based upon your observation of the mineral content, grain size, color, and fauna in the rock.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Figure 4. Photograph of the black limestone covering the columns on the interior of City Hall.
ACTIVITY 5
Direct your attention to the light tan stone on the inside walls of the lobby near the elevators. This rock is composed of calcite and called travertine. This particular rock came from Italy.
1. Describe the texture and general appearance of this rock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Is the rock sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic in origin? . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 .Why? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
This type of rock is formed near hot springs. T h e calcite is preci
4. What was the orientation of this rock when it was formed?
5 . Why would this rock not be used as a floor stone?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. What disadvantages would it have when used as an exterior facing stone?
7 . How thick are these panels of rock? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Y .I Figure 5. View of the texture
24 SCIENCE ACTIVIT1ES SEPTEMBEWOCTOBER 1984
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ACTIVITY 6
1. Describe the shape of the rocks within the square.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Of what minerals are the rocks composed? . . . . . .
..................... 3. Do the minerals exhibit any orientation? If so, describe. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. What is the name of the rock? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . Are the rocks in a natural binder or matrix?
6. Is there evidence that the rock is weathering?
7 . Give evidence to support your answer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. What functions do the “spacers” between each square serve?
9. From what physiographic province of Virginia could these rocks have been quarried?
Figure 6. View o f the greenschist aggregate on the deck around the Hotel john Marshall.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Figure 7. Photograph showing the use o f greenstone on
the floor o f the lobby o f the Madison Building.
ACTIVITY 7
1. Describe the shape(s) of the dark green rock in the floor.
2. Of what mineral i s it principally composed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . t
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 . Compare the physical properties of this rock to the rock in the deck around the outside of the building. How are they
similar? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. How are they dissimilar?
5 . What physical properties make the foyer stone more suitable (stable) for a floor stone?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Are the greenish pieces in a natural or manmade matrix? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7 . Whichisharder? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. How can youtell? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9. Of what is the divider between each large square composed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10.. Why is this material used on the foyer floor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. Why would it not be wise to use this material outside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12. Which divider, the material between the squares outside or that between the squares inside, will give the most when
the squares expand upon heating? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................ SCIENCE ACTIVITIES SEPTEMBEWOCTOBER 1984 25
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Answer Key
ACTIVITY 1 1. Quartz (gray, glassy), K-feldspar (white), and albite
(white with striations) with minor amounts of biotite (black) and hornblende (black).
2 . 0.1 to 1.5 mm. 3. The grains interlock; the dominant minerals are
4. White granite.
1. Quartz, white, and reddish feldspars dominate. 2. The rock varies from fine grained to very coarse
grained and is quite variable over short distances. 3. The rock has bands of different minerals and aggre-
gates of lighter and darker minerals locally. The pat- terns are varied and in some places the bands are folded; locally, small dikes cut across the rock.
4. A logical answer would be gneiss because of the light and dark minerals.
5. Plastic. 6. The mineral bands are contorted. 7 . Plastic. 8. Extremely high metamorphic rank.
ACTIVITY 3 1. Quartz grains, small mica flakes, and hematite
cement. 2. Reddish brown. 3. Sand sized. 4. No. 5. Iron oxides (hematite). 6. Sandstone. 7. They both exhibit cross bedding. 8. They are oriented differently, possess numerous
9. Cross bedded. 10. Upside down. 11. In the direction of the sloping cross beds. 12. Parallel grooved, sculptured, and smooth cut. 13. Uniform texture, relatively easily sculpted because of
14. No. 15. The rock is flaking (sprawling) and is crumbling. 16. The cement is being dissolved, and the water that
gets into the voids and cracks freezes and tends to break the rock apart.
intergrown with each other.
ACTIVITY 2
voids, and are laminated.
the weak cement.
ACTIVITY 4 1. Calcite. 2. Limestone. 3. Pyrite and calcite. 4. Finely divided pyrite and organic matter. 5. An anaerobic or oxygen deficient environment in
which abundant organic material is being deposited. 6. The rock was deposited in an oxygen deficient en-
vironment inhospitable to most shelled marine life. Furthermore, the low acid conditions in the sediment would have dissolved many of the shells.
7. Yes, but sparsely so. 8. Mud. 9. Quiet.
10. If the environment had been turbulent-that is,
26 SCIENCE ACTIVITIES
swept by strong currents and waves-the fine sediments would be carried away. Fine sediments set- tle out only in quiet water.
11. Quiet water; low oxygen level; muddy marine en- vironment.
ACTIVITY 5 1. This rock is light brown or tan, distinctly banded,
possesses numerous voids, and appears to have many minute bands which may be alga in origin.
2. Sedimentary. 3. The rock is layered, composed of calcium carbonate. 4. The beds were horizontal. 5. It is too soft (hardness - 3). 6. It is subject to being dissolved by pollutants and
natural substances in the atmosphere, and the numerous voids collect dirt and become unattractive relatively rapidly.
7. About 2 cm.
ACTIVITY 6 1. Irregular discs or tabular fragments with uneven or
2. Chlorite (green), epidote (pistachio green), quartz
3. Yes. Minerals are oriented parallel to each other. 4. Chlorite schist or a green schist. 5. The rock fragments are embedded in a manmade
6. Yes. 7 . The rock is crumbling and discoloring. 8. Allows for thermal expansion 9. Piedmont.
jagged edges.
(white).
cement.
ACTIVITY 7 1. Angular fragments of fine to moderate size with their
2. Chlorite. 3. The rocks are composed of dark green minerals
(chlorite) and broken into angular fragments. 4. The interior rock is not weathered and does not ex-
hibit prominent cleavage or crumbling. 5. This rock is dense and nonfoliated. 6. Manmade. 7 . The natural rock. 8. The natural rock stands out in relief above the sur-
rounding binder. 9. Brass.
10. Attractive, stable. 11. The brass will corrode rapidly when exposed to water
and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 12. The exterior material compresses the most; also, it is
subjected to the most extremes in temperature.
polished surface.
RESOURCES Exline, Joseph D., ed. Region I Earth Science Field
Guide. Richmond, Va. : Virginia Department of Education, 1981.
Peebles, Pamela C.; Johnson, Gerald H.; and Giese, Ronald N. Field Guide for Selected Sites in Tidewater Virginia. Williamsburg, Va. : Depart- ment of Education, College of William and Mary, 1981.
SEPTEMBEWOCTOBER 1984
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