GEOL-1401+Lab+Manual+SP2023

GEOL-1401 Lab Manual SPRING 2023

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS UNIT 1: ASTRONOMY Lab 1: Patterns in the Solar System …………………………………… . 2 Lab 2: Earth- Moon- Sun Systems …………………………………… .. … 7 UNIT 2: GEOLOGY Lab 3: Plate Tectonics Jigsaw ……………………………………………… . 15 Lab 4: Minerals ………………………………………………………………… 17 Lab 5: Igneous Rocks ………………………………………………………… . 24 Lab 6: Sedimentary Rocks ……………………………………………… .... 31 Lab 7: Metamorphic Rocks ………………………………………… .. …… 37 Lab 8: Topographic Maps …………………………………………… . ….. 4 2 Lab 9: Earthquake Intensity Map ………………………………… . ….. 55 Lab 10: Locating the Epicenter ……………………………………… . … 59 Lab 11: Structural Geology ………………………………………… . …… 64 Lab 12: Geologic Time ……………………………………………… . ……… 72 UNIT 3: METEOROLOGY & OCEANOGRAPHY Lab 13: Characteristics of Ocean Water Part 1 ………………… .. 81 Lab 14: Characteristics of Ocean Water Part 1 ………………… .. 86 Lab 15: Relative Humidity & Dew Point …………………………… .. 89

2 Lab 1: Patterns in the Solar System Goals: The Solar System exhibits various degrees of order and regular patterns. By the end of this lab, you will be able to describe the appearance of the Solar System, arrange the planets into two distinct groups based on similar characteristics, and compare/contrast some of the physical properties and motions of the planets for each group. Directions: Use the chart on the next page and the background information that follows to answer the questions. Figure 1. Our Solar System (not to scale) Figure 2. Plane of the Ecliptic (not to scale) Figure 3. Obliquity of planets in the Solar System Figure 4. Earth’s Obliquity

3 Planetary Data Chart Planet Mean Distance from Sun Period of Rotation (Earth Days) Period of Revolution (in Earth Days) Diameter (km) Relative Mass (Earth=1) Average Density (g/cm 3 ) Inclination of Orbit (◦) # Known Satellites AU Million km Mercury 0.39 58 59 d 88 d 4,854 0.056 5.4 7 ◦ 0 Venus 0.72 108 -243 d 224 d 12,112 0.82 5.2 3 ◦ 24’ 0 Earth 1.00 150 23 h 56 m 04 s 365.25 d 12,751 1.00 5.5 0 ◦ 00 1 Mars 1.52 228 24 h 37 m 23 s 687 d 6,788 0.108 3.9 1 ◦ 51’ 2 Jupiter 5.20 778 9 h 50 m 11.86 y 143,000 317.87 1.3 1 ◦ 18’ 63 Saturn 9.54 1,427 10 h 25 m 29.46 y 121,000 95.14 0.7 2 ◦ 29’ 61 Uranus 19.18 2,870 17 h 14 m 84 y 47,000 14.56 1.2 0 ◦ 46’ 27 Neptune 30.06 4,497 16 h 165 y 46,529 17.21 1.7 1 ◦ 46’ 13 Background: The order that exists within the Solar System is directly related to the laws of physics that governed its formation (refer to lecture on the creation of the Solar System). The inner planets share the same physical characteristics, such as rocky bodies with solid surfaces and large cores are known as the terrestrial (Earth-like) planets. The outer planets formed under different conditions than the terrestrial planets. They are gaseous planets with cores of ices and rocks, referred to as Jovian (Jupiter-like) planets (Figure 1). When the Solar System is viewed from the side, the orbits of the planets all lay in nearly the same plane, called the Plane of the Ecliptic (Figure 2). All planets orbit the Sun in a counterclockwise direction (known as revolution ). As well, a ll planets rotate on their axes counterclockwise unless they have a negative value for the “Period of Rotation” in the “Planetary Data Chart.” You can also see this by looking at the arrows for each planet in Figure 3. Obliquity is the an gle of a planet’s axis relative to its orbital inclination (Figure 3). For example, refer to Figure 4 and you can see the Earth ’s axis is the imaginary line that passes through both the North and South Poles. This imaginary line is perpendicular to the imaginary plane through which the Earth orbits the Sun. Thus, the Earth's obliquity of 23.5˚ is the angle between these two lines. Simply put, obliquity is the axial tilt of a planet. Refer to the following mathematical equations when answering the lab questions. 𝐀?????? = ??? ?? ??????? # ?? ??????? ?????? = 𝐌??? × 𝐆?????𝐲 The gravitational attraction of a planet is directly related to its mass. 𝐃?????𝐲 = 𝐌??? ?????? As a reference, the density of water is 1 g/cm 3 . ???????𝐲 = 𝐃??????? ????

4 Part 1. Rotation and Revolution of the Planets 1. Which planet has the greatest inclination to the plane of the ecliptic (inclination of orbit)? 2. With exception of the planet listed in the above question, the orbits of all the planets lie within approximately ____ degrees of the plane. a. 2 b. 4 c. 6 d. 10 3. Why do you think the planets are nearly all in the same plane? (Think about the origins of the Solar System) 4. ( Rotation / Revolution ) is the movement of the planet in an orbit around the Sun and ( Rotation / Revolution ) is the spinning of a planet around its axis. 5. Why do most planets and other objects in the Solar System move in a counterclockwise direction? (Think about the origins of the Solar System) 6. Identify the only planet that does not rotate in a counterclockwise direction. 7. On Earth, the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. What does this mean for the planet in the previous question? 8. Due to its obliquity, which planet essentially spins on its side? 9. Write a brief statement comparing the rotational periods of the terrestrial planets to those of the Jovian planets. 10. The gas giant Jupiter rotates on its axis approximately every ________ hours. The equatorial circumference of Jupiter is about 280,000 miles. Thus, if an object were on the equator of Jupiter and rotating with it, it would travel about 280,000 miles in about 10 hours. Complete the calculation to determine the equatorial rotational velocity of Jupiter below in mph. (Hint: refer to the math equations in the “Background” section of the lab) 11. The equatorial circumference of the Earth is about 24,000 miles. The Earth rotates once on its axis every ________hours. Calculate the equatorial rotational velocity of the Earth below. 12. Based on your previous answers, how many times faster does Jupiter spin on its axis compared to the Earth? 13. For all the planets, compare the period of rotation to the period of revolution and then complete the following statement by circling the best responses: The terrestrial planets all have ( long / short ) days and ( long / short ) years, while the Jovian planets all have ( long / short ) days and ( long / short ) years.