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Physical Geology 2018-19

Course Description

This page will contain news, links, and assignments for Mr. Kirschman's Physical Geology class.  

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12/19-12/21/18 - Final Exam Link

Please answer your questions to the final exam on the form below.  
 
 
Written Response Question - 10 pts. 
 
Cite 3 specific examples from class to answer the following question:  
(Bread Experiment, Relative Dating, Fossils, Radiometric Dating, Meteorites, Geologic Timescale)
 
Do you believe the Earth is 4.5 Billion years old?  Is it younger? Is it older?  Why?
 
Turn in study guide

12/18/18 - H.O.I.D. - Bread Lab Conclusions

As a group, you will write ONE written paper about your bread lab.  Each person will do 1 of the following parts.  
 
Part 1 - Lab Purpose and Experiment design - Explain how you set up the lab and what your objectives were. 
Part 2-  Lab data with chart - Include days, percentages of mold, and growth rate (percent mold/days)
Part 3 - Lab conclusions - What were your findings?  What were some problems you had with the experiment and how would you fix them?  What would you do next time to learn more? 
Part 4 - Lab connections - In what ways did your experiment compare with Patterson's "Clean Room" Experiment where he discovered the age of the earth?  In what ways did your experiment not represent it?  What are the problems with using this lab concept to learn how fast objects decay?
 
Turn in when complete.  
 
Finish all PLATO Tests, Edpuzzle Videos, and the study guide to prepare for the final exam. 
 

12/13/18: H.O.I.D.? - Radiometric Dating Notes and Practice Problems

1.  Choose and complete 1 Edpuzzle Video about Radiometric Dating/Absolute Dating/Carbon Dating. If no access, write responses on paper and turn in.  
 
 
3.  Practice Problems
     How old is a bone that has 50% carbon 14 and 50% nitrogen 14?  
     How old is a skeleton that has 12% carbon 14 and 88% nitrogen 14? 
     How old is a sedimentary rock that has 25% potassium 40 and 75% argon? 
     How old is an igneous rock that has 50% uranium and 50% lead?  

12/12/18 - H.O.I.D.? - Popcorn Decay Lab

Here is a link to the activity we are doing in class today.  
 
 
1. Microwave the popcorn
Groups 1-2: Microwave for 1:45
Groups 3-4: Microwave for 2:15
Groups 5-6: Microwave 2:45
Groups 7-8: Microwave for  3:15
 
2.  Separate the contents of the bag into bowls and count the # of Popped AND Unpopped kernels. Record the data
 
3. Calculate the percent of popped and unpopped kernels.   
 
Popped/Total X 100
Unpopped/Total X100
 
What type of atom does the unpopped kernel represent?  Popped kernel?
Using your percentage and the Half Life chart we made yesterday, how many half lives has the popcorn decayed based on each cooking time?
Based on the data and graph, about how much time is a half life for popcorn (50%)
 

12/11/18: H.O.I.D.? - Half Life Demonstration

In Groups, 
 
1. Discuss the outcomes of a coin flip
2. Make a hypothesis of the results of 100 flips.  How many heads? Tails?
3. Flip a coin 100 times.  Record the data for Heads and Tails
4. Do a second round of coin flips starting with the number of Heads you got in the round of 100.  
5.  Repeat until you have zero heads.  
 
By yourself,
 
6.  Graph your coin flip data.  
7.  Share and discuss.

12/7/18: H.O.I.D. - Absolute Dating

1. Bread Lab Data
 
2.  Edpuzzle videos: 3 Absolute/Radiometric/Half Life Dating- Complete questions for credit on your own device 
 
OR
 
    Textbook Ch. 8 End of Chapter review questions - Turn in your paper
 
 

12/5/18: H.O.I.D.? - "Relative Time"

1.  Read Text Pg. 180-190.  Write 3 examples and draw 3 pictures of how RELATIVE TIME helps build the Geologic Time Scale
 
2. Complete Lesson Activity "Relative Dating" 
 
Objectives:
 
How do Relative Dating and Fossils help scientists put together the Geologic Time Scale?  
 
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Relative Dating and fossils?