The following is a list of the Labs as we did them last year...
the order WILL change this year, but I'll update it as we go!
LOOK FOR THE LAB # to tell you which ones are labs we are doing or have
done
- LAB #1: HURRICANE KATRINA
- LAB #2: EARTH'S SHAPE
- LAB #3: NYS LANDSCAPES
- LAB #4: TIME ZONES
- LAB #5-6: TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
- LAB #7: DENSITY
- LAB #8 - TECTONIC PLATES
- LAB #9 - HAWAIIAN HOTSPOTS
- LAB #10: EARTHQUAKES
- LAB #11-12: MINERAL IDENTIFICATION
- LAB #13-14: ROCK CLASSIFICATION
- LAB #15: GROUNDWATER + PPC
- LAB #16:WEATHERING
- LAB #17:STREAM VELOCITY
- LAB #18: DEPOSITION
- LAB #19-20: GEOLOGIC TIME
- LAB #22: CORRELATING ROCK LAYERS
- LAB #23-24: CONSTELLATION CONNECTION
- LAB #25 - H-R DIAGRAM
- LAB #26 - ELLIPSES
- LAB #27 - THE MOON
- LAB #28 - RELATIVE HUMIDITY
- LAB #29-30 - CURRENT WEATHER
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- SEAFLOOR MAPPING
- SUNSPOTS
- SEA FLOOR SPREADING
- STORM TRACKING
- CONTINENTAL DRIFT
- RADIOACTIVE DECAY
- GEOLOGIC CROSS-SECTIONS
- DETERMINING CLOUD BASE
- PLATE TECTONICS
LAB #1: HURRICANE KATRINA
In one or more paragraphs, demonstrate your understanding of:
-- the Saffir-Simpson Scale
-- the factors that cause a hurricane to change in strength
and how hurricane strength is changed
-- the relationship between air pressure and wind speed
LAB #2: EARTH'S SHAPE
In one or more paragraphs, demonstrate your understanding of:
-- what a roundness ratio is and how it's used to tell planet shape
-- the true shape of Earth, Jupiter and a globe using their roundness ratio values.
LAB #3: NYS LANDSCAPES
In one or more paragraphs, be able to:
-- identify, describe and provide examples of the features
of the 3 main landscape regions found in NYS
(be sure to discuss bedrock type and elevation)
***The more detail...the better!
LAB #4: TIME ZONES
In one or more paragraphs, be able to:
-- Describe the differences between latitude and longitude
(discuss at least 3 differences)
-- Tell how Polaris can be used to determine an observers latitude
(be sure to give an example)
-- Describe how your longitude is related to your time zone
(provide an example based upon GMT)
LAB #5-6: TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
In one or more paragraphs, be able to:
-- Describe what a topographic map is
-- Tell how gradient/steepness can be determined
by looking at contour lines
-- Tell how the direction of stream flow can be
determined by looking at contour lines
-- Describe how you would find the highest possible
elevation using contour lines
-- Identify 2 real world uses/careers involving a
topographic map. Be specific as to how they are used.
LAB #7: DENSITY
In one or more paragraphs, be able to:
-- Define what density is and tell how it is calculated.
-- Describe HOW density would change if mass is increased, but
volume is not
-- Describe the relationship between density and temperature
-- Describe the relationship between density and pressure
LAB #8 - TECTONIC PLATES
In one or more paragraphs, be able to:
--- Identify and describe the four main types of plate movement.
--- Provide an example of a plate boundary for each of the four
types of plate movement.
--- Identify a tectonic feature/event for each of the 4 types
of plate movement
--- Provide a description of and tell the location of the "Ring of Fire".
LAB #9 - HAWAIIAN HOTSPOTS
In one or more paragraphs, be able to:
-- Explain, IN DETAIL, what formed the Hawaiian Islands.
-- Identify the direction of movement of the Pacific Plate.
-- Describe the age and size of the Hawaiian Islands as
you move westward up the chain.
-- Explain why Yellowstone can be a hotspot yet not be volcanic.
LAB #10: EARTHQUAKES
In one or more paragraphs, be able to:
-- Describe 3 major differences between P waves and S waves.
-- Tell how P and S waves are used to help infer the properties
of Earth's interior.
-- Describe the relationship between the P and S wave lag time
and the distance to an earthquake epicenter.
-- Describe 3 ways that you might prepare for the possibility of
an earthquake. (NOT DURING...)
LAB #11-12: MINERAL IDENTIFICATION
-- Describe in detail the streak and hardness tests used to help
identify a mineral sample.
-- Explain what determines the hardness and cleavage of a mineral.
-- Describe what features to look for in a mineral that has cleavage.
-- Explain why a great number of minerals are classified as silicates.
LAB #13-14: ROCK CLASSIFICATION
-- Describe (using key terms) the method and location
of formation for each of the 3 different rock types.
-- Describe, in detail, the main differences between
clastic and non-clastic sedimentary rocks.
Provide examples with your descriptions.
-- Describe the 4 different textures that igneous
rocks can have; explaining how each texture is
related to cooling time. Provide examples of each.
-- Tell why all three rock types contain the same
basic mineral composition.
LAB #15: GROUNDWATER + PPC
-- Define the terms permeability, porosity and capillarity.
-- Tell what conditions will create the greatest permeability,
the greatetst porosity and the greatest capillarity.
(Write about each individually).
-- Compare the permeability, porosity and capillarity of equal
volumes of sand (.05cm) and pebbles (2.5 cm). Use terms of
greater, equal or lesser in your comparison.
LAB #16:WEATHERING
-- Provide 2 examples of both physical weathering and chemical
weathering
-- Identify the factors that affect weathering rate.
-- Describe the relationship between climate conditions (temp and moisture)and weathering type.
-- Tell what type of weathering (phys or chem) is dominant in NYS and tell why.
LAB #17:STREAM VELOCITY
-- Identify the 3 factors that determine the velocity of a stream.
-- Describe the erosion/deposition pattern that occurs along a
meandering stream.
-- Describe the manner in which different size particles (small,
medium, large) are transported in a stream.
-- Identify the relationship between stream velocity and particle
size carried.
LAB #18: DEPOSITION
-- Tell the difference between a time and a rate.
-- Tell what factors help determine the settling rate of
sediment. Include detail about which conditions will cause a
particle to settle faster.
-- Describe the difference between the cause of horizontal
sorting and vertical sorting
-- Identify the relationship between:
particle size and settling time
particle size and settling rate
LAB #19-20: GEOLOGIC TIME
-- Tell the basis for the time divisions of Earths geologic history.
-- Explain the changes in life forms that have occurred during
the 3 major eras. Use detail and your ESRT to provide
highlights.
-- Describe the geologic period of the Devonian, giving detail about
the life forms that existed, geologic events that occurred and
the environment in NYS during that time.
LAB #22: CORRELATING ROCK LAYERS
-- Identify 3 geologic principles that are used when
sequencing/rock outcrops
-- Identify 4 features of a rock formation that can help a
geologist correlate rock layers over a large distance
-- Explain the relative age of a fault/intrusion that cuts
through several rock layers.
-- Explain what makes Eurypterus a good index fossil for the
Silurian period.
LAB #23-24: CONSTELLATION CONNECTION
-- Describe how objects can be located in the night sky using the
system of RA and DEC. Provide the RA and DEC for Sirius as an
example.
-- Identify the relationship between temperature and brightness
of stars
-- Describe how color can be used to determine the temperature of
a star.
LAB #25 - H-R DIAGRAM
-- Identify five relationships that can be found between the
properties of stars on the H-R Diagram.
(number them 12345 in your conclusion)
LAB #26 - ELLIPSES
-- Describe what eccentricity is and tell how it is calculated
-- Tell how an eccentricity value is used to
determine the shape of an orbit
-- Describe 3 changes that occur as a planet orbits closer to the Sun.
-- Explain 3 differences between the Geocentric and Heliocentric
Solar System models
LAB #27 - THE MOON
-- Describe what moon motion causes the moons phases, be specific
-- List the eight major moon phases starting with new
-- Describe the difference between the cause of a solar and lunar
eclipse
-- Explain how and why tides change on a daily basis
-- Explain how and why tides change on a monthly basis
LAB #28 - RELATIVE HUMIDITY
-- Explain what is meant by relative humidity
-- Describe two ways that air can become saturated
-- Explain what the dew point temperature is
-- Tell how the relationship between the air temperature and dew
point temperature can be used to predict the “chance of
precipitation”
-- Tell how to use your ESRT to find the humidity or dew point
value given wet and dry bulb readings.
LAB #29-30 - CURRENT WEATHER
-- Draw a diagram showing where/how the following weather data is
recorded on a station model. (air temperature, dew point
temperature, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction, cloud
cover, precipitation amount, barometric tendency, present
weather)
-- Describe how to convert from a long form millibar reading to
its short form to put it on a station model. Then tell how
to convert a short form millibar reading into a long form.
Provide examples to go with your descriptions.
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Answer #24 (blank)
SEAFLOOR MAPPING
-- Describe the topography of the seafloor features listed:
abyssal plains
Continental shelf
continental slope
continental rise
mid-ocean ridge
-- State 2 differences between terrigineous and pelagic
sediments
-- Describe the Atlantic seafloor formation in terms of plate
tectonics Provide as much detail as you can from our Plate
Tectonics unit (rock age, rock type, plate boundary type,
Pangea breakup, geologic period, etc.)
SUNSPOTS
-- Identify and describe the cyclic pattern that exists with the
Solar Cycle.
-- Explain with detail what causes sunspots.
-- Tell what effects here on Earth result from sunspots.
-- Explain in detail what sunspots can tell us about the Suns
rotation.
SEA FLOOR SPREADING
-- Describe the type of plate movement associated with the Mid-
Atlantic Ridge
-- Compare the thickness, density and rock type of oceanic vs.
continental crust
-- In terms of moving across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from west to
east, describe the patterns found in the bedrock as related to:
rock age, ocean depth and magnetic polarity
STORM TRACKING
-- Compare the storm tracks of all three maps and
then generalize to describe the path that storms
take over the US and tell what factor influences
this path.
-- Describe where, when and why hurricanes form.
-- Identify the factors that can cause a hurricane
to increase or decrease in intensity. Be sure to
tell how these factors change intensity.
-- Describe the Saffir/Simpson and Fujita Scales.
Tell what each scale rates and describe the
difference between a Category V and and an F-5
rating.
CONTINENTAL DRIFT
-- Identify and describe three (3) pieces of evidence that
Wegener used to support his Theory of Continental Drift.
-- Give an example of a displaced fossil and tell how it could
lead to the conclusion that the continents have been in
different positions in the past.
-- Tell why the modern theory of Plate Tectonics is more commonly
accepted (accurate) than Wegeners Theory of Continental Drift.
RADIOACTIVE DECAY
-- Provide two examples of isotopes, identify their decay
products and their halflife values.
-- Explain how radioactive isotopes and their decay products are
used to date rocks.
-- Explain which isotope would work best and why for:
**Pleistocene remains approx 20,000 yrs old
**Rock samples brought back from the moon
GEOLOGIC CROSS-SECTIONS
-- Identify and describe the 3 basic principles used to sequence
a geologic cross-section.
-- Describe how you can tell the relative age of a fault,
intrusion or extrusion.
-- Tell what an index fossil is and provide an example of an
index fossil from the Devonian period of NY fossil record.
DETERMINING CLOUD BASE
-- Describe the difference between the cooling rates of dry and
moist air. Be sure to include lapse rate values.
-- Explain how the name of a cloud can tell you something about
its altitude and/or moisture content.
-- Tell what the relationship is between cloud base, altitude
and relative humidity.
PLATE TECTONICS
-- Identify the name and location of the pattern of Q + V plotted
on your map.
-- Describe the differences (in detail) between the three
different types of plate movement.
-- Provide examples of actual plate boundaries where each occurs.
(ex. North American vs. Pacific, etc.)