ESC/BIO 334-SOIL SCIENCE

Rock, Mineral, and Parent Material Identification Lab
(14pts.)

Identify the 28 rocks, minerals, or unconsolidated parent materials in Dow 290.  Numbers in parentheses indicate how many specimens are present.   Questions after each rock type only have to be answered once.  For example, there are five different sandstones that need to be identified.  The question, "What sort of soil texture is typically associated with this rock?" only needs to be answered once, on any appropriate line on the lab data sheet  To assist you with this lab, there will be two rock and mineral identification texts in the lab along with this on-line guide to rock identification.

quartzite (2)  What was this rock before it was metamorphosed? limestone (3) What effect would the weathering of this rock have upon soil pH? gneiss (2) sandstone (5) What sort of soil texture is typically associated with this rock?
granite (2), Name three common minerals associated with this rock. schist (2) till (1), How is this deposit distinguished from fluvioglacial deposits? conglomerate (2), In what type of environment would a conglomerate form?  What would you guess the bulk density to be of a soil weathered from conglomerate? 
basalt (2), What type of volcanic eruption is associated with this rock? fulgurite, (1)  how does this deposit form? loess, (1) This well sorted deposit is associated with what type of environment? shale, (2) Once weathered into a soil, what type of permeability and porosity will result?
alluvium (1)   This well sorted deposit is associated with what type of environment? lead (Pb), (1) What dangers do does the weathering of this mineral pose to children? coal, (1) How do future wetlands contribute to coal foramtion?  

Place all answers on the lab data sheet

 

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