Laboratory Manual for Introductory Geology 4e

EXERCISE 6.10
Interpreting Sedimentary Outcrops (continued )
Name:
Section:
Course:
Date:
?
What Do You Think Loggers in eastern Maine excavated a hillside
to look for material that they could use to build an access road for harvesting
lumber and wood. The material they found is shown below on the right; note the
small sledgehammer for scale.
As foreperson for the lumbering team, would you recommend using this
material to build the road, or would you direct the team to look for more suitable
material? Consider the size, sorting, and shapes of the clasts, and whether the
agent of their deposition will affect the suitability of the material for road building.
Explain your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
GEOTOURS EXERCISE 6
Interpreting Depositional Environments for Sedimentary Rocks
Name:
Course:
Section:
Date:
Exploring Geology Using Google Earth
1. Visit digital.wwnorton.com/geolabmanual4
2. Go to the Geotours tile to download Google Earth Pro and the accompanying
Geotours exercises file.
Modern depositional environments often
give geoscientists considerable insight into
interpreting ancient depositional environments and the sedimentary rocks that are likely to be present. Expand the Geotour06
folder in Google Earth by clicking the triangle to the left of the folder icon. Inside the folder are two folders that will
direct you to locations that compare modern and ancient depositional environments.
(a) Expand the Sand Dunes folder, and check and double-click the placemark icons to first fly to Namibia and
then fly to the Sandhills area of western Nebraska. Both areas show sand dunes (the Sandhills dunes are covered
with plants and are not presently active). Now use the Zion NP, UT placemark to fly to an actual rock outcrop
170 CHAPTER 6 USING SEDIMENTARY ROCKS TO INTERPRET EARTH HISTORY