sorting of earth materials: beaches, streams and road cuts

Sorting of Earth’s Materials: Sorting of Earth’s Materials: Beaches, Streams and Road Beaches, Streams and Road

Cuts. Cuts.

What is Sorting? What is Sorting? Sorting is arranging Sorting is arranging

things according to things according to class, kind, or size; class, kind, or size; classify.classify.

DensityDensity affects the affects the sorting of sorting of naturalnatural materials in a materials in a mixture.mixture.

Jar ActivityJar Activity Before Before

Shaking/MixingShaking/MixingWhat do you What do you

observe?observe?

AfterAfter Shaking/ MixingShaking/ MixingWhat do you What do you

observe?observe?

Sorting in GeneralSorting in General DensityDensity affects the sorting affects the sorting

of naturally occurring of naturally occurring materials in a mixture. materials in a mixture.

For example, in the stream For example, in the stream to the right dense objects to the right dense objects like heavy and large rocks like heavy and large rocks stay at the bottom while stay at the bottom while less dense objects like less dense objects like light and small silt and dirt light and small silt and dirt can be carried away by the can be carried away by the flow.  flow.  

What is density?What is density? Density = Density =

Mass/VolumeMass/Volume

Mass Mass = The amount of = The amount of matter in something.matter in something.

VolumeVolume = The amount = The amount of space occupied by of space occupied by something. It is the something. It is the size of something.size of something.

How does density affect sorting?How does density affect sorting?

Knowing that some things float while Knowing that some things float while others sink gives us a good idea others sink gives us a good idea about how density relates to things about how density relates to things around us. Not only does around us. Not only does densitydensity determine when something will sink, determine when something will sink, it also is responsible for the different it also is responsible for the different layers of the Earth and the layers of the Earth and the sortingsorting of natural materials on the Earth!of natural materials on the Earth!

How does density affect sorting?How does density affect sorting?

Below you will find photographs to represent the different Below you will find photographs to represent the different layers of the Earth. At the right of each photograph you will layers of the Earth. At the right of each photograph you will find the density for that layer. find the density for that layer. What layer would each of What layer would each of these objects represent based on the density given.these objects represent based on the density given.

Density = .0013 g/cm3

Density =

Close to 2.7 to 3 g/cm3

Density

4.5 g/cm3

Density = 1 g/cm3

AB

C D

EDensity = 11.5 – 13.0 g/cm3

Does particle size affect Does particle size affect sorting?sorting?

Does the size of particles Does the size of particles matter in how they will sort in matter in how they will sort in a river, road cut and beach? a river, road cut and beach?

Have you ever heard of the Have you ever heard of the saying saying “The whole enchilada”? “The whole enchilada”?

Have you ever heard the Have you ever heard the saying “the bigger they are saying “the bigger they are the harder they fall”? the harder they fall”?

Large particles are often more heavy and difficult to move just because of overall size. The large particles may in fact be less dense per cm3 than smaller particles that get washed away in a river. However, because of overall size they don’t move as easily.

Robert Wadlow (1918-1940) holds the record for the world's tallest person at 8 feet 11.1 inches tall. The tallest living person is Sultan Kosen of Turkey, at 8 feet 1 inch tall.

How will Earth particles made with the How will Earth particles made with the SAME SAME MATERIAL or MatterMATERIAL or Matter but but different sizes sortdifferent sizes sort? ?

Below are pictures of six different-sized particles of rock that are made of the same basic stuff that could be found on Earth. Imagine that you put them in a large container filled with water and then shake the container vigorously to model sorting of a river. The particles are labeled A, B, C, D,  E and F. Which particle would go to the bottom 1st? 2nd? 3rd? ……. Why?

How will Earth particles made with the How will Earth particles made with the DIFFERENT MATERIALS or MatterDIFFERENT MATERIALS or Matter but but

EQUAL sizes sortEQUAL sizes sort? ? Do you remember our Do you remember our 4 – Color 4 – Color

ColumnColumn Demonstration? Will Earth Demonstration? Will Earth materials do the same when mixed materials do the same when mixed up?up?

Clear Air (gas) Clear Air (gas) 0.0013g/cm3 Density0.0013g/cm3 Density Yellow FluidYellow Fluid 0.93g/cm3 Density 0.93g/cm3 Density Green Fluid Green Fluid 1.01g/cm3 Density1.01g/cm3 Density Red Fluid Red Fluid 1.38g/cm3 Density1.38g/cm3 Density

Imagine if …..Imagine if ….. Imagine if you traveled around the world Imagine if you traveled around the world

and collected sand samples from different and collected sand samples from different beaches that you visited. The sand grains beaches that you visited. The sand grains you collect end up being roughly the same you collect end up being roughly the same size. size.

Does this mean that the density of the Does this mean that the density of the sand grains will also be the same? sand grains will also be the same?

How will the sand of different How will the sand of different types/densities sort if placed in a jar and types/densities sort if placed in a jar and shaken up? shaken up?

Sand Origins

Sorting according to density in Sorting according to density in NatureNature

Can you think of any examples of Can you think of any examples of sorting by sorting by densitydensity and/or and/or sizesize in in nature?nature?

BeachesBeaches StreamsStreams Road CutRoad Cut

Sorting: The BeachSorting: The Beach Have you ever walked Have you ever walked

along a beach and along a beach and wondered why the sand wondered why the sand particles are all in one particles are all in one basic area and the grains basic area and the grains are all about the same are all about the same size?size?

Sorting: Stream or RiverSorting: Stream or River Try and think of the Try and think of the

rocks you have rocks you have observed in a river or observed in a river or stream. stream. Why do you Why do you not see small sized not see small sized and low density and low density particles like sand and particles like sand and silt being deposited in silt being deposited in fast moving water? fast moving water? Why are the big rocks Why are the big rocks staying in place?staying in place?

Action of StreamsAction of Streams

Tubing Story

Sorting Evidence in Road Sorting Evidence in Road Cuts? Slightly different story.Cuts? Slightly different story.

http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/brochures/sideling.html (Best Road Cut) (Best Road Cut)

Sorting in Utah: Capital ReefSorting in Utah: Capital Reef See Trip Picts. See Trip Picts.

QuizQuiz Pat puts items into a jar and shakes it up. Pat lets the jar Pat puts items into a jar and shakes it up. Pat lets the jar

settle for 5 minutes. What would be the expected order of settle for 5 minutes. What would be the expected order of the items going from the top of the container to the the items going from the top of the container to the bottom?bottom?

a. rock, sand, water, metala. rock, sand, water, metalb. metal, rock, sand, waterb. metal, rock, sand, waterc. water, sand, rock, metal c. water, sand, rock, metal d. sand, metal, water, rock d. sand, metal, water, rock

QuizQuiz A streambed contains round rocks, all about the A streambed contains round rocks, all about the

same size. Why are there no smaller particles of same size. Why are there no smaller particles of sand and clay? The sand and clay…sand and clay? The sand and clay…

A.  are too small to see  A.  are too small to see   B.  are denser   B.  are denser   C.  have washed away  C.  have washed away   D.  were never thereD.  were never there

QuizQuiz A beach is composed of particles of sand of the A beach is composed of particles of sand of the

same size. Why doesn't the beach have materials same size. Why doesn't the beach have materials of all sizes? The particles have…of all sizes? The particles have…

A.  been placed there by humans A.  been placed there by humans  B.  come to the beach at the same B.  come to the beach at the same time.   time.  

C.  been found in underwater canyons   C.  been found in underwater canyons   D.  been sorted by size and densityD.  been sorted by size and density

QuizQuiz Sand with particles of the same size Sand with particles of the same size

was gently shaken in a jar to see if was gently shaken in a jar to see if layers would form. What layers would form. What variablevariable was being tested?was being tested? A.  particle size   A.  particle size   B.  particle density   B.  particle density  

C.  particle color   C.  particle color   D.  particle typeD.  particle type

QuizQuiz

Where would the smallest particles of rock Where would the smallest particles of rock be deposited in a streambed?be deposited in a streambed?

a. Where the water is moving the fastesta. Where the water is moving the fastestb. Where the water is moving the slowestb. Where the water is moving the slowestc. Near the middlec. Near the middled. At the beginningd. At the beginning  

QuizQuiz

In an experiment, students shook jars of In an experiment, students shook jars of water with soil and rock in them. What water with soil and rock in them. What could the shaking model in nature?could the shaking model in nature?

a. A lake environmenta. A lake environmentb. A stream currentb. A stream currentc. Living things in an environmentc. Living things in an environmentd. A rainstormd. A rainstorm  

QuizQuiz

A student shakes a jar with a mixture of A student shakes a jar with a mixture of sand types. Instead of mixing, the sand sand types. Instead of mixing, the sand grains separate into layers. Why?grains separate into layers. Why?

a. The grains are different colors.a. The grains are different colors.b. The grains have different shapes.b. The grains have different shapes.c. The grains have different densities.c. The grains have different densities.d. The jar has a round shape.d. The jar has a round shape.

QuizQuiz

In the spring, rivers in Utah are cloudy or In the spring, rivers in Utah are cloudy or murky. A sample of the water shows it murky. A sample of the water shows it contains very small particles of silt. Why contains very small particles of silt. Why is silt suspended in the water?is silt suspended in the water?

a. The water is moving rapidly.a. The water is moving rapidly.b. Silt is small with low density.b. Silt is small with low density.c.c. Water has a high densityWater has a high density