Dear all
Please send in questions, I will be here intermittently for most of the evening, you don't need an account, but the questions get answered as fast as i type!
Tuesday 1 May 2012
Friday 27 April 2012
Geology Practical Revision
Dear All
Here is the post for you to submit geology questions for Sundays revision session, there will be another one on Tuesday evening to calm any last minute nerves. You can submit questions in advance, but the session will not start until 530. You questions will only appear when i publish them, so don't expect to see them pop up, but I will answer all of them, and hopefully send you some example rocks to identify and other useful things on Sunday. Revise hard over the weekend, and use the time on sunday to answer any questions you have not found the answer to!
Here is the post for you to submit geology questions for Sundays revision session, there will be another one on Tuesday evening to calm any last minute nerves. You can submit questions in advance, but the session will not start until 530. You questions will only appear when i publish them, so don't expect to see them pop up, but I will answer all of them, and hopefully send you some example rocks to identify and other useful things on Sunday. Revise hard over the weekend, and use the time on sunday to answer any questions you have not found the answer to!
Friday 20 April 2012
Revision Resources
Hello Lower and Upper Sixth,
Here is an explorable spider diagram, which contains hyperlinks to all of the revision resources currently available to you for free from us. Please email me if you need a hand, but there are revision cards for most topics, documentaries, and even some pinboards, see below:
If you are not already on Pinterest, here is an example Minerals revision board, containing all the minerals you need to know, and some extra very pretty ones, email me if you would like an invite, but you do not need to sign up to view and read them. Each picture links to a longer explanation. I am working on some for rock types, but it takes me a while!
Here is an explorable spider diagram, which contains hyperlinks to all of the revision resources currently available to you for free from us. Please email me if you need a hand, but there are revision cards for most topics, documentaries, and even some pinboards, see below:
If you are not already on Pinterest, here is an example Minerals revision board, containing all the minerals you need to know, and some extra very pretty ones, email me if you would like an invite, but you do not need to sign up to view and read them. Each picture links to a longer explanation. I am working on some for rock types, but it takes me a while!
Thursday 2 February 2012
Thursday 19 January 2012
Free Huish Geology Apps
Dear All,
This year sees the introduction of a new learning tool in both Geography and Geology, we have made use of the fantastic StudyBlue.com to bring you some revision Apps (You can access them through the website as well) and they are compatible with both iPhone/Ipod and Android.
Currently in the StudyBlue.com Geology class, there are apps for Rock Descriptors, ROck case studies and Sedimentary Structures, the case studies have pictures, and you can use them as flashcards to test yourself, or each other, and on the website, the flashcards can be turned into self marking tests. The site tracks your progress for each set of cards, and produces a score per session. You can then filter the cards out, and just revise the ones you didnt get the first time.
The account is free, and you can login through Facebook to prevent you having to remember another password! Once you have your account, it is then straighforward to add yourself to my classes, and save the resources you want to your "backpack". Those that are saved, will then be accessible through your mobile when you download the App.
In order to find my classes:
If you got it right, give it a thumbs up, if not, select thumbs down, and revise it again later on. When you log on to the site from a computer, you will be able to see how well you have done, and transform the cards into a test by clicking on the "Flashcards" tab as shown below. The questions are multiple choice or true/false:
You can work online in exactly the same was as on your mobile, but only the online version offers you the quiz version. The quizzes are pretty hard, and there is an option to change the question style at the top left:
As with all new tech, please let me know if this is not useful, or does not work, or if you have any suggestions for new cards. We will try to add more in preparation for the exams, but any feedback is always appreciated!
Happy revising, and remember, you can use the flashcards even when you dont have a connection, so you can revise on the bus, in the queue for coffee, when there are no computers..... Just a suggestion!
Millie
This year sees the introduction of a new learning tool in both Geography and Geology, we have made use of the fantastic StudyBlue.com to bring you some revision Apps (You can access them through the website as well) and they are compatible with both iPhone/Ipod and Android.
Currently in the StudyBlue.com Geology class, there are apps for Rock Descriptors, ROck case studies and Sedimentary Structures, the case studies have pictures, and you can use them as flashcards to test yourself, or each other, and on the website, the flashcards can be turned into self marking tests. The site tracks your progress for each set of cards, and produces a score per session. You can then filter the cards out, and just revise the ones you didnt get the first time.
The account is free, and you can login through Facebook to prevent you having to remember another password! Once you have your account, it is then straighforward to add yourself to my classes, and save the resources you want to your "backpack". Those that are saved, will then be accessible through your mobile when you download the App.
In order to find my classes:
- When you create your account, the site will ask you where you study, type in "Richard Huish College"
- Search for "Millie"
- Select "Huish Geology AS"
- Go back to "my Backpack" (top center left of the page)
- In the class, on the right had side there is a news pane, this will show who else is in your class, and when any new resources are added. You should be able to find the resources in here, click on them in turn, and on the right hand side, select "Save to backpack/Huish Geology AS" this will make them accessible on your phone.
In the Case Studies cards, you should practise describing the rock, the click the flip sign, and get the answer:
If you got it right, give it a thumbs up, if not, select thumbs down, and revise it again later on. When you log on to the site from a computer, you will be able to see how well you have done, and transform the cards into a test by clicking on the "Flashcards" tab as shown below. The questions are multiple choice or true/false:
You can work online in exactly the same was as on your mobile, but only the online version offers you the quiz version. The quizzes are pretty hard, and there is an option to change the question style at the top left:
Here are the direct links to each card set:
Rock Case Studies: http://s.tudy.it/twoio3
Geology Rock Descriptors: http://s.tudy.it/twfn8l
Sedimentary Structures: http://s.tudy.it/twpb91
And of course, they are all posted to the Facebook Page.
Happy revising, and remember, you can use the flashcards even when you dont have a connection, so you can revise on the bus, in the queue for coffee, when there are no computers..... Just a suggestion!
Millie
Monday 10 October 2011
Greatest Geological Discoveries series
Dear All
Here is another set of clips from a fascinating documentary called the "Greatest Geological Discoveries". It has three parts, the first of which is the most relevant, as it covers how we know about the structure of the Earth and the layers.
This covers the structure of earth, direct and indirect evidence and who was responsible for discovering it.
The rest are other key discoveries which are summaries at the bottom, taken from the uploaders page.
1. Earth's Core (1906)
Seismologist Richard Oldham determines that earthquake waves move through the central part of the Earth much slower than through the mantle around it. He surmises that the Earth has a core composed of liquid.
2. Earth's Inner Core (1930s) Inge Lehmann documents that some seismic waves from deep inside the Earth's core do not pass through, but are reflected back. It becomes clear that the Earth has an inner core consisting of a small, solid iron sphere that is surrounded by a thick outer core composed of liquid iron.
3. Continental Drift (1911)
Alfred Wegener proposes that all the continents in the world once formed a single, giant landmass that was eventually split apart in a process called "continental drift." Wegener's evidence consists of the "fit" of South America with Africa, fossil distribution and geological similarities.
4. Seafloor Spreading (1950s -- 1960s)
Adding his own data on changes in seafloor depth and geology to discoveries of his peers, Harry Hess proposes that Wegener's theory of continental drift is a result of seafloor spreading. He hypothesizes that molten magma from beneath the Earth's crust is oozing up between the plates in the Great Global Rift (now referred to as the Mid-Ocean Ridge). As the hot magma cools, it expands and pushes the plates out from the rift, causing the Atlantic Ocean to get wider over time.
5. Plate Tectonics (1960s)
The work of many scientists reveals that the Earth's surface is broken into several interconnected plates of rock. Earth's outermost layer, the lithosphere, is broken into at least seven large, rigid pieces. These plates are moving in different directions and at different speeds (about 1 to 4 inches per year) and are crashing together, pulling apart and sideswiping each other. All the action at plate boundaries produces phenomena such as mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
6. Troposphere and Stratosphere (1890s)
With the aid of scientific instruments placed on unmanned balloons, Leon Teisserenc de Bort discovers that the atmosphere consists of layers. Bort notices that air temperature decreases steadily up to about seven miles, but remains constant at higher altitudes. After more than 200 balloon experiments, he suggests that the atmosphere is divided into two layers called the "troposphere" and the "stratosphere."
7. Global Warming (late 20th century)
A number of scientists see evidence of a warming trend on the Earth's surface and attribute it to a rise in the concentration of "greenhouse gases." Global warming theory states that an increase of the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century can be attributed to humans and increased emissions of carbon dioxide. According to the theory, temperatures will increase further if emissions of these greenhouse gases continue.
8. Cosmic Radiation (1911 onward)
In 1912, Victor Hess travels to 17,500 feet in a hot air balloon (without oxygen) and observes that radiation increases with altitude. Further experiments convince him the radiation is coming from space. We now know that the vast majority of cosmic rays are protons, and therefore have a positive electrical charge.
9. Magnetic Field Reversal (1906)
Bernard Brunhes discovers that the Earth's magnetic field has changed direction and reversed itself. His paleomagnetic study of clay baked by a Miocene lava flow 13 million years ago provides the evidence. It is nearly 50 years before his discovery is accepted by the scientific community.
10. Geological Change (1830s)
Charles Lyell offers proof that the Earth evolved slowly in his multivolume Principles of Geology: An Attempt to Explain the Former Changes of the Earth's Surface by Reference to Causes Now in Operation, published between 1830 and 1833. In his work, he advocates the then-controversial idea of uniformitarianism — the idea that the Earth was shaped entirely by slow-moving forces acting over a very long period of time. Catastrophism, a geologic idea that uses biblical chronology to date the Earth, was more accepted at the time.
11. Radiometric Dating (1907)
Bertram Boltwood discovers how to calculate the age of a rock by measuring the rate of its radioactive decay. His observations and calculations put Earth's age at 2.2 billion years. Although we now think the Earth is nearly twice that age, this number was a dramatic increase over the accepted age at the time. Boltwood's formulas are compatible with several radioactive elements, including carbon-14, which has been used to date historical artifacts.
12. Periodic Ice Ages (1930s)
Serbian astrophysicist Miultin Milankovitch develops a theory relating Earth's motion to long-term climate change and ice ages. His mathematical theory of climate uses variations in solar radiation based on season and latitude. His theory posits that cyclical variations in Earth-sun geometry, such as orbit shape and axis angle, result in different levels of solar energy reaching the Earth.
Thanks to Vercamath: http://www.youtube.com/user/Vercamath
Check out his page for other useful videos.
Here is another set of clips from a fascinating documentary called the "Greatest Geological Discoveries". It has three parts, the first of which is the most relevant, as it covers how we know about the structure of the Earth and the layers.
This covers the structure of earth, direct and indirect evidence and who was responsible for discovering it.
The rest are other key discoveries which are summaries at the bottom, taken from the uploaders page.
1. Earth's Core (1906)
Seismologist Richard Oldham determines that earthquake waves move through the central part of the Earth much slower than through the mantle around it. He surmises that the Earth has a core composed of liquid.
2. Earth's Inner Core (1930s) Inge Lehmann documents that some seismic waves from deep inside the Earth's core do not pass through, but are reflected back. It becomes clear that the Earth has an inner core consisting of a small, solid iron sphere that is surrounded by a thick outer core composed of liquid iron.
3. Continental Drift (1911)
Alfred Wegener proposes that all the continents in the world once formed a single, giant landmass that was eventually split apart in a process called "continental drift." Wegener's evidence consists of the "fit" of South America with Africa, fossil distribution and geological similarities.
4. Seafloor Spreading (1950s -- 1960s)
Adding his own data on changes in seafloor depth and geology to discoveries of his peers, Harry Hess proposes that Wegener's theory of continental drift is a result of seafloor spreading. He hypothesizes that molten magma from beneath the Earth's crust is oozing up between the plates in the Great Global Rift (now referred to as the Mid-Ocean Ridge). As the hot magma cools, it expands and pushes the plates out from the rift, causing the Atlantic Ocean to get wider over time.
5. Plate Tectonics (1960s)
The work of many scientists reveals that the Earth's surface is broken into several interconnected plates of rock. Earth's outermost layer, the lithosphere, is broken into at least seven large, rigid pieces. These plates are moving in different directions and at different speeds (about 1 to 4 inches per year) and are crashing together, pulling apart and sideswiping each other. All the action at plate boundaries produces phenomena such as mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
6. Troposphere and Stratosphere (1890s)
With the aid of scientific instruments placed on unmanned balloons, Leon Teisserenc de Bort discovers that the atmosphere consists of layers. Bort notices that air temperature decreases steadily up to about seven miles, but remains constant at higher altitudes. After more than 200 balloon experiments, he suggests that the atmosphere is divided into two layers called the "troposphere" and the "stratosphere."
7. Global Warming (late 20th century)
A number of scientists see evidence of a warming trend on the Earth's surface and attribute it to a rise in the concentration of "greenhouse gases." Global warming theory states that an increase of the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century can be attributed to humans and increased emissions of carbon dioxide. According to the theory, temperatures will increase further if emissions of these greenhouse gases continue.
8. Cosmic Radiation (1911 onward)
In 1912, Victor Hess travels to 17,500 feet in a hot air balloon (without oxygen) and observes that radiation increases with altitude. Further experiments convince him the radiation is coming from space. We now know that the vast majority of cosmic rays are protons, and therefore have a positive electrical charge.
9. Magnetic Field Reversal (1906)
Bernard Brunhes discovers that the Earth's magnetic field has changed direction and reversed itself. His paleomagnetic study of clay baked by a Miocene lava flow 13 million years ago provides the evidence. It is nearly 50 years before his discovery is accepted by the scientific community.
10. Geological Change (1830s)
Charles Lyell offers proof that the Earth evolved slowly in his multivolume Principles of Geology: An Attempt to Explain the Former Changes of the Earth's Surface by Reference to Causes Now in Operation, published between 1830 and 1833. In his work, he advocates the then-controversial idea of uniformitarianism — the idea that the Earth was shaped entirely by slow-moving forces acting over a very long period of time. Catastrophism, a geologic idea that uses biblical chronology to date the Earth, was more accepted at the time.
11. Radiometric Dating (1907)
Bertram Boltwood discovers how to calculate the age of a rock by measuring the rate of its radioactive decay. His observations and calculations put Earth's age at 2.2 billion years. Although we now think the Earth is nearly twice that age, this number was a dramatic increase over the accepted age at the time. Boltwood's formulas are compatible with several radioactive elements, including carbon-14, which has been used to date historical artifacts.
12. Periodic Ice Ages (1930s)
Serbian astrophysicist Miultin Milankovitch develops a theory relating Earth's motion to long-term climate change and ice ages. His mathematical theory of climate uses variations in solar radiation based on season and latitude. His theory posits that cyclical variations in Earth-sun geometry, such as orbit shape and axis angle, result in different levels of solar energy reaching the Earth.
Thanks to Vercamath: http://www.youtube.com/user/Vercamath
Check out his page for other useful videos.
Historical Geology
Dear All, this is another really useful video, a little more recent than the last, that covers the story of geology as a science, from Hutton up to the current day. This is the first of 10 videos that make up the documentary, in order to limit distractions, all ten are here for you to watch!
This is a very American style documentary, but covers a number of useful developments in our understanding of the age of the earth, the discovery of radioactivity, it is simplisitic, and should lead you to further reading, but this is an easy way to make up an Hour of your recommended reading for the subject.
This is a very American style documentary, but covers a number of useful developments in our understanding of the age of the earth, the discovery of radioactivity, it is simplisitic, and should lead you to further reading, but this is an easy way to make up an Hour of your recommended reading for the subject.
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