FIELD ASSIGNMENT

By: Juan Tiscareño

TABLE OF CONTENTS Where did I find the

Rocks? Igneous Rocks Sedimentary Rocks Metamorphic Rocks On the Hunt The San Andreas

Fault

Chemical Weathering

Mechanical Weathering

Mass Wasting Erosion Event Geological Use Geological Use

(cont.)

WHERE DID WE FIND THE ROCKS?

We found the rocks near the lake in Firebaugh, CA

IGNEOUS ROCKSTrying to find an Igneous rock was a really tough thing to do. Trying to distinguish whether it was an igneous rocks was not as complicated though. The book was very helpful and what helped me was that it said that form crystal over time. I don’t know if you can see the crystals in this image but when the light would hit the rock, the crystals were clearly visible.

SEDIMENTARY ROCKI’m guessing this is a sedimentary rock because it is formed with glassy layers that were left behind by the build up of quartz that cover the area where the rock is originally from.

METAMORPHIC ROCKThis one was a little confusing for me because at first I thought it was an igneous rock but then I read that it can be both because Metamorphic rocks come from pre-existing igneous or Sedimentary rocks.

CONGLOMERATE•This conglomerate was easy to spot because the book said it was composed of other rocks so I assumed that this is what it looks like. My friend and I were lucky to find it because we were on our way home.

ON THE HUNTThis was me walking around looking for the rocks in Firebaugh. It was a sunny and hot day!

THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT•The San Andreas Fault is a Strike-slip fault. •Strike-slip faults are the ones where the relative displacement is parallel to the strike of the fault. Strike-slip fault zones are commonly steep and can be rather difficult to recognize on cross-sections. Nevertheless, strike-slip faults that are active are normally connected with amazing tectonic landforms, such as the fine basin and abrupt range-edge.

CHEMICAL WEATHERING•Chemical weathering causes minerals in rocks to decompose. When the minerals are exposed to water, oxygen, acids and bases or carbon dioxide, they might react, which results in a change in the overall composition of the rock.•This was the closest thing I could find to chemical weathering. As you can see the rock has white and orange on it.

MECHANICAL WEATHERING•Mechanical weathering is when the rock breaks down ]into particles without producing changes in the chemical composition of the minerals in the rock. Ice is the most important cause of mechanical weathering. Water percolates into cracks and fissures within the rock, freezes, and expands.

MASS WASTING• Mass Wasting includes all processing by which soil and rock materials fail and are transported down slope predominantly en masse by the direct application of gravitational body stresses.• Here I took a picture of all kinds of rocks that were by the lake we went to search for rocks and I have to say that the one in the middle of the picture is pretty hard to move.

EROSION EVENTThis is an erosion event that I found by I-5. I couldn’t find something like this where I found my rocks but luckily my friend told me about where he had found it. Due to the process of erosion, all of the rocks you see between the hill were eroded by water, wind and gravity.

GEOLOGICAL USE •This skate park is a good geological use. It provides a source of exercise for people who skate. The skate park is located in Firebaugh.

GEOLOGICAL USE (CONT.)

•Another great geological use would be a power plant. Firebaugh is close to a power plant going to Madera, CA and there is another one near by in Mendota, CA•Power plants are a great geological use because they provide energy to houses and businesses.

THE ENDI have to say that this assignment was pretty fun. It was outdoors and I found out a lot about areas in Firebaugh I hardly ever go to. I have to admit I was a little scared to find a snake but luckily I didn’t.