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Making Sedimentary Rocks

Note: This is another extension of our geology unit. This lab comes shortly after the igneous rock lab and simulates how sedimentary rocks form. It is just a demonstration of the processes involved in the formation of sedimentary rocks, though it can be modified (different amounts of glue, dry vs. moist environments) to be a full fledged science experiment

Grade levels: 2-6

Demonstration:

Supplies: Styrofoam or paper cups, sand, popsicle sticks or disposable spoons

Step 1: Fill an 8 oz. cup about 1/3 full with sand
Step 2: Slowly add glue until the sand/glue mixture has a peanut butterish texture - not runny or too liquidy
Step 3: Use a wooden block or the bottom of another cup/glass to compact the sand glue mix as much as possible.
Step 4: Leave the cup in a dry area for approximately two weeks


Things to look out for:
1. Too much glue is the most common problem. It will take a much longer time to turn into a rock if too much glue is used.
2. Add more sand if things get too runny.
3. It usually takes about two weeks to harden, but sometimes longer
4. After the mixture hardens into a sandstone, you'll need to tear away the cup. Paper cups are the easiest to tear away.

Make an igneous rock

Note: There are a variety of recipes for this on the internet. I have used several, most recently this one from The Accidental Scientist. It gives much more thorough directions and includes more details on sugar, crystals, and the rock candy process. My students and I have never really followed the directions to the tee, but eventually, we always get rocks.

This is part of a geology unit that focuses on the rock cycle. Creating rock candy is supposed to simulate the creation of igneous rocks. We create a solution, like magma, by boiling the water and sugar, then letting it cool. It usually takes a while for it to turn into a rock, so we introduced a new variable to see if rapid cooling made a difference.

Grade levels: 4-8

Problem: Which will make better crystals, a solution placed in the freezer or one that is air dried?

Hypothesis:

Experiment:
Supplies: Package of sugar, cups, water, pencil or straw, string, washer or fishing weight

Part I:
A) Bring 2 cups of water to a boil
B) Mix in 4 cups of sugar until it is dissolved completely

Part II:
A) Tie string to the middle of a pencil or straw.
B) Tie washer to the other end of the string.
C) Pour sugar water into cup.
D) Put one sample in freezer and one sample at room temperature.
E) Wait (It's going to take a while - weeks, not days).

(pictures coming)

Results:

	Freezer Cup	Room Temp. Cup
Observation 1
Observation 2
Observation 3

Conclusion:

Possible Errors/Things to look out for
1. Put wax paper or a towel over the top of your cups - mold will grow in them eventually.
2. It may take up to 4 weeks to actually see crystals, just let it sit.
3. Leave it in a lab, it will stink after a while.
4. I do this with 6th graders - they often have trouble tying the string on the straw.
5. Due to the mold factor, I wouldn't suggest eating anything that has been out for several weeks.

Sand Shake Lab

Problem: How will increasing the motion of molecules affect the temperature of the a material?

Hypothesis:

Experiment:
Step 1: Fill a test tube with a small amount of sand
Step 2: Take temperature of the sand at room temperature
Step 3: Shake the test tube of sand vigorously for 5 minutes (you’ll get tired)
Step 4: Take the temperature of the sand directly after shaking



Independent Variable: Shaken or Unshaken state
Dependent Variable: Temperature of the sand

Results:

Start Celsius Temp	Finish Celsius Temp	Start Fahrenheit Temp	Finish Fahrenheit Temp

Conclusion:

Possible Errors/Things to look out for
1. Heat increases may be caused from conduction of the shakers hand. Consider wearing a glove when shaking to eliminate this possibility.
2. Everyone shakes at different rates and some people get tired after a few minutes. Work in partners and alternate shakers if this is a problem.
3. Make sure students know how to read a thermometer in Celsius and Fahrenheit.
4. Measure an exact amount or sand in each test tube.

Extensions
- Have students do the Celsius/Fahrenheit conversions on their own
- Crowdsource the results to get an average for the temperature increase
- Try different size test tubes and see if it makes a difference.

Mint Reaction Lab

Note: I use this lab at the beginning of the year to practice the scientific process, but it could also be modified and used in a chemistry unit.

Problem - Which mint\ candy will have the biggest reaction with Diet Soda (Diet Pepsi in this experiment)?

Hypothesis -

Experiment - Supplies: Altoids, Ice Breakers, Pop Rocks, Mentos, Life Savers, Cups, and Diet Pepsi.

Step 1: Add 50 mL of Diet Pepsi to 5 cups (50 mL each)

Step 2: Drop 1 mint (use 1 teaspoon for Pop Rocks) into every cup with Diet Pepsi, and observe

Measure reactions on a scale 1 (least reactive) to 5 (most reactive)

Control - Granite rock in water (this represents 0 on the rating scale)

Independent Variable - Mint\Candy

Dependent Variable - Reaction

Results

Mint\Candy	Lifesaver	Ice Breaker	Altoids	Pop Rocks	Mentos
Reaction

Conclusion -

Potential Errors/Things to look out for
1-Diet Coke may be a better soda for this. It would be worth testing in another experiment
2-After dropping the mint in, give the cup a little shake

Other extensions:

How many pennies in a cup?

Purpose: I have students do this lab at the beginning of the year to help
illustrate the scientific process. The main goal is to show that it is
okay for a hypothesis to be incorrect.

Problem: How many pennies can you put into a cup of water
before it overflows?

Hypothesis:

Experiment: Supplies - Dixie
cups (3 oz), Water, 50-60 pennies per group

Step 1 - Fill the Dixie cup with water until it nearly overflows (a few
millimeters from the top)

Step 2 - Carefully drop pennies into the cup, 1 at a time, until the water
overflows outside the cup.

Independent Variable: Group

Dependent Variable: # of pennies in cup





Results:

Group #	Number of Pennies

Conclusion:

Possible Errors/Things to look out for:
1. Be careful not to drop pennies in and cause a splash, let pennies into water gently.
2. Make sure to fill to top of cup or just measure out 3 oz.
3. Use tally marks to keep track of pennies.
4. Have students alternate for who drops the penny.