Kindergarten, Geology Science Experiments (Page 5)

Geomagnetism

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What is geomagnetism, and how does it affect the earth? Visit the USGS Geomagnetism program for more information about this invisible force (USGS, 2006). How is the earth's magnetic field patterned? Are the magnetic poles located at the exact North and South Pole? How can the fields be mapped on the Earth's surface? What is declination? Use the mapping tools to study changes in declination patterns over time. (USGS, 2006) Read more

Get Some Practice at 'Fossil' Reconstruction with Owl Pellets

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Are you fascinated by dinosaurs, fossilized bones, and fossilized plants? Although this project is not based on actual fossils, you will get good practice at reconstructing an animal's skeleton from individual bones. You'll use what you find to identify the types of prey that owls consume. Read more

Landslides

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What causes landslides? The USGS Landslide Hazards Program conducts research needed to answer major questions related to landslide hazards. Where and when will landslides occur? How big will the landslides be? How fast and how far will they move? What areas will the landslides affect or damage? How frequently do landslides occur in a given locality? Investigate the patterns of landslide occurrence in your area. Are they related to locations, geology, or topography? Are they more frequent… Read more

Measuring the Diameter of the Earth's Core with Seismic Waves Around the Globe

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When an earthquake occurs, seismic shock waves travel out through the earth from the source of the event. The shock waves travel through the earth or along the Earth's surface, and can be recorded at remote monitoring stations. Some of the waves that travel through the earth are blocked or refracted by the Earth's liquid core, which means that monitoring stations located certain distances from the earthquake do not detect these waves. This creates a "seismic shadow" that you can use to… Read more

Porosity

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Soils are made of particles of different types and sizes. The space between particles is called pore space. Pore space determines the amount of water that a given volume of soil can hold. Porosity is the percentage of the total volume of soil that consists of pore space. Compare the porosity of different types of soil. Which types of soil hold the most water? Can you see this under a microscope? Read more

Porosity and Particle Size

STEM Activity

Have you ever heard the expression, "solid as a rock"? As it turns out, rocks are not entirely solid. Rocks actually have tiny pockets of air inside them. This is obvious when you look at a piece of volcanic rock (often called basalt), which is full of visible holes. But dense rocks, such as granite, have tiny air pockets inside them, too. These pockets of air are just much smaller. If you picked up one volcanic rock as well as one granite rock of the same size, you would notice they don't… Read more

Ring of Fire 2: What Earthquakes Tell Us About Plate Tectonics

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Today it is widely accepted that the Earth's crust consists of a series of huge plates that slowly move. The low parts of the plates are beneath the world's oceans, and the high parts of the plates are landmasses. New plate material is generated at deep sea ocean ridges in a process called sea-floor spreading. Material from plates is also recycled at trenches, where dense, oceanic crust dives back (subducts) underneath an adjacent plate towards the upper mantle. Figure 1 shows a map of the… Read more

Rocky Secrets: Where Does Oil Hide?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You may have heard the expression, "You can't get blood from a stone." But what about oil? Can you get petroleum oil from a stone? In this geology science fair project, you'll find out what kinds of stones make the best storage rocks for oil. You'll see which ones can soak up oil like a sponge, and which ones cannot soak up oil or let it pass through, but can act as a "cap" to contain the oil in secret underground traps. Can a hard rock really act like a soft sponge... maybe SpongeBob… Read more

Soil and Earthquakes

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Is soil structure an important factor in earthquake dynamics? Investigate soil liquefaction and how different soil types respond to earthquake movements. Are movements more dramatic in sandy/loamy or clay type soils? Which soil structures are most stable? Which are the most volatile? (MCEER, 2005) Read more

Soil Color and Moisture

STEM Activity

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Have you ever taken a step onto what appeared to be dry ground, only to find yourself ankle deep in mud? Yikes! When you walk through damp soil, it can be a very messy experience. How can you tell if soil is wet or dry before you step on it? In this science activity you will investigate whether the color of soil can help you determine how dry or wet it is. Read more

Kindergarten, Geology Science Experiments (58 results)

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