Geodes
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Science Concept & Application
Geology is essential for our daily lives. Natural resources such as groundwater, petroleum, and metals come from the science of geology. An understanding of how the soil works and what nutrients are needed for plant life makes geology an important science to know for the production of our food derived from plants. Groundwater is water derived from under the surface of the earth; without groundwater we would need to gather water from rivers and streams instead of a well. We use a variety of metals and fossil fuels from underground. All these factors contribute to why Geology is a very important area of study.
Geodes are formed when there are pockets of air within rocks. These rocks are often found after volcanic eruptions. When the lava cools around air bubbles, it leaves pockets of air in the rocks for groundwater to seep through. This water brings minerals with it that stays in the air pocket even after the water dissolves. These minerals build upon each other to form the crystals we see within the geode. The colors of the crystals depend on the type of minerals within the geode. The larger the crystals the older the geode is. Geodes demonstrate how water saturation carries minerals and the difference of minerals can be found within geodes. Geodes can demonstrate how minerals are different from each other in crystalline shape and color. The eggshell geode demonstrates how real geodes form in a similar way. The eggshell is our pocket of air, the saturated solution of water is our mineral water within the rock geode, and as the eggshell water evaporates it leaves behind the sugar which builds upon each other to form crystals. Our color is from the food coloring! If I hadn’t put any food coloring in the solution the crystals would be clear and hard to see. |
Career
Geologists are scientists who study rocks and minerals such as rocks, soils, and other materials found in the earth. There are many different careers associated with geology. It all depends on the types of rocks or minerals you are interested in studying. There are many to choose from in the scientific field of Geology! Here are a few common careers.
Geochemists study the chemical characteristics of rocks and minerals such as their composition, structure, and processes. Petroleum Geologists search for hidden oil and natural gas beneath the earth’s surface. Geomorphologists study how the surface of the earth is formed and changed by physical and chemical weathering. It is basically the study of the land around us. Scientist
James Hutton was a Scottish farmer and naturalist. He was considered the founder of modern geology. He realized that Earth’s history could be observed by studying the processes of erosion and how sedimentation worked.
William Smith was an English engineer and geologist who was best known for his creation of the science of stratigraphy. Smith created a geological map of England and Wales in 1815 which set the stage for many geological maps. |
Essay
For my Knights of Science Project I decided to do an experiment demonstrating how geodes are created. I used cleaned egg shells, water, and the soluble solid sugar. This experiment took less than fifteen minutes to perform but, I had to do this experiment a month in advance of my presentation day to allow my egg solution to dissolve.
To start out, I broke two eggs to use four egg shell halves for the project. I cleaned the egg shells with hot water to dissolve the eggshell membrane. By dissolving the egg shell membrane I prevent the cause of mold to form within the egg during the experiment. I also waited about four days to be sure that there was no mold growth, ensuring a clean shell. Once I was certain of no mold growth, I created my solution to put in my shells. My solution consisted of water and sugar. You can also use other soluble solutions for this experiment such as table salt, rock salt, epsom salt, baking soda, borax, and cream of tartar.
My solution for this experiment needed to be saturated. A saturated solution means that your soluble solid(in this case sugar) needs to be dissolved in the water until the water can no longer dissolve the solid and there is no more room available for the dissolved solid. In my experiment I boiled a cup of water to enhance the sugar to dissolve. As the water boiled I added a half a cup of sugar first, then I added smaller amounts of sugar until it could no longer dissolve.
After my water had become saturated I added green food coloring. Then, I put my egg shells into a cardboard egg carton to steady the eggs while I poured in the solution. I filled the eggs as much as they would allow and set them in a place where they could evaporate and not get accidentally knocked over.
After several days of waiting for the eggs to dissolve, the final result of the experiment was the crystals forming within the eggs. Although the solution hardened and crystallized within the eggshells I still feel that using a different solution such as salt may have created larger crystals within the eggs as well as dissolved the water quickly.
As the experiment progressed, a flaw I would mention would have to be the amount each egg shell contained which affected the rate that the solution dissolved. Not every egg shell half was the same size although I tried to make them the same. Therefore, the smaller egg shell half with less solution dissolved quicker than the larger ones with more solution and also had lesser crystals. I should have also planned ahead for more time to develop the eggshell geodes; it took several days for the solution to evaporate. Almost making me think that the experiment didn’t go as planned.
How does creating a saturated solution for egg shells demonstrate the formation of geodes and their crystals? Well, geodes are pockets of air commonly formed by hardening magma. When the pocket of air hardens, water will seep through to the rock and deposit minerals into the air pocket. As the water evaporates, the minerals deposited will build upon each other within the air bubble to form the crystals we see in geodes. The colors of the crystals are a result of the different kinds of minerals and the size of crystals tells us how old the geode is.
The eggshell geode demonstrates how real geodes form in a similar way. The eggshell is our pocket of air, the saturated solution of water is our mineral water within the rock geode, and as the eggshell water evaporates it leaves behind the sugar which builds upon each other to form crystals. Our color is from the food coloring! If I hadn’t put any food coloring in the solution the crystals would be clear and hard to see.
Ways we apply geology in our everyday life is looking for natural resources within the earth that are of use to us such as ground water, fossil fuels, and minerals used in electronics. The science of geology helps us understand natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides. We also use geology in life such as the fluorine in your toothpaste. Geology is a broad scientific field that can almost explain most questions you have about earth and its structure.
I enjoyed doing this project because it taught me a lot about how geodes are formed and the importance of geology in our lives. I learned what a saturated solution is, where geodes are found, and what creates the colors in geodes.
To start out, I broke two eggs to use four egg shell halves for the project. I cleaned the egg shells with hot water to dissolve the eggshell membrane. By dissolving the egg shell membrane I prevent the cause of mold to form within the egg during the experiment. I also waited about four days to be sure that there was no mold growth, ensuring a clean shell. Once I was certain of no mold growth, I created my solution to put in my shells. My solution consisted of water and sugar. You can also use other soluble solutions for this experiment such as table salt, rock salt, epsom salt, baking soda, borax, and cream of tartar.
My solution for this experiment needed to be saturated. A saturated solution means that your soluble solid(in this case sugar) needs to be dissolved in the water until the water can no longer dissolve the solid and there is no more room available for the dissolved solid. In my experiment I boiled a cup of water to enhance the sugar to dissolve. As the water boiled I added a half a cup of sugar first, then I added smaller amounts of sugar until it could no longer dissolve.
After my water had become saturated I added green food coloring. Then, I put my egg shells into a cardboard egg carton to steady the eggs while I poured in the solution. I filled the eggs as much as they would allow and set them in a place where they could evaporate and not get accidentally knocked over.
After several days of waiting for the eggs to dissolve, the final result of the experiment was the crystals forming within the eggs. Although the solution hardened and crystallized within the eggshells I still feel that using a different solution such as salt may have created larger crystals within the eggs as well as dissolved the water quickly.
As the experiment progressed, a flaw I would mention would have to be the amount each egg shell contained which affected the rate that the solution dissolved. Not every egg shell half was the same size although I tried to make them the same. Therefore, the smaller egg shell half with less solution dissolved quicker than the larger ones with more solution and also had lesser crystals. I should have also planned ahead for more time to develop the eggshell geodes; it took several days for the solution to evaporate. Almost making me think that the experiment didn’t go as planned.
How does creating a saturated solution for egg shells demonstrate the formation of geodes and their crystals? Well, geodes are pockets of air commonly formed by hardening magma. When the pocket of air hardens, water will seep through to the rock and deposit minerals into the air pocket. As the water evaporates, the minerals deposited will build upon each other within the air bubble to form the crystals we see in geodes. The colors of the crystals are a result of the different kinds of minerals and the size of crystals tells us how old the geode is.
The eggshell geode demonstrates how real geodes form in a similar way. The eggshell is our pocket of air, the saturated solution of water is our mineral water within the rock geode, and as the eggshell water evaporates it leaves behind the sugar which builds upon each other to form crystals. Our color is from the food coloring! If I hadn’t put any food coloring in the solution the crystals would be clear and hard to see.
Ways we apply geology in our everyday life is looking for natural resources within the earth that are of use to us such as ground water, fossil fuels, and minerals used in electronics. The science of geology helps us understand natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides. We also use geology in life such as the fluorine in your toothpaste. Geology is a broad scientific field that can almost explain most questions you have about earth and its structure.
I enjoyed doing this project because it taught me a lot about how geodes are formed and the importance of geology in our lives. I learned what a saturated solution is, where geodes are found, and what creates the colors in geodes.
