Year 9 AEP SCIENCE INQUIRY Earth Sciences Analysis of the Sands of Perth in order to Interpret their Geological origins

Name !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Examine Figure 1, a and!at image o" the Perth Basin. #hat types o" in"ormation does a and!at image gi$e% Geomorphic feat"res s"ch as fa"lts# relief# ri$ers a&el the geological and geographic "eatures. Cleared land %ills Ri$er &a'es (a"lt Rottnest Island
Figure 1 Perth Basin
http://geology.com/world-cities/perth-australia.jpg

S")"r)s Indian *cean Garden Island

'escri&e any geological "eatures that you o&ser$e in Figure 1.

+he line NS is a fa"lt , a h"ge crac' along the land+he eastern side of the fa"lt is higher relati$e to the .estern side- +oday it is called the /arling ScarpRi$er gets .ider aro"nd city of Perth((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( 0rief history of the Perth 0asin )illions o" years ago the land on &oth sides o" the 'arling !carp was at the one le$el. *t consisted o" a roc+ called granite which was "ormed ,-- million to .-- million years ago. 'escri&e how granite is "ormed.

*nce molten# deep in earth1s cr"stCooled slo.ly there# this e2plains the large interloc'ing crystals
Explain how granite could ha$e got to the sur"ace o" the earth.

Earth mo$ements co"ld ha$e p"shed it "p/$er se$eral millions o" years mo$ements continued in the earth0s crust causing the western side o" the "ault to drop a&out 1+m until it was well &elow sea le$el.

1:)orritt / 2nalysis o" Perth !ands 2nswers

2t this time the 'arling !carp was a 5--m high cli"" with the ocean crashing onto it. Explain what would ha$e happened to the granite cli""s o$er the next "ew million years.

3eathering )rea's do.n some minerals in the granite and releases hard mineral crystals +hese minerals get .ashed or carried a.ay from the cliff 4 erosion +hese loose materials are deposited in ri$ers# la'es
Figure . 3he 'arling !carp as it would ha$e appeared a"ter the earth mo$ements ceased.
http://www.marpnet.com/landscape/img/4reat2ustra lian.jpg

and oceans- 4 deposition

#hat must ha$e happened to the sea le$el to get it to the le$el it is today%

+he sea le$el decreased# receded'escri&e two ways this could ha$e happened.

a5 +he sea le$el fell)5 +he land rose!uggest an explanation "or each o" the a&o$e changes.

a5 +he sea le$el fell 4 ice ages free6ing and holding .ater in glaciers and ice sheets )5 +he land rose , earth mo$ements# s"ch as "plift# folding# fa"lting
3he *ndian /cean sea le$el receded westward &eyond where 6ottnest and 4arden *slands are today. !ediments such as sand were deposited 9--- years ago the *ce 2ge ended. 'escri&e the e""ect this would ha$e had on sea le$els.

Sea le$els rose2s the *ndian /cean le$el rose what e""ect did this ha$e on the land sur"ace around 6ottnest *sland% 3ater co$ered the land aro"nd Rottnest. #hat happened to all o" the sand that was around 6ottnest *sland%
Figure 7 6ottnest *sland as it would ha$e appeared during the last *ce 2ge
http://www.8a&id.com/images/8a&id-sand-dunes-indesert.jpg

It .as f"rther .eathered# eroded and deposited aro"nd Perth.

2nalysing sand "rom di""erent areas around Perth gi$es us clues to their "ormation: ;From where they were weathered%< and ;=ow they were eroded%< Each pair o" students within the ta&le o" three will analyse their sand sample "or car&onate percentage composition. !e>uence the steps in$ol$ed in doing this. 6ecord these in your wor+ &oo+ and construct a suita&le results ta&le. Each group will start with (((((((( g o" sand.

1:)orritt / 2nalysis o" Perth !ands 2nswers