It’s Time to Get Shakin’

It’s Time to Get Shakin’

Today on Earth Science for Everyone we are going to demystify another set of bad science facts. From the title of this post you can probably guess what the subject matter is about, but for those who didn’t make that connection, its Earthquakes!  Now depending on how much you paid attention in Science class and how many movies you watched, I can guarantee that at least one of these items will be news to you!

Versus: Pumice & Scoria

Choice: A

Choice B

VS

Today on Versus we have Pumice and Scoria...Both of these rocks are considered Vesicular, (meaning they are filled with TONS of tiny holes and tubes) and both are associated with Volcanoes.  So how do we tell them apart?  Well first let me tell you that the Pumice (yes the same kind you scrub on your feet to make them smooth) is indeed Choice A.

Pumice:
Is considered a Felsic rock, meaning that it has a lot of Quartz in it (think sand).  Pumice forms almost like a glass filled with bubbles due to a rapid cooling of rocks ejected from the volcano.  The best way to separate the Pumice from the Scoria is to see if it floats in water.

Scoria:
It is considered a Basaltic rock, meaning that is formed from very little Quartz (remember sand).  Scoria forms from the rapid cooling of molten rocks and the best way to tell it apart from Pumice is that it sinks!

Funny Photo #4

Funny Photo #3

Are Humans the Problem?

How to read a contour map

Almost all of us have seen one of these before.  It's a map with a bunch of squiggly lines on it.  Although some of these maps look like this one over here, there are usually some major roads marked on it, or some landmarks you know.  But what exactly do these maps tell you?  A surprising large amount of information is contained within those squiggles.  So without further ado lets dive into a contour map and learn how to read it.

Versus: ʻAʻā and Pāhoehoe

Choice: A

Choice: B

Versus

Getting the Facts: The Volcano

Almost everybody out here has seen or heard of volcanoes.  Most of our experiences are come from movies, or pictures. Some of us may even remember making volcanoes out of soda bottles and then adding baking soda to the vinegar and hurrah!  But sadly these are not the best examples.  Anyone who has seen the movie 'Dantes Peak' for example may already know just how many misconceptions are out there.  But for those who don't remember your Earth Science classes, here a list of the wrongs and the rights about volcanoes.

Versus: Sleet & Freezing Rain

Choice: A

Choice: B

VERSUS

This week on Versus we are challenging you tell apart Sleet and Freezing Rain.  This is one of those science lovers pet-peeves, where a lot of people aren't even aware of the difference.  Most people can identify rain or snow but ask them if it's sleet or freezing rain and they seem lost.  "There's a difference?" you might hear someone say.  Well yes there is, and do you know which photo is which?

Funny Photo #2

Not quite a Versus topic, so I chose another food related picture instead:

Funny Photo #1

A dig at the Dinosaurs and non-renewable resources: