This week we have been learning about deposition. Deposition is the dropping of sediments that have been moved from one place to another. We have learned that many surface features are formed from deposition. Among these are river deltas, sand dunes and alluvial fans.
As we learned about the process of deposition, we experimented on our own to see exactly how sediments build up! In order to do this, our families donated A LOT of plastic bottles for the class to use. (THANK YOU!)
We began by filling our bottles with the following sediments:
1. clay
2. silt
3. sand
4. gravel
After we filled our bottles with the sediments needed, we added a beaker full of water to complete the mixture.
As we learned about the process of deposition, we experimented on our own to see exactly how sediments build up! In order to do this, our families donated A LOT of plastic bottles for the class to use. (THANK YOU!)
We began by filling our bottles with the following sediments:
1. clay
2. silt
3. sand
4. gravel
After we filled our bottles with the sediments needed, we added a beaker full of water to complete the mixture.
After we had filled our bottles with all the contents needed to conduct the lab, we returned to our groups and gently swirled the bottle. We observed what happened to the sediments while they were in motion. Then, we set the bottles down and observed as the materials began settling.
We recorded our observations and drew a diagram to show the order in which the sediments settled.
We found that the gravel settled first, then the sand and then the silt. The clay suspended in the water and made it muddy! This lab activity modeled the transport and deposition of sediments in water.