Field Assignment 1

Taryn Barbeiro

GEOL-1-C01

Spring 2011

Igneous - ObsidianAbout a year ago I went to Hawaii and found this obsidian rock as I was on a tour of the island. This rock was located by one of the waterfalls in Hawaii, it was said that at one time when the Hawaiian volcanoes erupted the lava flowed all the way to where the waterfall was and as we know how obsidian is created by cooled lava coming into contact with water. After I found the rock we took it to a store in Hawaii and got it polished because it was such a beautifully colored rock, and come to find out by taking this class I found out what kind of actual rock it was.

Metamorphic - MarbleI also found this rock in Three Rivers, California along with a lot of the other specimens. Three Rivers is a haven for rock collectors because everywhere you go there are rocks. This rock was located along the bank of the actual river. If you have never been to Three Rivers it is very rocky and sandy along the bank.

Sedimentary - SandstoneI found this sandstone rock on the beach at Pismo Beach, California. As you walk down the beach you will come upon caves and that is where I found the rock. As the ocean breaks at the caves during high tide over time the little pieces of the caves break from it and the saltwater smoothes out the rock to make it like the appearance as shown above. You can only get to the caves during low tide because its so close to the ocean.

Igneous-GraniteI found this rock specimen around Three Rivers, California. While walking around a park that is located next to the river this rock stuck out like a sore thumb. This was the only rock that I found at the river of its kind. I don’t know if it came down stream or someone accidently dropped it in the park. The closest guess I have about the type of rock this is, is granite, I might be completely wrong. Three Rivers has been around for hundreds of years and flows throughout the lower mountains towards Sequoia National Forest.

Metamorphic- Muscovite SchistThis rock I found as I was driving through the foothills actually going to Three Rivers, California. As your driving through to go to Three Rivers you drive through little towns such as Lemon Cove and on the side of the road there are mountains with huge rocks and boulders. I was able to get up next to the side of the mountain and found the Schist rock. The area was very rocky and was surrounded by pastures that cattle grazed on. I wasn’t able to identify the type of rock the boulders were and the side of the mountain, those were a little more difficult.