Woodless Wonder! Petrified Wood Earthcache** EarthCache
Woodless Wonder! Petrified Wood Earthcache**
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As an Earthcache, there is NO container to 'find'--BUT there is a geological lesson that you will learn. To show that you have learned your geological 'lesson for the day' --you must submit the answers to the questions asked below to my personal profile. PLEASE send answers before U log a 'find' -----**ASK WHERE IT IS NOW-----Simply supply info you observe at this NEW SITE, tell what U have learned as orgional questions do not apply now, OK??
This earthcache can be found in the Visitor Center at the Memphis Botanic Garden. The published coords take you to the entrance of the Visitor Center-- ASK AT THE DESK where the PreHistoric Plant Trail is?--The NEW Petrified Wood display is there. OPEN DAILY: 9 AM - 6 PM This piece of petrified wood was found in 2007, in the Memphis area, near Arlington, TN. It was found when Memphis Sand & Gravel employees were excavating out of a sand and gravel deposit. This piece was found near several other specimens simuliar in size, believed to be part of the same tree. Minerals produce the color/colors of the petrified wood: White is produced by pure silica Tan indicates silica dioxide is the replacement mineral Red & pink colors are produced by the presence of a form of oxidized iron Yellow, brown, orange colors are derived from iron bearing minerals Purple & blue are produced by manganese dioxide Green colored petrified wood is produced by native iron combined with chlorophyll Black would be carbon Copper would give colors of green/blue PETRIFIED WOOD is a fossil and unlike other types of fossils which are impressions or compressions, petrified wood is a complete transition to stone and is a complete representation of the orgional tree/plant. The tree is buried by sediment which prevents it from decaying because oxygen and organisms are absent. Mineral laden water flowing through the sediment deposits minerals in the plant's cells. As the plant's cellulose decay a stone mould forms in its place. Petrified wood is commonly found throughout Northern Mississippi and Western Tennessee, often among stream gravels. This specimen was formed when mineral laden water of silica, mainly chalcedony or mixtures of chalcedony and (Question#1-info panel)______, penetrated and replaced the orgional plant material. The (Question #2-info panel)______ preserved the cell structures in the wood even though none of the orginal plant material remained. Sometimes petrified wood is called "silicified wood" due to this replacement by silica. Question #3 About how tall and how wide is this specimen? Question #4 Which replacement mineral/s produced the colors/colors of this petrified wood? Question #5 Does this piece of petrified wood look (do not touch) hard & shinny or rough & sandy? Question #6 What features of the orgional tree can you identify, like tree rings? CHECK log of 3-14-19 EC - FTF: cache _n_ kerri
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