Chester Keeler Wentworth (1891 - 1969) graduated from the University of Chicago with an A.B. degree in geology in June 1918. Chester took his M.S. degree in 1921, and his Ph.D. in 1923, both at the University of Iowa. It was during his time as a student at Iowa that Chester’s unusual combination of aptitudes led to the achievement for which he is most widely known — the Wentworth scale for the classification of clastic sedimentary rocks.
Grain size
The grain size scale, in sedimentology, is a division of a continuous range of particle sizes into a series of discrete groups. Several such scales have been devised for the purpose of standardizing terms and providing a basis for statistical analysis. On most scales, the finest particles are designated clay, followed by silt, sand, granules, gravel, pebbles, cobbles, and boulders. The size limits for each grade vary from scale to scale.
The original scale was devised in 1898 by the American sedimentary petrologist J.A. Udden. It was adapted (1922) by C.K. Wentworth, who expanded the definitions of the various grades to conform with actual usage by researchers; most sedimentologists have adopted the Udden scale with the Wentworth modifications.
In order to claim a find in this EarthCache you have to get yourself to the coordinates supplied. There, answer the following three (3) questions:
1. Using the Wentworth Scale in the listing classify the beach sediment according to grain size.
2. Examine the sediment composition closely and tell me whether the sediment is mono (only one type of material) or multimineralic (more than one type of material)?
3. What general colour is the sand? (whitish, yellowish, greyish, blackisk - choose one only)
If you feel you have all the answers correct, please log your found but also send me the answers via e-mail so I can check them. If I don’t answer you it is because they are correct and you have another found.
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