Images from Reynolds et al., 2009
The rock units exposed on the surface also extend into the subsurface, inside the mountains and hills, and beneath the valleys. To better understand the geology of Painted Canyon, we need to examine the subsurface geometry of the rock units, including the thickness of each layer, whether they are horizontal or tilted, and how deep they are. A good way to show these aspects is by constructing a geologic cross section, which is like cutting a big slice through the landscape, picking it up, and looking at it from the side, in the same way we look at the layers inside a cake.
Examples of geologic cross sections are shown below. These cross sections, unlike the one you will draw, show the rocks below the surface in two dimensions. After you observe the examples below, scroll down to the bottom of this page to watch a short movie about how to construct your own cross section.
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Images from Reynolds et al., 2009 |
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The short movie below shows how to construct a geologic cross section. This is a large file and so may take a few moments to fully load.
Movie Showing How to Construct a Geologic Cross Section (with closed captioning via MediaAMP)
Movie Showing How to Construct a Geologic Cross Section (without closed captioning)
Follow the directions in your lab manual to complete Exercise 7C. Then, complete Assessment 7C in Canvas.