Olivia Pullen's Blog

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Windspires

GP North should raise money to install a Windspire because having one would mean that North could have wind research be another part for our curriculum. Also, it would create energy for the school, therefore, saving money in the long run. If I wanted to install a Windspire at my house, my neighbors would accept it. I believe they would let me because they understand how necessary it is to help with the bills. If anything, I believe that they would be concerned about the size of the Windspire, and if it would obstruct the beauty of our neighborhood. My monthly average last year was 267 kW/month.

http://www.wcs.k12.mi.us/rei/index.htm
www.gizmag.com/windspire-low-cost-wind-power-alternative/10861/

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Kennecott or Not?

AMD(Acid Mine Drainage) is acid that seeps through rock, creating a brew of toxic heavy metals. It is caused by Sulfuric acid which is created when water and air chemically combine with exposed sulfides in the rock. A brownfield clean-up is when Humboldt Mill crushes and grinds rock mined at the company's Eagle Mine. Then nickel and copper concentrates will be separated from the rock and sent to processing facilities. By opening this mine, it will be the
only primary nickel mining operation in the United States. Kennecott will take all water collected from the temporary development rock storage area and put it through a water treatment plant, to purify it for drinking water.

http://www.northwoodswild.og/projects/sulfide-and-uranium-mining
http://www.eagle-project.com/library/media/Heartland_Institute.pdf
http://www.eagle-project.com/our-company21st-Century-Mining/

The Iceland Volcano Eyjafjallajokull

The volcano erupted in Iceland because ice mixing with magma can cause explosive eruptions. Air travel in Europe is being grounded because of the Iceland volcano because planes cannot fly through the "grinding silica ash". Other than the delay of air travel, the volcano has possibly agitated it's neighboring volcano, the Katla volcano. We are now not sure of the volcano's future. This volcano is not affecting the United States because the pyroclastic flow is going from East to West.

Researchers puzzle over how long Iceland volcano will erupt
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0416/Researchers-puzzle-over-how-long-Iceland-volcano-will-erupt
Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland Erupts, Disrupts Travel
http://www.pdc.org/PDCNewsWebArticles/2010/Iceland/eruption.htm

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Minerals in Daily Life

Everyday I brush my teeth. In my toothpaste there is Fluorite. I watch television regularly. Quartz is used in my television. Sometimes I use baby powder. That is made from Talc. I always look in mirrors. Silver is used to make certain mirrors.

http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go336/talkingt/
Common Minerals and Their Uses in Everyday Life. Julie Talkington. December 3, 2001

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Michigan Minerals

Halite's chemical formula is NaCl, sodium chloride. It is used for "salting the streets" to melt away snow. It is usually clear and it has a conchoidal fracture.

Gypsum's chemical formula is CaSO4·2H2O. It is used for fertilizer and it is used to make plaster. It is colorless to white, and can take on many shapes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halite

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsum

Monday, April 12, 2010

Metamorphic Rocks

Slate was shale before it became metamorphoed. It is used for roof and floor tiles.

Marble was limestone before it became metamorphoed. It is used for building material.

Quartzite was sandstone before it became metamorphosed. It is used in road construction.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geophys/slate.html

http://blog.builddirect.com/slate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble

http://geology.csupomona.edu/alert/metamorphic/quartzite.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartzite

Igneous Rocks

Pumice is an Igneous Rock that can be used to scrape dry and excess skin off of the bottom of a foot. Granite is another Igneous Rock that can be used for countertops and flooring in modern-day homes. Obsidian is used for modern-day scalpels. Gabbro is mostly used for cemetary headstones. Basalt is used for making cobblestone, and statues. This is a picture of an obsidian scalpel.