Cabrillo Museum Report
Visit the following exhibits:
Sandy Beach Wave Tank
Sandy Beach Exhibit
Mudflat Exhibit
Bioluminescence Exhibit
Whale Exhibit
Shark Exhibit
Report Content
Write about what the exhibit was about
Write about what you learned from the exhibit
Report Format
Double spaced
1/2 inch margins
Times New Roman Font
Must not exceed two pages
Must have separate title page
Must include picture of you in front of the museum as a separate page
Beach Sediment Report ( 1 page format same as above)
Collect sediment from outside harbor and inside harbor in a sandwich bag and label one inside harbor and the
other outside harbor
Describe:
 Size
 Sort
 Rounding
Make interpretations about:
 Distance of transport
 Why the sediments are the same or different
Due March 8thst.
Oceanography
Sediments Handout
Sediment Textures refers to the size, shape and arrangement of the particles that make up sediment.
Grain size particles can be measured by their maximum grain diameter. The most common classification use
is the Udden-Wentworth scale. In this classification scheme, terms such as pebble, sand and gravel have welldefined limits.
Grain size may be used to try to characterize depositional environment. For example, fine-grained silt and
mud are usually deposited in low-energy environments such as lakes and the deep oceans.
Roundness (or angularity) refers to how smooth or sharp are the edges of particles. It is usually measured
with reference to a comparative chart.
Roundness reflects relative distance of transport. The further a sediment is transported, the more rounded
the grain appears.
Sorting shows variation in grain size distribution. A well-sorted sediment shows little variation in grain size
distribution, whereas poorly-sorted sediment shows a large deviation from the mean (average) grain size.
Sorting reflects the depositional processes, such as wind, water, landslides. Beach and dune sediment tends
to be well sorted and river and glacial deposits less sorted.
Color can help distinguish the amount of oxidation. Black indicates the presence of organic material that has
not been oxidized. This can be accomplished by low oxygen environments or rapid burial. Green (or a
variety) usually indicates sedimentation in oxygenated environments. Red sediments reflect a “rusting” of iron.
Iron reacts with oxygen to produce hematite (Fe2O3) – a “red” mineral.
Laboratory. Describe the sediment below. Classify according to grain size. Make interpretations about
distance of transport, and energy of the environment based on grain size, sorting, and shape. For muds also
indicate whether environment was oxygenated or not. Do not describe muds using roundness, sorting ( grains
too small to see), or distance of transport
Marine Sediment
Inside Harbor Sediment
Outside Harbor
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Color:
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Color:
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Grain size:
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Grain size:
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Roundness:
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Roundness:
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Sorting:
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Sorting:
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Shells %______ Condition(whole, broken)

Shells %______ Condition(whole, broken)
Classification _________Interpretation: ____________
Classification _________Interpretation: ____________
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