Lab Title What makes the Grand Canyon so grand?

嚜澶PH 112 Lab: Topography 每 Geology Link in the Grand Canyon

Lab Title

What is

this lab all

about?

1

What makes the Grand Canyon so grand?

The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is a ※must see§ for people who

live all over Earth. Some save up for years to make the journey. Certainly,

for anybody living in Arizona, it＊s a point of pride as Arizona is ※The

Grand Canyon State§. So what＊s the big deal? Here, you will explore the

Grand Canyon from the perspective of physical geography.

Lab Worth

The points you accumulate for correct answers count towards your grade.

Incorrect answers do not hurt your grade.

Computer

program

used in this

lab

You will be given instructions in a canvas module page on how to

download virtual world of the Grand Canyon that shows the geology

and the topography. In this program, you are a virtual character able to

wander around the Grand Canyon＊s landscape and rock types.

WARNING: There are two different Grand Canyon geovisualizations 每

this one, and the other focusing on microclimate and vegetation.

Interesting National Park Service map of Grand Canyon National Park:

maps to



download 每

not

NPS 3D map of the Grand Canyon

GPH 112 Lab: Topography 每 Geology Link in the Grand Canyon

necessary

to do the

labs, but

helpful to

some

students

2



Interactive geologic map of the Grand Canyon:



Topographic map of the Grand Canyon:



Shaded relief map of the Grand Canyon area:



Bright Angel Topographic Map:



SQ general

studies

criteria

Students analyze geographical data using the scientific method, keeping in

mind scientific uncertainty. Students also use mathematics in analyzing

rates to change in the landscape.

Lab

Sections

Section 1. Preface: what makes the Grand Canyon so grand?

Section 2. Overview of the lab

Section A: Exploration

Section B: Detailed Analysis

Section C: Synthesis Essay

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT

1. Preface: What makes the Grand Canyon so grand?

2. Overview of lab activities

3. Extra background material

[Not necessary to complete the lab, but quite helpful in appreciating and

understanding the Grand Canyon and the activities you will complete.]

4. The video game geovisualization: purchasing, downloading and playing

Stage A Exploration: Making some basic observations related to the

landforms of the Grand Canyon (4 questions worth 2 points)

Stage B more detailed analysis: Exploring connections between topography

and rock types in the heart of the Grand Canyon (X questions worth X points)

Stage C synthesis: Your analysis of why the Grand Canyon is so grant (or

perhaps not grand at all)? A short essay whose goal rests in you bringing

together your thoughts on the geomorphology of the Grand Canyon.

Page 3

Page 5

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GPH 112 Lab: Topography 每 Geology Link in the Grand Canyon

3

Photo: Courtesy of NASA

1. Preface: What makes the Grand Canyon so grand?

The Grand Canyon is deep, with an average depth of about a mile (1600 m) and a

maximum depth of about 7800 feet (2377 m) if you are standing on the North Rim. Hells

Canyon along the border of eastern Oregon and western Idaho, however, is deeper with a

maximum depth of 7993 feet (2436 m). The Yarlung Tsangpo in the Himalayas is much

deeper at 17,567 feet (5382 m). Some would argue that the Kali Gandaki Gorge

(between the peaks of Dhaulgari and Annapurna) in the Himalayas is even deeper.

The Grand Canyon is long, about 277 miles (446 km) by most starting and ending

points. Again, the Yarlung Tsangpo＊s ※Grand Canyon§ is longer at 308 miles (396 m).

The Grand Canyon is not wide by international standards or even national

standards. On average, its just 10 miles (16 km) wide as the helicopter flies, and its very

narrow at Marble Canyon spanning only 1798 feet (548) meters. Hell＊s Canyon, for

comparison, is 10 miles wide (16 km).

Perspective certainly matters in analyzing this lab＊s question, and different sorts

of people would probably answer the question differently. The historian Dr. Stephen

Pyne wrote an entire book on ※How the Canyon Became Grand.§ The Hopi consider the

Grand Canyon as the place of their creation and hence sacred. A geologist might argue

that it＊s the rocks on the canyon sides that make it so grand, exposing rocks as old as 1.75

billion years near the bottom and 230 million years near the top with abundant fossils and

the ability to see clearly such things as unconformities. Other types of scientists would

make claims to grandness as well, for example, biogeographers study a variety of plant

and animal life that ranges from harsh desert at the bottom to spruce forests on the North

Rim.

GPH 112 Lab: Topography 每 Geology Link in the Grand Canyon

4

The perspective of the writers of this laboratory admit to seeing the Grand

Canyon as physical geographers. Also, our perspective was influenced heavily by taking

geography students on field trips to the Grand Canyon and listening to their views. In the

end, for a physical geographer, the grandness comes down to a combination of factors

that could be summarized in this diagram showing the components of physical

geography. All different aspects of physical geography would influence our answer.

Image: Courtesy of Ron Dorn

This lab, thus, starts to answer the question of ※Why is the Grand Canyon so

grand§ from the perspective of physical geography in general, and especially from the

perspective of the geomorphology (landforms) part of physical geography. Because the

landforms of the Grand Canyon depend heavily on the geology and the water/hydrology,

these subjects are going to be part of this lab.

Caveat about the lab: There is no doubt that an online lab about the grandness of

the Grand Canyon is missing out on our five traditional sense of sight (and the changes in

lighting), hearing of the wind whistling through the canyon, the taste of trail and camping

food, the smell of plants, and touching of different rock textures. In the end, you will just

have to experience these at the Grand Canyon for yourself.

GPH 112 Lab: Topography 每 Geology Link in the Grand Canyon

5

2. Overview of lab activities

The purpose of this section is to provide you an overview of the activities you will

complete. Before you dig into the lab, you are also welcome to learn extra background

information about the geology and hydrology of the Grand Canyon in the third section.

You certainly do not have to read the third section in detail to do this lab, but you will

probably find that this enrichment material will help you get more out of ※playing the

video game§ and the other lab activities.

2.1 Parts of this lab: Exploration (stage A), detailed analysis (stage B), and essay

synthesis (stage C)

You can probably just advance this PDF file to the Stage A

materials and do well in the exploration questions. However, you will

probably need to read at least some of the background material to do

well in Stage B and C.

In the exploration of this lab (Stage A), you will get a chance to enhance your

grade by learning a bit about the Grand Canyon and the sorts of activities you will

engage in if you decide to move onto Stage B.

In the detailed analysis part of the lab (Stage B), you will use the video game

geovisualization to explore in greater detail the connection between the geomorphology

and the rock types of the Grand Canyon.

Then, Stage C of the lab encourages you to synthesize what you have learned in

writing a short four-paragraph essay on why you think the Grand Canyon is grand. Most

of this essay tasks you with covering what you learned in lab activities, but you are also

encouraged to explain your own personal perspective on the lab question.

2.2. The study area

The entirely of the Grand Canyon is far too big to analyze in this introductory

laboratory. Thus, all of the laboratory activities will focus on what many consider to be

the heart of the Grand Canyon, centered between the two National Park visitor centers on

the North Rim and South Rim. The frame of the study area can be seen inside this map

of northern Arizona, courtesy of the Arizona Geographic Alliance:

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