Dig this Fossil.A buried bone takes millions of years to fossilize fos·sil·ize v. fos·sil·ized, fos·sil·iz·ing, fos·sil·iz·es v.tr. 1. To convert into a fossil. 2. To make outmoded or inflexible with time; antiquate. v.intr. (turn into rock). But with this hands-on experiment, you can whip up a fossil in just three days. YOU NEED: * scissors scissors Cutting instrument or tool consisting of a pair of opposed metal blades that meet and cut when the handles at their ends are brought together. Modern scissors are of two types: the more usual pivoted blades have a rivet or screw connection between the cutting ends * piece of sponge * 9-x-13 inch baking pan * sand * warm water * Epsom salts Epsom salts, common name for magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, MgSO4·7H2O, a water-soluble bitter-tasting compound that occurs as white or colorless needle-shaped crystals. (you can also use table salt) TO DO: 1. Cut a piece of sponge into the shape of a bone. 2. Place the "bone" flat in a shallow pan. 3. Cover the bone with a thin layer of sand. 4. Mix 1 cup of warm water with 1/2 cup of Epsom salts. Stir to dissolve A Web site design technique borrowed from the film and video industry in which the transition between two Web pages is represented visually by one page fading into another. Also known as a "soft cut," the result is achieved in the HTML coding of the images to gradual pre-determined . 5. Pour the saltwater evenly over the sand. 6. Leave the pan in a warm; dry place. The sand should dry out in a few days. 7. Dig out your bone and dust it off. Voila--a fossil! CONCLUSION: How did your sponge change? What do you think made it change? Research why this process is similar to how fossils form. |
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