Geology 111 BYU-Idaho

If I've used the earthquake file from USGS correctly, I am definitely surprised at the amount of earthquakes (though small) that have occurred close to home for me. Although I'm not extremely close to any of the marks for earthquakes that have happened in the last 30 days, it's slightly disturbing to see that within 5-7 hours of my front door earthquakes are happening. Living close to Yellowstone, and along offshoots of the Rocky Mountain range, I should not be so surprised. Noting the large quantity comparatively of tremors surrounding the Yellowstone region and caldera is a clear sign of its tectonic and the lithosphere's activity there. We'll just have to see if God calls our family somewhere other than the rocky mountains before Yellowstone decides to blow!

The age of the earth according to science, and the age of the earth according to certain religious sects is indeed in conflict. Although it has not always been true personally, this conflict is resolved in my case. It is a topic in which I would like to spend hours researching and discussing, but I have chosen a few main points of truth to shed light on my viewpoint below, though I don't claim to do this topic justice in fullness in any way. Within the LDS faith, prominent voices, including those of Prophets, Seers, and Revelators such as Brigham Young, and expert Mormon scientists such as Henry Eyring support truth circumscribed in one great whole, that religion and science actually do not contradict each other when doctrine is truly understood. This is compared to a conflicting viewpoint of some members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and those of millions of Christians worldwide that take the biblical timeline to be literal and final in meaning. A s...

Marble is maybe the most well known metamorphic rock. This is especially the case concerning metamorphic rocks used in construction and artwork. Because marble is essentially limestone that has been subjected to the heat and pressure of the metamorphic process, it comes in many forms. The Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Downtown Salt Lake City, for example, is home to plenty of marble architecture and artwork. (The Church in general uses a lot of marble in places around Temple Square). I took this first picture of what I believe are the marble pillars that make up the main hall of the building (I apologize for the mediocre quality of the photo). In that same main hall, visitors will find a statue of the Prophet Joseph Smith, also made from marble. This picture is from LDS.org: Marble is a metamorphic rock that is not folilated, and its parent rocks consist of mostly of limestone and dolostone. Because of the formation of veins and patterns within the pillars, it wa...

For any who have been to southern Utah, the effects of weathering have easily been seen around every corner. Sedimentary rocks abound, like this one (with my wife, father in law & I). Before doing a little reading, I guessed that Delicate Arch would indeed be considered a sedimentary rock due its make up of sandstone, one of the most well known sedimentary rocks. I also found this gem (meaning good example. not actually a gem), in my back yard of sandstone. Caused by iron oxide, this stone, as well as those found throughout the United States Southwest, gain incredible color that bring crowds from all over the world. Due to both weathering factors, and change in rock color, I believe that rocks such as the one in my back yard, and those found in Moab, have undergone both chemical and mechanical weathering.