Lab Work
Paige Guevarra '18 of Brooklyn, NY has been working with Geology professor Genevieve Robert this summer. Geuvarra has been synthesizing different glass analogs to mimic natural lava. The samples are heated to 1735°C (3155 F). Once heated, viscosity and other properties are measured, gaining insight into the behavior of lava and magma in nature.
Pouring a glass melt
prepping a melt for the parallel plate viscometer
recording vescostiy of molten glasses at various temperatures and melt constituents
From determining sediment sizes and distribution to examining microscopic thin sections of rock and mineral to determining the stable isotopic composition of a sediment core or generating a magma analog to analyze its physical properties, laboratory work is an integral part of the process used to help us understand the work around us.