THUNDER MOUNTAIN MYSTERY

How do rocks get turned into dirt? Thunder Mountain is getting worn down into dirt in several ways.  You have already learned that acids in ground water can dissolve away rock.  Water can also seep into cracks in rock layers and then freeze.  The freezing water acts like a wedge and splits the stone into smaller and smaller pieces. Here is a simple experiment you can try at home and discover the effect that plants have on the rocks of the Ozark Mountains.

For this experiment you will need the following:

• 6 beans soaked in water overnight

• 1 Styrofoam cup

• Plaster of Paris

• Potting Soil

• Water

Directions: Fill your Styrofoam cup 3/4 full of potting soil.  Next, place the pre-soaked beans on top of the potting soil and add water till the soil is moist. Then cover the beans with a layer of plaster of Paris and place the cup near a window.

Will the beans be able to break through the plaster of Paris "rock  layer"?

Hint: Visit the nature trail on Thunder Mountain and look for the old Cedar Tree.