Forensic Geology Exercises

Exercise	Supplemental Material	Description
Introduction to Forensic Geology		Concepts of forensic investigation. Examples of the use of forensic geology in solving crimes.
Forensic Geology - Observations		Various exercises to develop observational skills.
Sand Size Distributions	Size Analysis Worksheet	Determining the size distribution of sand particles. Statistical measures.
Mineral Identification	Mineral Identification Table	Properties of minerals. Mineral identification in hand specimen.
Heavy Minerals and Magnetic Separation		Separation of heavy minerals using the Frantz magnetic separator. Identification of heavy minerals.
Rock Identification		Properties of rocks. Rock identification.
Geologic Time and Geologic Maps		Relative and absolute geologic time. Geologic maps.
Carbon-14 Dating		C-14 dating exercise. M&M example of radioactive decay.
Topographic Maps		Reading topographic maps, contouring, and constructing profiles.
Rivers and Groundwater		Basic concepts of river and groundwater flow.
Forensic Geology and X-ray Diffraction	XRD Reference Spectra	X-ray diffraction in crystalline solids, Bragg's Law, using X-ray diffraction in forensic investigations.
Polarizing Light Microscopy		Basic principles of polarizing light microscopy. Application to forensic investigations.