Knowledge and Geological techniques Comments understanding and skills Surface materials are Recognition and use of The surface processes part transported by a range appropriate units in of the rock cycle facilitates, of erosional agents and calculations. (though not exclusively) are deposited as training in, and assessment sediments: of, some mathematical Construction and skills. erosion (abrasion, interpretation of frequency attrition) tables and diagrams, bar For exemplification of transport (traction, charts and histograms. mathematical skills see saltation, Mathematical Guidance suspension, solution) Finding of arithmetic means. for A level Geology. deposition selectively concentrates Understanding of the products in particular principles of sampling as environments grain – applied to scientific data. size related to energy of Understanding of the depositional measures of dispersion, environment; including standard deviation dominance of quartz and interquartile range. and muscovite in coarse fraction and Selection and use of a clay minerals in fine statistical test. fraction; flocculation; precipitation. d. Different sedimentary Description of sedimentary environments may be rocks in hand specimens, rock identified by diagnostic exposures and sedimentary structures, diagrams/photographs from rock textures, observation of their colour, mineralogy and fossil texture (use of sediment content. comparators to determine grain size, shape and sphericity), (coarse >2 mm, fine <1/16 mm), reaction with 0.5 mol dm−3 hydrochloric acid, mineralogy and other diagnostic features.
Knowledge and understanding Geological techniques and skills Comments Surface materials are transported by a range of erosional agents and are deposited as sediments: erosion (abrasion, attrition) transport (traction, saltation, suspension, solution) deposition selectively concentrates products in particular environments – grain size related to energy of depositional environment; dominance of quartz and muscovite in coarse fraction and clay minerals in fine fraction; flocculation; precipitation. Recognition and use of appropriate units in calculations. Construction and interpretation of frequency tables and diagrams, bar charts and histograms. Finding of arithmetic means. Understanding of the principles of sampling as applied to scientific data. Understanding of the measures of dispersion, including standard deviation and interquartile range. Selection and use of a statistical test. The surface processes part of the rock cycle facilitates, (though not exclusively) training in, and assessment of, some mathematical skills. For exemplification of mathematical skills see Mathematical Guidance for A level Geology. d. Different sedimentary environments may be identified by diagnostic sedimentary structures, rock textures, mineralogy and fossil content. Description of sedimentary rocks in hand specimens, rock exposures and diagrams/photographs from observation of their colour, texture (use of sediment comparators to determine grain size, shape and sphericity), (coarse >2 mm, fine <1/16 mm), reaction with 0.5 mol dm−3 hydrochloric acid, mineralogy and other diagnostic features.