Geologists study the Earth and its formations, using tools such as strip plates, hand magnifiers, dropper bottles, pennies, and hardness scales to identify minerals. Other tools like pry bars, rock hammers, and compasses are used in the field. The tools needed depend on the geologist’s questions and experience.
A geologist is a scientist who studies the Earth and its formations. A geologist may be engaged in matters such as identifying minerals or evaluating lava after a volcanic eruption. There are various industries that rely on the expertise of geologists, such as mining. In order for geologists to perform their duties and provide valuable information, they must use a variety of geological tools.
When geologists are concerned with identifying rocks or minerals, they typically look at properties such as hardness, luster, and color. Geological tools used in this process include a strip plate, hand magnifier, dropper bottle, penny, and hardness scale. While some of these items may seem very basic, they can tell a geologist a lot.
For example, cents have little value in a monetary sense, but are extremely valuable geological tools. A penny helps a geologist determine the hardness of his specimen. Since the hardness of a copper penny is known, it helps the geologist judge whether his specimen is harder or softer.
Striped plates are also unsophisticated geological tools. A strip plate is generally a rectangular piece of unglazed pottery. When a sample, such as a mineral, is rubbed, a streak of powder should remain. The color of the remaining dust is something the geologist looks at. While the swatch may be one color or range of colors, in some cases the stripe will consistently be a different color.
The dropper bottle is important because one of the identification steps is an acid test. Geologists often use hydrochloride. They will squeeze a few drops onto their samples to see how they react.
The streaks on a rock or mineral are important to a geologist and can provide a lot of information, not only about the specimen but also about the surrounding area. There are times when a geologist may be away from a laboratory where he has access to a powerful microscope. The hand magnifier is a tool he will likely use to get a closer look.
Because many geologists work a lot in the field, there are other geology tools to help them cope with their work environments. Pry bars, rock hammers, and chisels are often needed to break up specimens or the material around them. Tracking devices like compasses or an altimeter are also very important. Most geologists won’t be happy if they leave a site and can’t find it again.
The tools a geologist needs really depend on the questions he has to answer. Many of the steps in rock and mineral identification can be skipped when a geologist is experienced enough. Also, in many cases, geologists are employed for tasks other than specimen identification. Hence, a completely different range of geological tools is likely to be required.
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