Salt flats are usually flat, as their name implies. One salt flat that doesn’t adhere to this description is “The Devil’s Golf Course” in Death Valley National Park.
This salt flat was once a lake. As the water evaporated, the minerals that were dissolved in the lake water were left behind. Since the surface remains dry, the salty surface has weathered over time creating sharp sculptured salt formation.
weathering: The breaking down of solid surfaces by factors including wind and water.
Before this salt flat became a national monument in 1934, exploratory holes were drilled. It was discovered that the salt and gravel beds extended to a depth of more than 1,000 feet (300 m). Later studies increased this to depths ranging up to 9,000 feet (2,700 m).
Math Challenge
Using dimensional analysis, determine the depth of the 9,000 ft. salt flat in miles.
The conversion factor between miles and feet is:
1 mile = 5,280 feet
Earth Science is the study of the Earth, which includes the atmosphere (air layer), lithosphere (solid materials-rocks), and hydrosphere (water-oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams).
Science experiments that make learning about our Earth fun as well as informative.
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