Last Update: November 22, 2011 2:42 pm
Geo 130 Historical Geology THA #1
SYNOPSIS -- Kelvin, Perry and the Age of the Earth
On Friday 2 December at 9 a.m., please hand in a typed synopsis of the article from American Scientist entittled "Kelvin, Perry and the Age of the Earth". Do not come to class planning to print your paper. Do not e-mail your paper to me. Instead be prepared to turn in your paper, stapled if necessary, at 9 a.m. Your essay should include the broader context of this paper as well as the following specific items (woven into a narrative, NOT addressed as a list):
1) An explanation how the thermal gradient may be used to calculate an age for the earth. Make sure you detail the fundamental concepts and their application.
2) Explain specifically how convection accounts for the thermal gradient observed and how this gradient led Kelvin to calculate such a young age for the earth.
3) Discuss how the notion that Kelvin's lack of knowledge about radioactivity may have gotten into the "scientific lore" and why heat from radioactive decay could not be the source of the thermal gradient he observed.
4) How does the statement "I know that solid rock is not like cobbler's wax, but a billion years is a long time, and the forces are great!" apply to plate tectonics?