Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel that is both safe and biodegradable, along with releasing less pollutants into the air. It can be made from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant greases. Simple steps can be followed to make biodiesel at home.

To see the advantages over petroleum diesel, Click Here!

To make biodiesel at home, follow these steps:

1. Use vegetable oil or get used restaurant greases
2. Filter out the particles
3. Titrate to see how acidic the oil is
4. Add in some basic reagent
5. Heat oil to 120 F
6. Drain the glycerin until the biodiesel becomes lighter and thinner
7. Air out the biodiesel for a day or so

For more detailed instructions follow This Link!

Or you can watch this video:

Soils and Rocks

Twelve Soil Orders:

1. Gelisols-have permafrost within 100 cm of the soil surface
2. Histosols-consists primarily of organic materials 3.
Spodosols-soils with mixtures of organic matter and aluminum
4. Andisols-soils dominated by short-ranger-order minerals

5. Oxisols-mixtures of quartz, kaolin, free oxides, and organic matter found in tropical and subtropical environments

6. Vertisols-soils with a lot of expanding clay

7. Aridisols- CaCO3 containing soils of arid environments with subsurface horizon development. No water for plants

8. Ultisols-contains translocated silicate clay and few bases

9. Mollisols- base rich

10. Alfisols-base saturation of 35 percent or greater and have a argillic horizon

11. Inceptisols-soils of humid or subhumid regions with that have altered horizons that have lost bases but retain weatherable materias

12. Entisols-soils with little or no morphological development

To learn more about the 12 soil orders! Click Here

The soil types in Georgia include:

• Clay
• Sand
• Loam
• combinations of the primary three mixed with salt, rock, and sediments

Also, more information on Georgia soils can be found using this link: Georgia Soils

Micaceous Schist

• metamorphic rock made by the metamorphosis of mudstone or shale, and some igneous rock
• made up of alternating lighter and darker bands of color

Community Gardens

Lately the popularity of community gardens has been increasing because of the many benefits they provide. Positive environmental and societal aspects exist with the creation of community gardens. Community gardens can contain only flowers and other plants that are to only look at, but then some community gardens also provide fresh foods. When food is grown locally, less greenhouse gas emissions are put into the environment from state to state food transport. More environmental benefits include reducing the effects of climate change and the restoration of natural areas after so many have been torn down. Also, as of May 2013, U.S. Department of Agricultural statistics have shown that around 15 percent of the world’s food is now grown in urban areas. Societal benefits are also an effect of community gardens. Some believe that community gardens reduce isolation within communities to create more social environments and support community involvement. These forms of gardens are also very educational because they contain a variety of wildlife and plant species, as wells as being an interesting and fun place to spend time.

Tree Identification Lab

One of our last labs involved going on a nature tour around campus and learning how to identify all different species of trees, bushes, and shrubs. Honestly, I had never noticed the immense amount of plant life that occupied Mercer's campus until this lab. I find it extremely interesting that such a large variety of plants dwell at Mercer. Mercer contains plant species from all over the globe, not just native to Macon. Of all the species that I learned to identify, I managed to select a few favorites.

Crepe Myrtle outside of the Science and Engineering Building

The first tree that I am chosing to put in my blog is the Crepe Myrtle. The scientific name of which is Lagerstroemia species. I've always liked Crepe Myrtles because my family has had them in our yard, but after walking around campus I can name some identifiers. Crepe Myrtles have multiple trunks and are typically between 10 and 30 feet tall. The tree can have flowers in either red, pink, or white, and vary between different shades of these colors. They flower during the summer. Also, the trees survive well in dry weather, making Georgia an ideal location for Crepe Myrtles.



Yoshino Cherry outside of Tarver Library

 Another tree that I really liked was the Yoshino Cherry, or Prunus yedoensis. These trees will grow quickly to 20 feet tall and over a lifetime reach 35 to 45 feet and can contain white or pink flowers. They are actually known for being planted near Kwanza Cherry trees for Cherry Blossom Festivals. Yoshino Cherry trees have thin bark and can be easily damaged. They grow in the full sun, making them another tree well adapted to Georgia climate.

Larch located on the North Quad

A final tree that I want to put into my blog is the Larch, or Larix species. I thought this tree was very interesting to look at. These trees from from 20 to 45 feet tall and are the dominant plants of Borreal forests in Russia and Canada. Larch trees will begin losing their leaves in early fall, which is why the picture I took on the North Quad shows are Larch tree beginning to thin. Their leaves are like clusters of needles, and they also have small cones and the North, and larger cones in the South.

Deep Sea, Deep Secrets

In our last lab before Fall Break, we watched a movie called "Deep Sea, Deep Secrets." This movie was about the hydrothermal vents located on the Mid-Ocean Ridge. All of the organisms that dwell at this level survive using the process chemosynthesis. This process works without sunlight since these environments are located too deep underwater for sunlight to penetrate. In chemosynthesis, energy is gathered from inorganic chemicals. This is the basis for the survival of the environment’s bacteria. From the bacteria, a food chain begins. Another characteristic of the hydrothermal vents is that they are connected by an undersea highway. Also, they are chimney-like structures that have the capability of erupting. There is a specific location that has been assigned the study ground of hydrothermal vents, which is called 9 North. In 9 North, a group of scientists once witnessed an eruption and claimed that the hydrothermal vents are like a “living laboratory.” Another question that was raised by scientists about this environment is about the organisms that thrive there. It appears that the organisms went through adaptations in order to survive on the hydrothermal vents such as dealing with the different water temperature. I have always found the ocean and its inhabitants extremely interesting; mostly because of the mystery that surrounds it. The ocean is huge and while we know a lot about its processes and organisms, there is still so much to learn. Before watching this video I had never really heard of the hydrothermal vents, but now I am glad that I have. This unique community has found its own ways to survive.



Image of a hydrothermal vent- for more information this is a great website to look at!

Hydrothermal Vents

For my Ocmulgee River Lab post, the picture did not save so this is it:

Ocmulgee River Lab

The last period we went to the Oculgee Heritage Trail boat drop off area. While we were there we attempted to do a few activities. First the class measured the elevation rate and flow patterns of the river. Then when we finished that part we tried to go noodling, but no one managed to catch anything. This lab was extremely enjoyable because of the location. While we were there we saw people walking the trail, playing on the playground, and even a family trying to put a boat onto the river. It was nice seeing people enjoying the outdoors. This is the link to get to the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail Website for anyone who is interested: Ocmulgee Heritage Trail Also, this is a picture from Google Earth of our lab work site. I have created a transect line that shows the elevation change.