Activity Summary: This lesson has students learn about tests run ocean sediment cores during the process of downhole logging. Students will analyze data to understand the physical properties of sediment measured within cores. Before conducting this lesson, students should have been introduced to properties of rocks that can be measured, such as density and porosity, and the types of sediment on the ocean floor.

Students will be able to interpret data from downhole logging to explain why the process is done and what it allows scientists to learn about the ocean floor.

This lesson has been revised and updated based on It’s Not Just the Core That Tells the Story.