theres a place in death valley, california called racetrack playa whair rocks move all by them selves. why do they really move?
2007-04-24 10:39:09 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The rocks do indeed slide across the ground, and it's the wind blowing through the canyon that makes them move.
2007-04-24 11:07:21 · answer #1 · answered by Hzl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The old professor says: Ahhh...the old "Rolling Stone" question. Yes! There are such rocks. After much investigation into this phenomena, scientists discovered the rocks were on a gentle slope of fine soil that during the evening hours became lubricated by the dew. This was enough for the rocks to overcome the coefficient of friction and allow them to slide downslope for a while. Some believe a gentle evening wind helped them move along. When the daylight came, the "mud" lubricant dried up making such a motion of the rocks seem impossible....or a mystery that has since been solved.
2007-04-24 11:01:32 · answer #2 · answered by Bruce D 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
They're not sure but they thing it's because of ice ... read all about it !!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racetrack_Playa
2007-04-24 10:58:21 · answer #3 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋