This document discusses rocks, weathering, and erosion. It provides examples of different types of erosion, including physical erosion by water, ice, and animals and chemical erosion by acid rain. Diagrams show how the shape of rocks changes over time due to erosion. Experiments are described to simulate different erosion processes, such as shaking rocks to represent transport by streams or using acid to represent acid rain. The purpose of erosion and weathering is explained as breaking rocks down into smaller pieces and ultimately soil.
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What are rocks?
Rocks are made from a combination of minerals and can be
hard or soft depending on how the minerals are arranged.
Rocks can be
found here…
…and here…
…and here…
…and here
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Rock fragments
When rocks are
transported by
a river they are
eroded:
When rocks are broken off
they can form “scree slopes”
Rock shape up here
Rock shape down here “Sediment”
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Erosion and weathering…
EROSION is when rocks are gradually worn down.
WEATHERING is when rocks are broken up into smaller
ones.
The ultimate result of both of these processes is SOIL.
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Examples of erosion…
Erosion Physical, chemical
or biological?
Rocks bumping into each other while travelling
down a stream
Tree roots pushing against the rock
Ice getting into cracks and expanding
Acid rain
Animals or plants digging into cracks
“Onion skin weathering”
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Erosion experiments…
Experiment 1: Shaking rocks in a bottle
In this experiment we…
This showed what happened when rocks travel with a
stream.
Experiment 2: Acid on limestone
In this experiment we…
This showed the damage that can be caused by acid rain.
Experiment 3: Heating and cooling a rock
In this experiment we…
This showed the damage that can be done when a rock is
heated and cooled, like during the day and night.
Describe what
you did here…
