Science

Question 1

What is the difference between weathering and erosion?

Answer 1

Weathering = the breaking down of rocks
Erosion = moving of rocks

Question 2

What is mechanical weathering?

Answer 2

Breaking big rocks into small rocks without making a new substance

Question 3

What is chemical weathering?

Answer 3

Breaking big rocks into small rock WHILE making a new substance

Question 4

What is sediment and how does it form?

Answer 4

Sediment is the broken bits of rock, minerals, and organic matter.
Sediment forms through weathering

Question 5

Describe root wedging and classify it as weathering or erosion.

Answer 5

Roots of plants grow through rock and break it into small pieces
Weathering
Mechanical

Question 6

What is acid rain and its effect on rocks?

Answer 6

Precipitation that is acidic falls down on rock (mainly limestone) and breaks the rock down
Weathering
Chemical

Question 7

Explain frost wedging.

Answer 7

Liquid water seeps in cracks and crevices of rocks and then freezes. Water expands as it freezes, cracking the rock apart.
Weathering
Mechanical

Question 8

What happens during crystallization or crystal wedging?

Answer 8

Water that has dissolved salts within it creep into crevices and cracks within rocks. As the water evaporates, crystals begin to form, which can break apart rock.
Weathering
Mechanical

Question 9

What is the effect of shoreline breaking down?

Answer 9

Wind and water can break apart rocks and move them away from the shoreline
Both
Mechanical

Question 10

What is creeping in the context of erosion?

Answer 10

Slow movement of soil that leads to the leaning of posts and fences
Erosion
N/A

Question 11

How does a river become more curvy?

Answer 11

High-velocity water in a stream erodes the cut bank and slower water deposits sediment on the point bar
Both
Mechanical

Question 12

What happens when glaciers melt?

Answer 12

Glaciers pick up and carry rocks as they grow and melt. Rocks stuck in the ice will scrape the land underneath the glacier
Both
Mechanical

Question 13

How does a waterfall cause erosion?

Answer 13

A stream of water falls off of a cliff causing a lot of erosion under the waterfall with little erosion at the top of the waterfall
Both
Mechanical

Question 14

What is rusting in rocks?

Answer 14

Oxygen reacts with the metal in rocks to rust them
Weathering
Chemical

Question 15

What is exfoliation?

Answer 15

Rocks expand and contract due to the temperature changes between day and night, causing huge sheets of rock to slough off
Both
Mechanical

Question 16

What is abrasion?

Answer 16

Wind or water picks up small bits of rock or sand and ‘throws’ it against rock formations, thus sanding them
Both
Mechanical

Question 17

What is a slump in erosion?

Answer 17

Movement of soil layers cause a whole section of soil on a hill to ‘slump’ downward
Erosion
N/A

Question 18

What factors affect the rate of rock weathering?

Answer 18

• Softer the rock, the greater the weathering
• The more time, the greater the weathering
• The faster the wind, water, etc., the greater the weathering
• The more weathering forces at play, the greater the weathering

Question 19

How does the speed of a stream affect sediment size?

Answer 19

The speed of a stream determines the size of sediment the stream can carry. The faster the stream, the greater the size of sediment it can carry.

Question 20

Where are sediments deposited in a curving river?

Answer 20

Sediments are deposited on the point bar, or the inside of the meander, where water flow slows.

Question 21

Which bank is eroded away in a curving river?

Answer 21

The cutbank of a meander, or the outside of a curve, is eroded away due to the highest velocity of the stream.

Question 22

What is a cutbank?

Answer 22

The outside of meander of a stream

Question 23

What is a point bar?

Answer 23

The inside meander of a stream

Question 24

What is differential erosion?

Answer 24

Differential erosion is when two areas that are close together experience different rates of erosion.

Question 25

Give an example of differential erosion.

Answer 25

Rock underneath a waterfall experiences a greater rate of erosion than the rock at the top of a waterfall.

Question 26

What are some ways to prevent erosion on a stream bank?

Answer 26

• Planting riparian vegetation
• Use a retaining wall or hardscape

Question 27

What is channelization?

Answer 27

Channelization is the deepening of a stream/river and the paving of the channel.

Question 28

What are the pros of channelization?

Answer 28

• Minimizes flooding in the area
• Allows for the path of the river/stream to be manipulated around buildings and cities

Question 29

What are the cons of channelization?

Answer 29

• Increases the speed of the water, which increases erosion
• Artificial stream banks are not a good habitat for native species

Question 30

How does channelization affect fish in a stream?

Answer 30

The faster moving water makes it hard for fish to swim and spawn.

Question 31

How does a fossil form?

Answer 31

Wind, water, and gravity break down big rocks into smaller rocks through weathering. Sediment is moved through erosion and deposited, burying living things. Over time, sediment layers cement together and harden into rock.

Question 32

What is soil made of?

Answer 32

Soil is a loose mixture of broken up rock, minerals, and organic matter.

Question 33

What is the difference between topsoil and bedrock?

Answer 33

Topsoil consists of broken up rock and organic matter while bedrock is mainly composed of just rock.

Question 34

Why is it important to know the type of soil underfoot?

Answer 34

• Determines drainage of water
• Affects building stability
• Influences farming and crop growth
• Impacts sewage management
• Affects transportation methods

Question 35

Which type of soil material is good for drainage?

Answer 35

Sand and silt

Question 36

Which type of soil material is good for holding water?

Answer 36

Clay