1. Weathering & Erosion (p. 2) 1.Weathering: process by which rock materials are broken down by mechanical or chemical means. 2.Chemical weathering: breaking down rocks as a result of chemical reactions. 3.Oxidation: a chemical reaction that occurs when an element combines with oxygen (iron & oxygen = rusting) 4.Mechanical Weathering: breaking down of rocks by a physical means. 5.Erosion: the process where rocks and sediments are picked up, carried and moved by wind, water, gravity or glaciers. 6.Deposition: when small rocks and sediment are “deposited” (left behind) at a new location as a result of erosion.

2. Weathering & Erosion (p. 2) 7.Abrasion: The grinding and wearing away of other rocks due to mechanical weathering with other rocks/sediments. 8.Creep: SLOW movement of materials downhill. 9.Slump: Most common type of landslide, occurs when a block of material moves down a slope over a curved surface. 10.Ice Wedging: process where water goes into cracks, freezes – expanding, causing the crack to become wider. This cycle repeats. 11.Landslide: sudden & rapid movement of rock and soil down a slope.

3. 11. Types of Weathering Mechanical: breaking down of rocks due to physical means Chemical: breaking down of rocks due to chemical means.

4. 12. List & describe the 4 agents of mechanical weathering. Ice: ice wedging Abrasion: rubbing of rocks together creating smaller pieces (caused by wind, water, gravity) Plants: their roots grow into cracks – grow and expand making the cracks larger Animals: burrowing under ground disturb/move the soil.

5. 13. List and describe the 3 agents of chemical weathering. Water: makes some objects dissolve Acids: acids in precipitation, groundwater & living things Air: oxygen can react with elements causing oxidation

6. 15. Explain how glaciers formed Long Island Sound. Glaciers stopped moving south approximately 22,000 years ago due to global warming. The glacier stopped where what is Long Island today. As the glacier began to melt, rocks and boulders were deposited in moraines. As the glacier melted, a large lake was formed along southern CT. When the sea- level rose, the lake was filled with sea water forming Long Island Sound. Explain the agents of erosion that continue to change the coast line. Wind & Water

7. Shake it Up Lab: Page 5 Variables: -IV: shaking -DV: mass of sugar cubes Constants: 1.Amount of time to shake 2.Gravel 3.# & brand of cubes.

8. Shake it Up Lab: Page 8 Big Idea: when rocks rub together over a period of time they can break into smaller pieces. 5. Weathering is the breaking down of ROCKS and other materials on Earth’s surface. When the FORCES of weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces, but do not change the chemical makeup of the rocks, the process is called MECHANICAL weathering. During this process, larger rocks are broken down into different shapes and SMALLER PIECES. At the beginning of the weathering process, rock fragments are SHARP & ANGULAR As weathering continues, they become SMOOTH & ROUNDED. As you shook your jar, the SUGAR CUBES broke down into smaller pieces as they hit the GRAVEL. Rocks break down or become smoother as they move against other rocks in a river and sea glass transforms from jagged to smooth as it moves against sand and water in the ocean.

9. Mechanical Weathering Reading: Page 11 1.As water freezes it expands, pushing the asphalt. When the water melts, more water can now push through the cracks. The cycle repeats of thawing & freezing. 2.Abrasion: rubbing of rocks (wind, water, gravity) Plants: roots pushing through cracks Animals: burrowing under ground 3.Plants: dandelions growing in a driveway, roots grow & expand making the cracks larger. Animals: burrow underground disturbing soil – water can then flow through the tunnel.

10. Disappearing Act: Chemical Weathering (p.12) Variables: -IV: Vinegar -DV: Appearance of Chalk

11. Reading Questions Page 16 1.B-Acid 2.Water, Weak acids, Air 3.The five sources of chemical weathering are: a.Water: makes things dissolve b.Acid precipitation: carbon dioxide mixes with liquid in the atmosphere c.Acid in groundwater: breaks down rocks such as limestone d.Acids in living things: oils e.Air: oxidation/rust 4.Acid precipitation has a higher level of acidity than normal precipitation.

12. Lab Conclusion Questions: page 17 Big Idea: acids can break down rocks Rainwater is not the same as the water you drink. Rainwater is a weak ACID. Acid rain forms when CARBON DIOXIDE from the atmosphere mixes with rain. In this activity, CHALK, represents limestone, a type of rock. VINEGAR, which is a weak acid, represents rainwater. The vinegar began to DISSOLVE the chalk over time just like rocks dissolve in acidic rain over time. When the weak acid flows through the cracks of some ROCKS, it chemically REACTS with the rock causing some of it to dissolve. Over many THOUSANDS of years, many layers of rock can disappear! Chemical WEATHERING is the breaking down of rocks due to chemical reactions that happen between the minerals in rocks and the environment.

13. A Day at the Beach: Water & Erosion (p.18) Variables: -IV: Waves -DV: Width of beach Reading: Page 21 3. Waves can break rocks and thrown them back against the shore. Stronger waves have more energy and are able to move more rocks with a greater force.

14. Page 21: Water & Erosion 4. RainStreamsRiversFloods 5. Water, in the form of WAVES, causes erosion on the shores of the BEACH. Waves pound on rocks and over time the rocks are broken down into smaller pieces. This is why you find sand and little PEBBLES on beaches. Waves then carry or move these small particles. This process is called EROSION. Waves can carry large amounts of SAND, rock particles, and pieces of SHELLS, which many people like to collect. Waves deposit the materials they carry onto the shore to form beaches. When water moves quickly (more energy), the amount of particles it can carry INCREASES. When water moves slowly (less energy), the amount of particles it can carry DECREASES. Over time, the appearance of the shoreline changes because of erosion caused by water.

15. Page 22: Water & Erosion 1.A flood plain is the area of flat land next to a river where the land is lower. 2.Inference:

16. Wild Wind: Page 23 Variables: -IV: obstacle -DV: Direction sand travels Big Ideas: Wind will move around obstacles Wind will pick up objects and move them.

17. Wild Wind: Page 26 Wind causes EROSION. Erosion is the process by which earth’s surface materials are moved from one place to another. If the material is sand, the wind forms SAND DUNES, or hills of sand. You may have seen this at the BEACH. These dunes have 2 sides: the WINDWARD side that faces the wind and the LEEWARD side that faces away from the wind. The appearance of the sand dune changes if an obstacle is in the way. By looking at the slope of the sand dune, you can tell the DIRECTION that the wind was blowing.

18. Landslide (Gravity & Erosion): Page 28 Variables: -IV: angle (height of ramp) -DV: distance blocks moved Constants: -# of blocks -Ramp -Ball

19. Page 29 3. The angle was steeper so the ball moved faster down the ramp – having a greater force. 4. To help prevent soil erosion & landslides. Roots keep soil compact & leaves block wind.

20. Gravity & Erosion: Page 30 5. To determine the risk of a landslide occurring. Reading Check -Carry away or bury plants & animals – it will also destroy their habitats. -Roots help keep the soil locked in place.

21. Gravity & Erosion (p.31) Trees are being cut down – the plant roots help to hold the soil in place. Without the roots, the soil cannot be held.

22. Gravity: Page 32 Reading Check: Creep is slower than rapid mass movement. CauseEffect – Type of Mass Movement Heavy rains, tree roots, earthquakes, people Landslides GravityRock falls Water, heavy rainMudflow Plant roots, animals, waterCreep

23. Gravity: Page 32 Reading Check Rapid mass movement because soil & rocks will move suddenly and rapidly down a hill.

24. Gouging Glaciers: Page 33 Variables: -IV: rubbing ice -DV: Surface of the soap

25. Gouging Glaciers: Page 34 In this demonstration, the sandy ice cube represented a GLACIER and the bar of soap represented the earth’s SURFACE. Glaciers melt very SLOWLY over time. As they melt, they slowly MOVE over the earth’s surface and slide down slopes or VALLEYS. The scratches on the SOAP represent the SCRATCHES left behind by glaciers. Scratches like these are left on rock walls and valley floors. This helps scientists discover where ancient glaciers once were. The ice at the bottom of the glacier can trap soil, rock particles, or large BOULDERS and drag it as it moves. The debris that is deposited (dropped off) by the glaciers is called moraines.

26. Gouging Glaciers: Page 36 1.Valleys form when glaciers flow down a mountain, as they move they carve the land. 2.Glaciers can erode rock because they cut the land as a result of abrasion. While this happens, they polish the bedrock making it smooth as they make valleys. 3.Glaciers make changes to the Earth because they move massive quantities of rocks and boulders thousands of miles. They also can carve the landscape.

27. Other Ideas Be able to explain how each of the 4 agents of erosion can change the way the earth looks. (wind, water, gravity, glaciers – what do they do to change the earth, give an example)