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Apply what you know about weathering and erosion to explain relationships, analyze data, and justify your answers using evidence.
1. A scientist studies two hillsides. Hillside A has thick plant cover and gentle slopes. Hillside B has bare soil and steep slopes. Fill in the table to compare how water erosion affects each hillside across three features.
Feature Hillside A Hillside B Plant root coverage Rate of soil loss Likely appearance after heavy rain
2. A class measured how much soil washed away from four identical trays after pouring the same amount of water on each. Each tray had a different surface: bare soil, grass, gravel, and rocks. The amounts collected (in grams) were: Bare Soil 48 g, Grass 9 g, Gravel 31 g, Rocks 22 g. Use this bar graph to answer: Which surface had the least erosion, and explain why that surface slows erosion more than bare soil does.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Bare Soil Grass Gravel Rocks Soil Washed Away (grams) Surface Type Answer:
3. A scientist notices that a riverbank made of soft clay erodes much faster than a nearby bank made of hard granite. Using what you know about weathering and erosion, explain TWO reasons why the clay bank loses material more quickly. Use the terms 'rock type' and 'water' in your answer.
4. A team of scientists measured the depth of a canyon at the same location every year for 5 years. In year 1 the canyon measured 4.2 meters deep. Each year, water erosion deepened it by 0.6 meters. By year 5, a rockslide caused by ice wedging added another 1.8 meters of depth all at once. What was the total depth of the canyon at the end of year 5? Then explain what type of weathering caused the extra 1.8 meters and how that process works.
5. Priya is designing an experiment to test whether wind speed affects the rate of sand erosion. She sets up three identical trays of dry sand and blows air at them using a fan set to low, medium, and high speeds. She measures how many grams of sand move in two minutes for each speed. Which statement BEST explains why this experiment is well designed for measuring the effect of wind on erosion?
A She changed the type of sand in each tray so the results show many variables at once. B She kept the sand type, tray size, and time the same while only changing wind speed, so any difference in sand movement is caused by wind speed alone. C She used three different fans so she could compare which fan brand moves the most sand. D She measured the sand before and after each trial but did not keep any variable the same, making it a fair test. 6. Look at these two observations from a field scientist: Observation 1 — Smooth, rounded pebbles are found at the bottom of a fast-moving stream. Observation 2 — Jagged, sharp-edged rocks are found on a mountainside far from any water. Using BOTH observations as evidence, explain what they tell us about how weathering and erosion have acted differently in each location. Your answer should include a claim, evidence from both observations, and a reason.
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