Mechanical and Chemical Weathering
Station Activity
Name: ____________________
Station 1: Warm-Up with Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
___________________
____________________
___________________
____________________
___________________
____________________
___________________
____________________
___________________
____________________
Station 2: Take a bite out of weathering
1. What type of weathering (chemical or mechanical) does this represent? ___________
2. Explain _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. Out of these forces of mechanical weathering (abrasion, freezing/thawing, animal
actions, plant growth, release of pressure), which one best represents the chewing of
the lifesaver? __________________________
4. Explain _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Station 3: Break it Down with Chalk
1. Describe in detail what happened when the vinegar touched the chalk.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Identify the type of weathering(mechanical or chemical) that this station represents
________________________
3. Using your answer from #2, identify 2 types of weathering you selected that occur in
nature.
_________________________
_____________________
4. Observe how the initials have changed from the original etching. _________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Station 4: Tumbling Rocks
1. Examine the rocks looking carefully at the edges. What did you observe?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Sketch the rock prior to placing it in the water. Be sure to detail the edges.
3. What color is the water? Why? _____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. After shaking, examine the rocks carefully at the edges. What did you observe?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Sketch the rock after shaking. Be sure to detail the edges.
6. What did the shaking of the rock represent? ___________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Station 5: How fast can it fizz?
1. Whole tablet time:
2. Crushed tablet time:
3. Examine your results. Why do you think you got these results? Hint * Think about
surface area ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. How does this experiment apply to the weathering concepts you are learning in class?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Station 6: Rate of weathering- Hot or Cold?
1. Hot water time:
2. Cold water time:
3. Which tablet dissolved faster and why do you think this occurred?
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Based on your results, chemical weathering will occur faster in environments that are :
(Circle your choice)
cold and dry
cool and moist
warm and dry
warm and moist
Station 7: Rockin’ Out with Mr. Parr
1. On slide 2, what type of weathering (chemical or mechanical) is shown in the picture?
_______________________________
2. On slide 3, what forces of nature can weather rock? ________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. On slide 4, what are examples of chemical weathering to break down rock?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the solid layer of rock that gets broken down during weathering?
_________________________________
Station 8: Don’t take a bite out of weathering
1. What type of weathering (chemical or mechanical) does this represent?
_______________________________
2. Explain _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Out of these forces of chemical weathering( water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, living
organisms and acid rain), which one best represents the sucking of the lifesaver?
_______________________________
4. Explain _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Station 9: Shape it up
1. Describe the before and after picture for image 1. What force of nature caused this
weathering to occur? What was the length of time it took for this transformation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe the before and after picture for image 2. What force of nature caused this
weathering to occur? What was the length of time it took for this transformation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Describe the before and after picture for image 3. What force of nature caused this
weathering to occur? What was the length of time it took for this transformation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________