Lesson 3 | Changing Earth’s Surface
Student Labs and Activities
Page
Launch Lab
47
Content Vocabulary
48
Lesson Outline
49
MiniLab
51
Content Practice A
52
Content Practice B
53
School to Home
54
Key Concept Builders
55
Enrichment
59
Challenge
60
Lab A
63
Lab B
66
Lab C
69
Chapter Key Concepts Builder
70
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46
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
Name
Date
Launch Lab
Class
LESSON 3: 15 minutes
How do rocks change?
Weathering is any natural process that changes a rock. The processes can be physical or
chemical. How can you tell the difference between physical and chemical weathering?
Procedure
1. Read and complete a lab safety form.
2. Use a graduated cylinder to pour
100 mL of water into a beaker. Use a
wax pencil to mark this beaker with
a W.
3. Pour 100 mL of vinegar into a second
beaker. Mark this beaker with a V.
crush one half. Put the crushed chalk
on a piece of paper. Repeat for the
other piece of chalk.
5. At the same time, add the crushed
chalk to each beaker. In the Data and
Observations section below, describe
what happens.
4. Break a piece of chalk into two equal
pieces. Use a mortar and pestle to
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Data and Observations
Think About This
1. When did physical weathering take place? When did chemical weathering take place?
Explain.
2.
Key Concept What do you think is the difference between physical and chemical
weathering?
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
47
Name
Date
Class
Content Vocabulary
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
Directions: On the line before each definition, write the letter of the term that matches it correctly.
1. large mass of ice, formed by snow accumulation
on land, that moves slowly across Earth’s surface
2. process of breaking down rock without changing
the composition of the rock
3. triangular deposit of sediment that forms where
stream enters a large body of water
A. chemical weathering
B. delta
C. deposition
D. erosion
E. glacier
F. mass wasting
4. mechanical and chemical processes that change
Earth’s surface
5. process that changes the composition of rocks
G. physical weathering
H. processes
I. sediment
6. series of actions or operations that lead to an end
result
J. weathering
7. moving of weathered material, or sediment, from
one location to another
8. material formed from rocks broken down by
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
weathering
9. downhill movement of a large mass of rocks or
soil due to gravity
10. laying down or settling of eroded material
48
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
Name
Date
Class
Lesson Outline
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
A. Breaking Down Earth Materials
1. Processes that wear away and break down
are often so
slow that it is difficult to see changes in the mountains during a human’s lifetime.
a. The mechanical and chemical processes that change Earth’s surface over time are
referred to as
.
b. The material formed from rocks broken down by weathering
is
.
c. Sediment produced by weathering can be rock fragments, sand, silt,
or
.
2. The process of breaking down rock without changing the composition of the rock is
called
weathering.
a. Rocks can break as a result of
motion or when a
boulder rolls off a cliff.
b.
seeping into cracks in rocks can freeze and shatter
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
the rock.
c. The force from plant
growing in cracks in rocks can
pry the rock open.
3. The process that changes the composition of rocks is called
weathering.
a. Some minerals, such as calcite, can dissolve in slightly
water, such as rainwater.
b. Other minerals react with carbon dioxide or oxygen in the
to form new
.
c. Abundant water and higher temperatures speed up
weathering.
B. Moving Earth Materials
1. The term
is used to describe the moving of weathered
material, or sediment, from one location to another.
2. The laying down or settling of eroded material is
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
.
49
Name
Date
Class
Lesson Outline continued
3. The downhill movement of a large mass of rocks or soil due to gravity is
called
.
a. On tall mountains or steep slopes, the force of gravity can create a type of mass
wasting called a(n)
.
b. The
needed to move rocks and soil can come from
gravity, flowing water, wind, and moving
.
4. Most erosion and
of sediment is carried out by flowing
water.
a. Faster water can carry larger pieces of
than slower
water.
b. When water slows, the sediment in the water is
on
the sides of the river.
c. When rivers enter oceans or lakes, sediment also is deposited, forming land
features called
.
5. Erosion by
can be the most important process that
changes landforms in deserts.
6. Examples of landforms made by wind include
dunes
C. Ice
1. In cold climates, such as high mountains or near the poles, large masses of ice,
formed by snow accumulation on land, that move slowly across Earth’s surface are
called
.
a. The force of
causes glaciers to flow and slide downhill,
weathering the rocks over which the ice moves.
b. Glaciers can pick up
they
2. Plate tectonics explains many of
and then deposit it when
.
surface features and
the processes that occur on it.
3.
50
, or the average weather in a region over a long period of
time, affects the processes that move Earth material.
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
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and ripples.
Name
Date
MiniLab
Class
LESSON 3: 15 minutes
How can wind change Earth’s surface?
Wind changes Earth’s surface in different ways. How can you demonstrate how wind can
change the land?
Procedure
1. Read and complete a lab safety form.
2. Pour dry sand into a clear plastic
box. Place two or three large pebbles
and small clumps of grass on the
surface of the sand.
3. Place the box into a cardboard box
that is open on one side.
4. Plug in the hair dryer. Hold the hair
dryer about 10 cm from the edge of
the box at a 45° angle relative to the
plastic box.
5. Turn the dryer on low. Hold it in the
same position for 2–3 min. Record
your observations in the Data and
Observations section below.
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Data and Observations
Analyze and Conclude
1. Observe How did the hair dryer—the wind model—change the sand? Be specific in your
answer.
2.
Key Concept How does wind change Earth’s surface?
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
51
Name
Date
Class
Content Practice A
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
Directions: On each line, write the term from the word bank that correctly replaces the underlined words in each
statement. Each term is used only once.
chemical weathering
deposition
erosion
glacier
mass wasting
physical weathering
sediment
weathering
1. The mechanical and chemical processes that change Earth’s surface over time can affect
rocks in different ways.
2. The material formed from rocks broken down by weathering can be rock fragments,
sand, silt, or clay.
3. The process of breaking down rock without changing the composition of the rock can
occur when water repeatedly freezes and thaws in cracks in rocks.
air and water to form new minerals.
5. The moving of weathered materials, or sediment, from one location to another changes
the surface of Earth.
6. The laying down or settling of eroded material occurs when flowing water loses energy.
7. Landslides are a type of downhill movement of a large mass of rocks or soil due to gravity.
8. Gravity can cause a large mass of ice, formed by snow accumulation on land, that
moves slowly across Earth’s surface to flow and slide downhill.
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Earth’s Dynamic Surface
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4. The process that changes the composition of rocks can occur when minerals react with
Name
Date
Class
Content Practice B
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
Directions: Answer each question or respond to each statement in the space provided.
Question
Answer
1. What does weathering do to rocks?
2. What is sediment?
3. Which kind of weathering does not
change the composition of a rock?
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4. Which kind of weathering changes
the composition of a rock?
5. Compare erosion and deposition.
6. What is mass wasting?
7. Name four things that cause
erosion and deposition.
8. Explain how a delta forms.
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
53
Name
Date
Class
School to Home
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
Directions: Use your textbook to complete the graphic organizer below by adding descriptions for each item.
Some boxes will require more than one description.
Gravity
Water
Wind
54
Glaciers
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
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Agents and
Processes That
Change Earth’s
Surface
Name
Date
Class
Key Concept Builder
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
Key Concept What is the difference between physical and chemical weathering?
Directions: Complete the concept map with the correct term or phrase from the word bank in the space provided.
Each term or phrase is used only once.
breaks down rock without changing the composition
physical weathering
changes the composition of rock
rusting
Types of
Weathering
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
chemical
weathering
freezing and
thawing
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
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Name
Date
Class
Key Concept Builder
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
Key Concept What is the difference between physical and chemical weathering?
Directions: On the line before each description, write P if the description is an example of physical weathering or
C if the description is an example of chemical weathering.
1. Calcite in limestone dissolves in slightly acidic rainwater.
2. The roots of plants grow into the cracks in rocks.
3. A boulder rolls off a cliff and breaks apart.
4. Iron in rocks reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide.
5. Carbon dioxide reacts with feldspar to form clay.
6. Water seeps into cracks in rocks and freezes and thaws.
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7. Faults rupture and cause rocks to break.
Directions: Answer each question or respond to each statement on the lines provided.
8. What is weathering?
9. Compare physical weathering and chemical weathering.
10. Give an example of a factor that can affect rates of weathering.
56
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
Name
Date
Class
Key Concept Builder
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
Key Concept How do water, ice, and wind change Earth’s surface?
Directions: On the line before each statement, write T if the statement is true or F if the statement is false. If the
statement is false, change the underlined word(s) to make it true. Write your changes on the lines provided.
1. Landslides and other types of mass wasting are caused by gravity.
2. Most erosion and transport of sediment occurs by wind.
3. The slower water flows, the larger the pieces of sediment it can carry.
4. In deserts, erosion by water can be the most important process that changes
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
landforms.
5. Ripples are examples of landforms made by wind.
6. Glaciers typically form in cold climates, such as high mountains or near the
poles.
7. When a glacier freezes, it deposits the sediments that it carried.
8. Much of North America was covered by flowing water 20,000 years ago.
9. Climate, or the average weather in a region over a long period of time, can
affect the processes that change Earth’s surface.
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
57
Name
Date
Class
Key Concept Builder
LESSON 3
Changing Earth’s Surface
Key Concept How do water, ice, and wind change Earth’s surface?
Directions: Complete the chart with the correct term from the word bank in the space provided. Some terms may
be used more than once.
gravity
Effect
ice
water
wind
Cause
1. landslide
2. Grand Canyon
3. Niagara Falls
4. delta
5. sand dune
6. ripples
and
Directions: Answer each question or respond to each statement on the lines provided.
8. How are plate tectonics related to Earth’s surface features?
9. Give an example of how climate can affect the processes that move Earth material.
10. Give an example of how plate movement can affect climate.
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Earth’s Dynamic Surface
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7. deep valleys
Name
Date
Enrichment
Class
LESSON 3
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Rocks and Time
Ayers Rock in central Australia and the
Grand Canyon in the western United States
are two of many ancient rock formations
that have been shaped over time by
deposition, weathering, and erosion. They
are special in the geologic sense for the
stories that they tell about Earth’s history.
subjected to massive forces that folded the
layers and tilted the fan of hardened sand
90 degrees, so that the layers of sandstone
almost stood on end. Over the last
300 million years, the softer rocks of the
basin have eroded away, leaving the parts
of the old fans exposed.
Uluru: Ayers Rock
The Grand Canyon
Ayers Rock is the most commonly used
name for the formation called “Uluru,” its
aboriginal and official name. Uluru is located
in the middle of Australia, surrounded by
an empty plain. It is composed of arkose, a
type of sandstone, and is the tip of a huge
slab of rock that extends below the ground
for possibly 5 to 6 km—no one really knows
how far.
The presence of arkose sandstone in the
formation is believed to be the result of the
rapid erosion of granites from the ancestors
of mountain ranges to the south. This arkose
is one of many sedimentary formations
filling the Amadeus Basin of Australia.
Rainwater flowing down the mountains
eroded sand and rock and dropped it in big
fan shapes on the surrounding plain. Later,
the whole area became covered by the sea.
Sand and mud fell to the bottom and
covered the seabed; then its weight turned
both it and the fans into rock. Later, the sea
disappeared and all of Central Australia was
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided
gorge eroded by the Colorado River in the
western United States. It is known for its
overwhelming size and complex and colorful
landscape. It is geologically significant
because of the thick sequence of ancient
rocks that are exposed in the walls of the
canyon. These rock layers record much of
the early geologic history of the North
American continent. Many of the formations
were deposited in shallow seas and swamps
as the sea repeatedly advanced and
retreated over the continent.
When later uplifts during mountainbuilding events moved the sediments
thousands of feet upward, the stream
gradient of the Colorado River was
steepened and the river’s speed and ability
to cut through rock was increased. Erosion
is still shaping the canyon, and the different
rock layers respond to it in different ways:
some form slopes, some form cliffs, and
some erode more quickly than others.
Applying Critical-Thinking Skills
Directions: Respond to each statement.
1. Explain how we know that the rocks formed from the seafloor sediments deposited in
the Amadeus Basin were softer than the arkose sandstone.
2. Analyze the following statement about the Grand Canyon: “The story that the rock
layers tell is far older than the canyon itself.” Explain why you agree or disagree.
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
59
Name
Date
Class
Challenge
LESSON 3
Earth Processes at Uluru and the Grand Canyon
Over time, the Earth processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition have shaped
the Uluru and Grand Canyon formations by acting in similar ways but producing different
results.
Compare the Histories of Uluru and the Grand Canyon
1. Research photos of Uluru and the Grand Canyon and make copies or sketches of each
of the formations.
2. Using the images and research about their geologic histories, structures, and erosional
dynamics, compare the history of the Earth processes that shaped each of the
formations. Present your research in one of the following formats:
• an illustrated time line
• a photo or video journal
• a magazine article
• a TV field report
• a detailed diagram
• a 3-D model
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
3. Share your product with other groups in your class.
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Earth’s Dynamic Surface
Name
Date
Lab A
Class
2–3 class periods
Earth’s Changing Surface
Your teacher just opened a travel agency and has hired all of the students in your class as
tour guides. Unlike a typical travel agency, Teacher’s Trusty Travel Tours offers tours to any
part of the lower 48 states to explain how the region formed and continues to change. You
will be a Trusty Travel Guide for one of these regions. As the expert, you will
• develop a travel slogan for your region;
• explain how the region formed and continues to change;
• make a travel brochure to persuade tourists that your region is the best place in the
lower 48 states to visit.
Question
Find out which region will be your tour-guide territory. What Earth processes do you think
might have produced this region? How do you think Earth processes continue to change
the region? What information about your region will be most interesting and persuade
tourists to choose your area to visit?
Materials
glue stick
colored pencils
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
scissors
outline map of the United States
physiographic map of United States
Also needed: large paper 11 × 18
Safety
Procedure
1. A physiographic region is an area with certain relief, or elevation; specific rock types;
and specific geologic structures. You will work with an online, interactive physiographic
map of the United States. Obtain the Web address for the map from your teacher.
2. Locate your region on the physiographic map.
Use a colored pencil to mark its location on the outline map of the lower
48 states. You may use the outline map in your travel brochure.
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
63
Name
Date
Class
Lab A continued
3. Research to find photographs of your region.
Study the photographs carefully, keeping in mind what you have learned in this
chapter about the processes that change Earth’s surface.
Based on your observations, explain how you think your region formed.
4. Research your region and record your findings below. Use at least two references to
obtain data about your region. Your data can include the geologic history of the region,
landforms characteristic of the region, diagrams showing how the landforms formed,
and any other information you find interesting.
following:
• a map of your region,
• the region’s name,
• your travel slogan,
• two or more paragraphs describing the processes that formed and that continue to
change the region, and
• several photographs and/or drawings of the region.
Lab Tips
• Remember to rewrite any information you find in books or on the Internet in your
own words.
• When using the Internet, make sure the information is from a reliable source, such as
a college or a university, an online encyclopedia, or a government agency.
• Your brochure must serve two purposes. It must be informative, yet easy to understand.
It also must persuade people to visit that region of the country.
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Earth’s Dynamic Surface
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
5. Use the information you have gathered to make your travel brochure. Include the
Name
Date
Class
Lab A continued
Analyze and Conclude
6. Research Information How did your research compare to how you thought your
region formed?
7. Classify the major Earth processes that produced your region as well as the processes
that continue to change it.
8.
The Big Idea How do the motion of tectonic plates and the processes of weathering,
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
erosion, and deposition change Earth’s surface?
Communicate Your Results
Use your travel brochure to put together a 1-minute speech
about your region and why people should come to visit it.
Practice your speech. Be prepared to answer any questions
potential tourists might have!
Remember to use scientific
methods.
Make Observations
Ask a Question
Form a Hypothesis
Test your Hypothesis
Analyze and Conclude
Communicate Results
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
65
Name
Date
Lab B
Class
2–3 class periods
Earth’s Changing Surface
Your teacher just opened a travel agency and has hired all of the students in your class as
tour guides. Unlike a typical travel agency, Teacher’s Trusty Travel Tours offers tours to any
part of the lower 48 states to explain how the region formed and continues to change. You
will be a Trusty Travel Guide for one of these regions. As the expert, you will
• develop a travel slogan for your region;
• explain how the region formed and continues to change;
• make a travel brochure to persuade tourists that your region is the best place in the
lower 48 states to visit.
Question
Find out which region will be your tour-guide territory. What Earth processes do you think
might have produced this region? How do you think Earth processes continue to change
the region? What information about your region will be most interesting and persuade
tourists to choose your area to visit?
Materials
glue stick
colored pencils
scissors
physiographic map of United States
Also needed: large paper 11 × 18
Safety
Procedure
1. A physiographic region is an area with certain relief, or elevation; specific rock types;
and specific geologic structures. You will work with an online, interactive physiographic
map of the United States. Obtain the Web address for the map from your teacher.
2. Locate your region on the physiographic map. Use a colored pencil to mark its location
on the outline map of the lower 48 states. You may use the outline map in your travel
brochure.
66
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
outline map of the United States
Name
Date
Class
Lab B continued
3. Research to find photographs of your region. Study the photographs carefully, keeping
in mind what you have learned in this chapter about the processes that change Earth’s
surface. Based on your observations, explain how you think your region formed.
4. Research your region and record your findings below. Use at least two references to
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
obtain data about your region. Your data can include the geologic history of the region,
landforms characteristic of the region, diagrams showing how the landforms formed,
and any other information you find interesting.
5. Use the information you have gathered to make your travel brochure. Include a map of
your region, the region’s name, your travel slogan, two or more paragraphs describing
the processes that formed and that continue to change the region, and several
photographs and/or drawings of the region.
Lab Tips
• Remember to rewrite any information you find in books or on the Internet in your
own words.
• When using the Internet, make sure the information is from a reliable source, such as
a college or a university, an online encyclopedia, or a government agency.
• Your brochure must serve two purposes. It must be informative, yet easy to understand.
It also must persuade people to visit that region of the country.
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
67
Name
Date
Class
Lab B continued
Analyze and Conclude
6. Research Information How did your research compare to how you thought your region
formed?
7. Classify the major Earth processes that produced your region as well as the processes
that continue to change it.
8.
The Big Idea How do the motion of tectonic plates and the processes of weathering,
erosion, and deposition change Earth’s surface?
Make Observations
Communicate Your Results
Use your travel brochure to put together a 1-minute speech
about your region and why people should come to visit it.
Practice your speech. Be prepared to answer any questions
potential tourists might have!
Ask a Question
Form a Hypothesis
Test your Hypothesis
Analyze and Conclude
Communicate Results
Extension
Find the tour guides for two other regions that are close to yours. Talk about any similarities
and differences among the regions and how they formed.
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Earth’s Dynamic Surface
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Remember to use scientific
methods.
Name
Date
Class
Lab C
Model Changes in Your Region
Directions: Use the information and data from the Lab Earth’s Changing Surface to perform this lab.
You have learned that Earth’s surface can change due to factors such as earthquakes and
erosion. In Lab B, you created a travel brochure using information about the landforms of a
specific region of the United States. Now make a model to show how your region has changed
over time and/or how it continues to change. For example, you could model the effects of
an earthquake or of forces that cause erosion, such as water or wind. Develop a hypothesis
about your model and then test your hypothesis.
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Please note that you must complete Lab B before beginning Lab C. Also, have your teacher
approve your design and safety procedures before beginning your experiment.
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
69
Name
Date
Class
Chapter Key Concepts Builder
Earth’s Dynamic Surface
End-of-Chapter Practice
Directions: Work with a group to recommend solutions to problems caused by erosion.
Research how erosion affects your area. Find answers to the following questions:
What types of erosion affect your area?
Which local or state agencies have information
about erosion?
Gather and then analyze your data. Address questions such as the following:
How does erosion affect local landforms?
How does erosion affect the local economy?
What action is already being
taken to address the problem?
What resources are needed to
implement your recommended
solutions?
Are your recommendations
feasible to implement?
Compare your recommendations with those of other groups. As a class, decide which
solutions are best. Consider sending your recommendations to a local official for feedback.
Recommendation requirements:
• includes research about local problems caused by erosion
• includes visuals and references
• is organized in a logical manner
• includes contributions from each group member
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Earth’s Dynamic Surface
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Research and recommend solutions to problems caused by erosion in your area.