Name: ____________________________________ Color: ___________ Date: ____________
ACTIVITY: Weathering
Activity adopted from: http://geologyonline.museum.state.il.us/tools/lessons/6.3/lesson.html
Purpose: To introduce various types of weathering.
Goal: Students will discover the effects and processes that may occur with various types of weathering.
Targeted Objectives: As a result of students working together on these activities, they will be able to
discuss and analyze various weathering processes.
Background Information:
Weathering
is the chemical and physical processes that break down rock at Earth’s surface.
Chemical Weathering
Mechanical Weathering
is
the
decomposition
of rock from exposure to water and
is the type of weathering where rock is
atmospheric gases (CO2, O2, and H2O vapor).
physically broken into smaller pieces.

abrasion – grinding away of
 action of water – causes most of chemical weathering.
rock by rock particles carried
Dissolves rock.
by water, ice wind or gravity.
 oxygen → oxidation - iron combines with oxygen in the
 freezing & thawing - ice
presence of water. This causes rust. Rock that contains
wedging – water freezes in
iron also rusts then crumbles apart. It is red/brown.
crack in rock; it expands and
 carbon dioxide Dissolves in rainwater forming carbonic
makes crack bigger.
acid that seeps into the soil. Easily weathers rocks like
 release of pressure Erosion
limestone and marble.
removes material from surface
 acid rain Burning coal, oil and gas over past 150yrs has
of a mass of rock and pressure
put sulfur, carbon and nitrogen compounds into the air.
on rock is reduced. Release of
They react chemically with water vapor in clouds
pressure causes outside of rock
forming acids. These acids mix with raindrops and fall
to flake off like layers of an
as acid rain. Acid rain causes very rapid chemical
onion.
weathering.
Materials: • rocks/gravel • carbonated water • tap water (out of faucet) • timer • jars
• vinegar (acid rain) • freezer • pennies • antacid tablets (TUMS) • mortar & pestle
• chalk (limestone) • steel wool • sugar cubes • metric ruler • marker • hand lens • tray
Procedure: Weathering Stations
Station 1) Test “rock” samples in tap water and carbonated water. Note: The tablet is calcium
like limestone which is a soft rock.
A) Write what you observe (a) initially (b) after 24 hours for the tap water’s affect on the
“rock”. If there is no change, write ‘No Change’.
B) Write what you observe (a) initially (b) after 24 hours for the carbonated water’s
affect on the “rock”.
C) What type of weathering may be associated with the effect of carbonated water on the “rock”?
Station 2) Test to show that water expands as it freezes.
A) Write what you observe (a) initially (b) after 24 hours of freezing.
Measure the height (mm) of the water before and after freezing. (See mark on jar).
B) Which type of mechanical weathering does this partially represent?
C) How may this type of weathering effect rock?
Station 3) Test the effect of water on steel wool.
A) Write what you observe (a) initially (b) after a day or days (c) after weeks for the water’s
affect on steel wool.
B) What type of weathering may be associated with the effect of water on the steel wool?
Hint: Steel wool contains iron (Fe).
C) How might this type of weathering effect rock that contains iron?
Station 4) Test the effects of vinegar on copper pennies.
A) Write what you observe (a) initially (b) after 20minutes (c) after 24 + hrs.
B) What type of weathering may be associated with this type activity? Hint: vinegar is
acidic.
C) Can you recall a famous statue in NYC that is copper and was greatly affected by acid
rain? Hint: It was a gift from France to the United States.
Station 5) Test a whole antacid tablets vs. a crushed antacid tablet in water.
A) Place one antacid tablet in a jar. Crush a second antacid tablet with the mortar & pestle
and place in a second jar.
This creates much more surface area with the same volume of tablet.
Add water to the top of both jars.
B) Write what you observed for each (a) initially (b) afterwards.
C) How does crushing the tablet affect the rate (how fast) of ‘weathering’ on it? Why?
Station 6) Compare and record the reactions of chalk in water and in vinegar.
A) Write what you observe (a) initially (b) at 20 minutes (c) after 24 hours for the chalk in
tap water.
B) Write what you observe (a) initially (b) at 20 minutes (c) after 24 hours for the chalk
in vinegar (acidic).
C) What type of weathering may be associated with the effect of vinegar on the chalk?
Hint: Chalk contains calcium carbonate or CaCO3 just like limestone).
Station 7) Test and record the effect of sugar cubes and gravel shaken together.
A) Observe sugar cubes in the jar labeled ‘Initially’. Write/illustrate how the sugar
cubes look initially.
Place two sugar cubes in the jar labeled ‘Shaken. Add a handful of rocks (about 1/3
of the jar full). Shake the jar for a minute. Write/illustrate how the sugar cubes look
now. Please empty the jar into the tray when you are finished.
B) What type of weathering may be associated with this?
RESULTS:
Station 1) Test “rock” samples in tap water and carbonated water.
Initially
24 hours
A) Tap water
B) Carbonated
water
C) _____________________________________________________________________
Station 2) Test to show that water expands as it freezes.
Initially
After freezing 24 hours
A) Water
Height in mm
The water, as a liquid, takes
up ___ mm in the jar.
The water, as ice, takes up ___
mm in the jar.
B). ________________________________ C). _________________________________
Station 3) Test the effect of water on steel wool.
Initially
After day(s)
After weeks
A) Steel wool
B) _____________________________________________________________________
C) _____________________________________________________________________
Station 4) Test the effects of vinegar on copper pennies.
Initially
20 minutes
24 hours
A) Copper
Pennies
B). _____________________________________________________________________
C)._____________________________________________________________________
Station 5) Test a whole antacid tablet vs. a crushed antacid tablet in water.
Initially
Afterwards
A) Whole
Tablet
B) Crushed
Tablet
C) _____________________________________________________________________
Station 6) Compare and record the reactions of chalk in water and in vinegar.
Initially
20 minutes
24 hours
A) Water
B) Vinegar
C) ______________________________________________________________________
Station 7) Test and record the effect of sugar cubes and gravel shaken together.
Initially
After Shaking
A) Sugar Cubes
B) ______________________________________________________________________