Erosion and Deposition Labs
Name____________________________
Date______________
Period____________
Station #1: Plucking
Problem Do glaciers will pick up more sediment when they are completely frozen when they are partially melted?
Hypothesis: I think the glacier will___________________________________________________________
Because _______________________________________________________________________________
Step 1: Measure one cup of sand. Pour half of the sand into the pie tin and Spread it evenly over the pie tin. Hold the pie
tin at a slope. Have the other student roll the ice cube down the pie tin
Step 2: Get 2 ice cubes from the teacher. Hold the pie tin at a slope. Have the other student roll the ice cube down the
pie tin. Observe.
1) Did the ice cube pick up the sand? Why or why not?
Step 3: Wait 1 minute Place 1 ice cube into the sand mixture. Roll 1 ice cube down the pie tin. Observe.
2) Did the ice cube pick up more or less sand? Why or why not?
3) Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
4) Did the glacier pick up more sediment when it was completely frozen when was partially melted?
5) What did you learn from this activity?
Step 4: Clean up your area! Place the ice cubes into one bucket the sand onto the other bucket. Put the gravel into the
bowl. Wipe out the container, pie plate, and cups.
Station 2: Glacial Abrasion
Problem: Do you think the soap will be smoother before or after your run the ice over it?
Hypothesis: I think the soap will be _______________________ after I run the ice over it because
____________________________.
Step 1: unwrap the bar of soap
1) Why does the bar of soap represent the slide of a mountain before the glacier?
2) Sketch the soap before the ice
Step 2: Get a paper cup from the teacher a peel away the bottom of the cup and rub the ice over the soap
3) What happens to the soap when you rub the ice over it?
4) What happens to the ice?
5) Why does this happen?
Step 3: Sketch the soap after the ice
6) How is a new bar of soap like mountain before a glacier?
7) Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
8) What did you learn from this activity?
Step 4: Clean up your area! Peel off your cup and throw it away in the bucket labeled cups. Pour frozen water and
sediment into the bucket labeled melt water. Give your soap to the teacher.
Station 3: Wind Erosion and Deposition
Problem: Does the speed of the wind and size of sediment determine the type deposition?
Hypothesis I think the direction of the wind and the size does/does not determine the type of deposition
Because _______________________________________________________________________.
Step 1: Make sure you have your goggles on!!
Step 2: Sprinkle a small amount of glitter on top of the sand. Arrange the wooden blocks in the bowl with the sand.
Step 3: Turn the blow-dryer on low for 30 sec. Try to create dunes by moving the sediment around the wooden shapes.
Step3: Add 4 o5 rocks to your sand mixture. Turn the blow dryer on high for 30 sec. Try to create dunes by moving the
sediment around the wooden shapes.
Step4: Make sure you have your goggles on! Try it again but change the direction that you are blowing or try multiple
directions.
1) Did you get different results when you changed the direction of the wind? Explain.
2) What materials moved?
3) What materials stayed in place?
4) Do different types of sediment create different types of deposition?
5) Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
6) What did you learn from this activity?
Step 5: Clean up your area! Sweep up the loess with the whisk broom and dust pan and place it back in to the bowl.
Station 4: Stream Table
Problem: Does speed at which water is moving in a river affect how much sediment is moved and deposited
downstream?
Hypothesis: I think the amount of sediment that is deposited downstream will/ will not be affected by the rate the water
is moving
Because _______________________________________________________________________________________
Step1: Turn on the water SLOWLY for 1 minute. Then turn off the water and measure the amount of sediment left in the
bucket.
Step 2: Measure
1) Measure the amount of water left in the bucket ___________________
2) Measure the amount of sediment left in the bucket __________________________
Step 3: Turn on the water QUICKLY for 1 minute. Then turn off the water and measure the amount of sediment left in
the bucket.
Step 4: Measure
3) Measure the amount of water left in the bucket ___________________
4) Measure the amount of sediment left in the bucket __________________________
Step 5: Subtract the amount of sediment from Step 1 from the amount of sediment collected in Step 3.
5) How did the amount of water affect the amount of sediment that was deposited?
6) What are some of the ways water could move more quickly in a river?
7) Where is this more likely to happen in a river at the beginning /middle/end ________________________.Why?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Step 5: Try to create the following river features: waterfalls, rapids, meanders, tributary, V shaped valley, oxbow lake,
flood plains, and delta (you may use rocks but do not move the hose or the plants)
8) Which features were you able to create?
9) How were you able to create the features?
10) What did you learn from this activity?
Station 5: Flood plains
How does sediment that is created in the North Georgia mountains end up helping farms in the South Georgia flood
plains?
Problem: Does speed at which water is moving in a river affect how much sediment is left in a flood plain more than the
amount of water that over flows?
I think the amount of sediment deposited in a flood plain will/ will not be affected by the rate the water is moving
Because _______________________________________________________________________________________
Step 1: Place 1cm of sediment into the clear plastic cup and place it inside of the pie tin. Measure 250ml of water of
water into 3 beakers. Pouring slowly add water to the cup until it over flows into the pie tin. Keep pouring slowly until all
of the water has been poured out of all three beakers.
Step 2: Measure the amount of sediment left in the cup (with a ruler in cm)
Step 3: Place 1cm of sediment into the clear plastic cup and place it inside of the pie tin. Measure 250ml of water of
water into 3 beakers. Pouring quickly add water to the cup until it over flows into the pie tin. Keep pouring quickly until
all of the water has been poured out of all three beakers.
Step 4: Measure the amount of sediment left in the cup (with a ruler in cm)
Step 5: Measure 250ml of water into 2beakers. Pour 1 more beaker of water into the first cup slowly
Step 6: Measure the amount of sediment left in the cup
Step 7: Measure 250ml of water into 2beakers. Pour 1 more beakers of water into the second cup quickly
Step 8: Measure the amount of sediment left in the cup
Step 9: Clean up your area. Pour the sediment and water into the bucket and clean out the pie tins
1)
2)
3)
4)
What does the cup represent?
What does the pie tin represent?
Does the speed that the water is moving affect the amount of sediment that is deposited in a flood plain?
Does the amount of water that overflows from a river affect the amount of sediment that is deposited in a flood
plain?
5) What did you learn about flood plains from this activity?
Station 6: Speed of Moving Sediment
Problem: Does the speed that the water is moving affect how long the sediment stays moving?
Hypothesis: I think that the speed of the moving water will/will not affect how long the sediment staying moving
Because ______________________________________________________________________________________
Step 1: Shake the bottle SLOWLY for one minute.
Step 2: Observe how long it takes every piece of sediment to fall to the bottom of the bottle and record that time
1) ______________sec. (bottle shaken SLOWLY for one minute)
Step 4: Shake the bottle QUICKLY for one minute.
Step 5: Observe how long it takes every piece of sediment to fall to the bottom of the bottle and record that time
2) ______________sec. (bottle shaken QUICKLY for one minute)
3) Does the speed of the moving water affect how long sediment stays moving?
4) How does water move faster in nature?
5) What causes water to slow down in nature?
6) How does the movement of water correlate to the movement of wind?
7) What have you learned about the speed/energy and sediment/deposition?
`
Station #7: Mass Movement (Slope)
Problem: Does the angle of a hills slope determine the speed of the mass movement?
Hypothesis: I think the sediment will move faster/slower when a hill has a higher/steeper slope
Because _____________________________________________________________________________________
Step 1: Pour 1 cup of aquarium gravel on a flat cookie sheet tilt the cookie sheet 13cm or using a timer measure the
amount of time it takes every piece of gravel to reach the bottom of the cookie sheet.
Sediment
slope
speed
gravel
13cm
Step 2: Pour 1 cup of gravel on a flat cookie sheet tilt the cookie sheet 23cm. using a timer measure the amount of time
it takes every piece of gravel to reach the bottom of the cookie sheet.
sediment
gravel
slope
23cm
speed
Step 3: Pour 1 cup of gravel on a flat cookie sheet tilt the cookie sheet 33cm. using a timer measure the amount of time
it takes every piece of gravel to reach the bottom of the cookie sheet
sediment
gravel
slope
33cm
speed
Step 4: Pour 1 cup of gravel on a flat cookie sheet tilt the cookie sheet 43cm. using a timer measure the amount of time
it takes every piece of gravel to reach the bottom of the cookie sheet
sediment
gravel
slope
43cm
speed
Step 4: Clean up! Put the Gravel in the gravel bucket and wipe down the cookie sheet.
Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
What did you learn from this activity?
How does the slope of a hill relate to different types of erosion? Explain.
Station #8: Mass Movement (Type of Sediment)
Problem: Does the type of sediment determine the speed of the mass movement?
Hypothesis: I think heavier sediments like gravel will move faster/slower when they move down a slope
Because _____________________________________________________________________________________
Step 1: Weigh the container
Step 2: Measure 1 cup of gravel and weigh it.
Step 3: Pour 1 cup of gravel on a flat cookie sheet tilt the cookie sheet 13cm or using a timer measure the amount of
time it takes every piece of gravel to reach the bottom of the cookie sheet.
Sediment
1) gravel
weight
speed
Step 4: Measure 1 cup of sand and weigh it.
Step 5: Pour 1 cup of gravel on a flat cookie sheet tilt the cookie sheet 13cm and using a timer measure the amount of
time it takes every piece of sand to reach the bottom of the cookie sheet.
sediment
2) sand
weight
speed
Step 6: Measure 1 cup of soil and weigh it.
Step 7: Pour 1 cup of soil on a flat cookie sheet tilt the cookie sheet 13cm and using a timer measure the amount of time
it takes every piece of soil to reach the bottom of the cookie sheet
Sediment
3) soil
weight
speed
Step 8: Clean up! Put the Gravel in the gravel bucket, sand in the sand bucket and Wipe down the cookie sheet.
4) Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
5) What did you learn from this activity?
6) How does the type of sediment affect the different types of erosion? Explain.
Erosion and Deposition Lab Answer Sheet
Name __________________________
Date ____________
Period__________
Station #1: Plucking
Problem Do glaciers will pick up more sediment when they are completely frozen when they are partially melted?
Hypothesis: I think the glacier will___________________________________________________________
Because ______________________________________________________________________
1) Did the ice cube pick up the sand? Why or why not?
2) Did the ice cube pick up more or less sand? Why or why not?
3) Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
4) Did the glacier pick up more sediment when it was completely frozen when was partially melted?
5) What did you learn from this activity?
Station #2: Glacial Abrasion
Problem: Do you think the soap will be smoother before or after your run the ice over it?
Hypothesis: I think the soap will be _______________________ after I run the ice over it because
________________________________________________________________________________.
1) Why does the bar of soap represent the slide of a mountain before the glacier?
2) Sketch the soap before the ice
3) What happens to the soap when you rub the ice over it?
4) What happens to the ice?
5) Why does this happen?
6) Sketch the soap after the ice
Station # 3: Wind Erosion and Deposition
Problem: Does the speed of the wind and size of sediment determine the type deposition?
Hypothesis I think the direction of the wind and the size does/does not determine the type of deposition
Because _______________________________________________________________________.
1) Did you get different results when you changed the direction of the wind? Explain.
2) What materials moved?
3) What materials stayed in place?
4) Do different types of sediment create different types of deposition?
5) Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
6) What did you learn from this activity?
Station #4: Stream Table
Problem: Does speed at which water is moving in a river affect how much sediment is moved and deposited
downstream?
Hypothesis: I think the amount of sediment that is deposited downstream will/ will not be affected by the rate the water
is moving
Because _______________________________________________________________________________________
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Measure the amount of water left in the bucket ___________________
Measure the amount of sediment left in the bucket __________________________
Measure the amount of water left in the bucket ___________________
Measure the amount of sediment left in the bucket __________________________
How did the amount of water affect the amount of sediment that was deposited?
6) What are some of the ways water could move more quickly in a river?
7) Where is this more likely to happen in a river at the beginning /middle/end ________________________.Why?
____________________________________________________________________________________
8) Which features were you able to create?
___ Waterfalls, ___rapids, ___meanders, ___tributary, ___ oxbow lake, ___ flood plains, ___delta
9) How were you able to create the features?
10) What did you learn from this activity?
Station #5: Flood plains
Problem: Does speed at which water is moving in a river affect how much sediment is left in a flood plain more than the
amount of water that over flows?
Hypothesis: I think the amount of sediment deposited in a flood plain will/ will not be affected by the rate the water is
moving because ____________________________________________________________________________________
1) What does the cup represent?
2) What does the pie tin represent?
3) Does the speed that the water is moving affect the amount of sediment that is deposited in a flood plain?
4) Does the amount of water that overflows from a river affect the amount of sediment that is deposited in a flood
plain?
5) What did you learn about flood plains from this activity?
Station #6: Speed of Moving Sediment
Problem: Does the speed that the water is moving affect how long the sediment stays moving?
Hypothesis: I think that the speed of the moving water will/will not affect how long the sediment staying moving
Because ______________________________________________________________________________________
1) ______________sec. (bottle shaken SLOWLY for one minute)
2) ______________sec. (bottle shaken QUICKLY for one minute)
3) Does the speed of the moving water affect how long sediment stays moving?
4) How does water move faster in nature?
6) What causes water to slow down in nature?
7) How does the movement of water correlate to the movement of wind?
8)
What have you learned about the speed/energy and sediment/deposition?
Station #7: Mass Movement (Slope)
Problem: Does the angle of a hills slope determine the speed of the mass movement?
Hypothesis: I think the sediment will move faster/slower when a hill has a higher/steeper slope
Because ____________________________________________________________________________________
Sediment
1) gravel
sediment
2) gravel
slope
13cm
slope
23cm
speed
speed
sediment
slope
speed
3) gravel
33cm
sediment
slope
speed
4) gravel
43cm
.
5) Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
6) What did you learn from this activity?
7) How does the slope of a hill relate to different types of erosion? Explain.
Station #8: Mass Movement (Type of Sediment)
Problem: Does the type of sediment determine the speed of the mass movement?
Hypothesis: I think heavier sediments like gravel will move faster/slower when they move down a slope
Because _____________________________________________________________________________________
Sediment
1) gravel
sediment
2) sand
weight
speed
weight
speed
Sediment
3) soil
weight
speed
4) Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? (Explain using a complete sentence)
5) What did you learn from this activity?
6) How does the type of sediment affect the different types of erosion? Explain.