• Welcome to the Weathering Quiz!
• You will answer all of the questions on your clicker.
There are 15 questions on this part of the quiz.
Read each question carefully and answer each
question to the best of your ability.
Location E: An animal burrow is centered in the photo.
Animals that burrow into the ground are a source of
weathering by disturbing the soil.
1. Is this a type of chemical or mechanical weathering?
A. mechanical
B. chemical
Here you see a picture from
the school’s parking lot. You
will notice many cracks in the
asphalt.
2. What process could
happen this winter to enlarge
these cracks?
A. Abrasion
B. Acid rain
C. Ice wedging
D. oxidation
Location B: Here we see a close up photo of many small holes or
pockets that have formed on this rock.
3. Why this rock is an example of differential weathering.
A. different amounts of rain affect different parts of the rock
B. different plants and animals are weathering this rock
C. different levels of acid rain are affecting this rock
D. the weaker parts of the rock are weathering at a higher rate
than the stronger parts of the rock
• 4. Location B: The holes are forming as water
dissolves the rock in these locations. Would
this weathering be mechanical or chemical?
• A. mechanical
• B. chemical
• 5. Could ice wedging play a role in causing the
differential weathering of this rock to occur at
a higher rate?
• YES
• NO
• Location C: The rocks in this photo were found in a small
creek/stream bed.
6. What type of mechanical weathering is making these rocks
so smooth?
A. Abrasion
B. Ice wedging
C. Acid rain
D. Plant actions
• 7. Which of the following is the best description
of abrasion?
• A. water freezes and expands, causing rocks to
break into pieces
• B. animals digging into the soil, causing it to
become disturbed
• C. wind/water grinding small sediments into
larger rocks, causing them to break down
• D. plant roots growing into cracks in a rock and
breaking the rock down
• 8. Would abrasion be considered a mechanical
or chemical weathering?
• A. mechanical
• B. chemical
9. Location D: How does moss weather rocks?
A. The roots of the moss gradually break the rock apart.
B. The moss is home to a type of insect that can break the
rock down.
C. The moss produces a weak acid that slowly eats away at
the rock.
D. The moss attracts worms and other invertebrates that
break the rock down.
• 10. Is the example from question 9 chemical
or mechanical weathering?
• A. mechanical
• B. chemical
Location F: Here we see a large rock being taken over by an
even larger tree.
11. How this rock can be weathered as the tree continues to
grow over it?
A. the roots of the tree produce a strong acid that eats away
at the rock
B. the tree roots can physically crush the rock, or work there
way into cracks in the rock
C. the roots will cause the rock
to oxidize
D. acid rain will be absorbed
by the tree and then
transferred onto the rock
• 12. Location F: Is this showing mechanical or
chemical weathering?
• A. mechanical
• B. chemical
13. Location G: The large rock pictured below has a large
crack running through it. How did weathering most likely
cause this rock to crack?
A. abrasion
B. acid rain
C. animal actions
D. ice wedging
• 14. Would the crack in this rock be getting
weathered by mechanical or chemical means?
• A. mechanical
• B. chemical
Location A: The pole that holds the ‘No Dumping’ sign is being
rapidly weathered by a form of chemical weathering.
15. What is the scientific name for this type of weathering?
A. carbonation
B. calcification
C. liquefaction
D. oxidation