Earth Structures: Weathering and Erosion

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Weathering

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Process that breaks down rock into smaller pieces called sediment

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What is erosion?

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Process by which wind, water, ice, or gravity transports soil and sediment from one location to another

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What can cause erosion?

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Wind, water, ice, gravity

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What can cause weathering?

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Ice, wind, water, gravity, plant root, and temperature change

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The tops of some mountains are sharp and pointed, while the tops of others are smooth and rounded. This difference was most likely caused by:

• rivers flooding along a coastal plain
• erosion and weathering
• earthquakes and waves
• rocks melted underground by lava

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erosion and weathering

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A scientist wanting to document a change in a river's flow pattern should observe a river over a period of:

days

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weeks

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months

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years

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years

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How is a plateau most likely formed?

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A buildup of cooled lava.

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Which of these cause soil runoff?

heavy rain

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strong winds

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bright sunshine

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high temperatures

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heavy rain

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Changes to Earth's surface can happen slowly or quickly. Which of these changes happens the most quickly?

• a mountain eroding to a hill
• a river making a delta
• a glacier making a canyon
• a storm moving a sandbar

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a storm moving a sandbar

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Which is most similar to the way a glacier makes a valley?

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a bulldozer pushes a pile of dirt