WEATHERING AND SOIL

The process that breaks down rocks and other materials on Earth's surface is called

• weathering
• erosion
• soil conservation
• decomposition

What is the process that picks up and moves weathered rocks?

• deposition
• landslide
• weathering
• erosion

Over long periods of time, deposition may change the Earth’s surface by _____.

• forming new land features
• breaking down large rocks into smaller ones
• washing away beaches
• severely draining topsoil

Sarah does the investigation described below using a model to study how rivers erode earth materials.
·  She pours 600 mL of sand onto a plate.
·  She pours 150 mL of water onto the pile of sand.
·  She measures how much of the sand washes off the edge of the plate.
·  She notices that less sand washes off the plate when she pours water slowly than when she pours it faster.
How is the model similar to real rivers eroding earth materials?

• The model shows that faster-moving water makes sand stick to the bottom of a river.
• The model shows that slower-moving water makes sand float to the top of a river.
• The model shows that slower-moving water erodes less earth materials than faster-moving water.
• The model shows that faster-moving water erodes less earth materials than slower-moving water.

Deposition changes the Earth’s surface because eroded materials _____.

• stop the river's flow
• make rich farmlands
• are dropped in new places
• move very slowly

What has the greatest erosion effect on our beaches?

• waves
• gravity
• glaciers
• wind

Select the answer that shows the order of events a rock goes through.

• erosion, weathering, deposition
• weathering, erosion, deposition
• deposition, weathering erosion
• erosion, deposition, weathering

Which of the following is NOT one of the three types of soil?

• clay
• sand
• silt
• mud

When plants, animals, and other organisms die, they break down and become part of the soil. What is this part of the soil called?

• sand
• silt
• clay
• humus

Which of the following best describes soil erosion?

• A.  the breakdown of soil 
• A.  the improvement of soil
• A.  the addition of soil
• A.  the movement of soil by wind or water