Grade 6 – Surface Events (Rock Cycle, Weathering/erosion/deposit

Weathering and erosion are a process within the rock cycle. Mei wanted to test if soil type affects the rate of weathering and erosion. Mei set up a science experiment. She poked five holes into the bottoms of each of three plastic cups. She then filled one cup with sand, one with soil, and left the third cup empty. Next, she placed each cup in a stand over a beaker. Mei poured 400 milliliters (mL) of water into the cup containing the soil. She measured the amount of water collected in the beaker beneath the cup at one-minute (min) intervals for three min. Finally, she repeated the process two more times, first with the cup containing sand and then with the empty cup. Which of these conditions is NOT held constant in this experiment?

• the type of soil

• the time intervals

• the amount of water

• the number of holes in each cup

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

To compare how different types of soil absorbed water, Christian set up an experiment. He poked equal numbers and sizes of holes into the bottoms of three plastic cups. He filled one cup with sand, one with potting soil, and left one empty. He placed each cup in a stand over a beaker. Christian poured 400 mL (milliliters) of water into each of the cups. He then measured the amount of water collected in the beakers beneath each cup at 1-minute intervals for 3 minutes. What is the control group in this experiment?

• the empty cup

• the cup with the soil

• the cup with the sand

• the amount of water collected in the beaker

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

Michael is researching the factors that influence the weathering rate of rocks. He sets up multiple rock samples in different environmental conditions and measures their weathering over time. In this experiment, the dependent variable is:

• Control group

• Weathering rate

• Experimental group

• Environmental conditions

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

Three students perform an experiment to model erosion. The experiment involves pouring water onto the sand in an elevated tray. Each student carefully measures the distance the sand is carried by the water poured into the tray from the top of the same elevation. If the students find that the results are replicable, what would you expect to be true of their measurements?

• The measurements will have two of the same.

• The measurements will all be exactly the same.

• The measurements will be close but not exactly the same.

• The measurements will vary by at least 10 centimeters (cm).

Daisy is investigating the effects of acid rain on limestone structures and wants to design a controlled experiment to study the rate of weathering. She carefully selects variables and designs procedures to ensure accurate and reliable results. To ensure that she has reliable results, Daisy conducts 6 trials. What would this be considered?

• Repetition

• Replication

• Analyzing data

• Scientific inquiry

Arthur is investigating the effects of temperature changes on rocks. He learns that as rocks are repeatedly heated and cooled, they expand and contract, leading to the weakening and eventual breakdown of the rocks. This is an example of which weathering process?

• Erosion

• Deposition

• Chemical weathering

• Physical weathering

When Daniel was studying for his Earth Science class, he asked his friend Cesar to quiz him about the rock cycle. Cesar presented Daniel with a scenario. Imagine that a large area of sedimentary rock gets moved deeper into Earth. There, rising temperatures and high pressure change the rock. Eventually the rock melts from the high temperatures and pressure. After some time in those conditions, there is a time of cooling. Cesar asked Daniel to predict what kind of rock there will be at the end of all these steps. What should Daniel predict?

• magma

• igneous rock

• sedimentary rock

• metamorphic rock

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

The diagram shows the processes involved in the rock cycle. According to the diagram, what can form from surface event processes?

• Metamorphic rock

• Magma and Sediment

• Igneous rock and Magma

• Sedimentary Rock and Sediment

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The diagram shows the processes involved in the rock cycle. Which of the following cannot be inferred from the diagram?

• Rocks change over time.

• Igneous rocks form from weathering and erosion.

• Sedimentary rocks are formed from deposited sediment.

• Metamorphic rocks can form when sedimentary and igneous rocks are exposed to heat and pressure.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

A geologist examines a sample of beach rock and discovered that it was composed of grains of sand squeezed tightly together. The quartz grains were cemented together by narrow bands of calcium carbonate. What geologic event occurred that led to the formation of this Sedimentary rock?

• Deformation

• Melting and cooling

• Weathering and erosion

• Compaction and cementation