Quiz on Erosion and Weathering

Abigail knows that natural processes can cause changes to Earth's surface. Which of the following statements is an example of erosion?

• The root of a tree grows into a rock and splits the rock.

• A glacier picks up and moves rocks and bits of sediment.

• Ice forms in the crack of a rock, causing the rock to break.

• Heat and cooling temperatures cause rocks to crack apart.

Wind, water, and ice are often involved in weathering and erosion, which can cause changes on Earth. Which of the following statements BEST describes how weathering and erosion differ?

• Weathering is a much quicker process than erosion.

• Weathering breaks rocks apart, while erosion moves rocks or sediment from place to place.

• Weathering moves rocks and sediment from place to place, while erosion breaks rocks apart.

• Weathering moves rocks without breaking them, while erosion breaks rocks apart before moving them.

Michelle wants to make a poster that shows examples of erosion. Which of the following is NOT a good example of erosion for her to show on her poster?

• Ice breaking apart a rock

• Rocks falling during a landslide

• Rocks being moved by a glacier

• Sediments being carried by a river

Jacob learns in science class that plants can be the cause of weathering in rock. Which of the following statements BEST describes how this might happen?

• They can move rocks from one place to another location.

• They can wear rocks away slowly over a long period of time.

• They can move rocks below Earth's surface with their roots.

• They can grow through cracks in rocks causing them to break apart.

People can affect the environment in many ways. Which of the following actions by humans can cause greater erosion to Earth's surface?

• Building sidewalks

• Planting grass and trees

• Putting mulch in flower beds

• Removing all plants and trees

Mike and his family are hiking in the mountains. He sees the broken rocks shown below. What might Fred infer caused the rocks to split?

• Wind erosion caused the pieces to wear away

• Water erosion caused the rocks to break apart

• Bits of sand blew on the rock, causing it to suddenly shatter

• Water froze in a crack in the rock and caused it to break apart

In an investigation, students placed one granite rock in a plastic container and one limestone rock in a different container. Each container was filled halfway with water. With lids closed tightly, each student took turns shaking the containers. After all of the students had shaken each container, the students opened them and poured the water through a coffee filter to collect the remaining sediment. The mass of each rock was measured before and after the experiment. Which question could be answered using the data the students have collected?

• How does water affect erosion?

• Do granite and limestone rocks weather differently?

• Will rocks weather faster in cooler or warmer climates?

• Will other types of rocks weather the same way as these rocks?

Stephanie sees the tree shown below while hiking with friends. Which of the following processes can Samantha say has caused the tree to split the rock?

• Erosion

• Grooving

• Sedimentation

• Weathering

Jacob knows that erosion and weathering cause many of Earth's surface features. Which of the following is an example of weathering?

• ocean waves washing sand off a shoreline

• wind blowing sand and pebbles along a beach

• roots of a tree breaking rocks into smaller pieces

• river water carrying soil and sand through a canyon

Which statement BEST describes the way that many trees impact erosion?

• They help clean the air in the atmosphere.

• They increase the amount of pollution in rivers and streams.

• They help reduce the amount of wind during each thunderstorm.

• They provide the soil with an anchor to prevent it from being washed or blown away.