Name:________________________________

Date:___________
Earth Science Ms. Duffy

Physical Weathering Lab (17 points)

Purpose: Students will investigate the processes of mechanical weathering and

demonstrate the changes in the appearance of materials experiencing
mechanical weathering.

Materials needed:
Plastic container
Miscellaneous items to weather: sugar cubes, pebbles, rice, oats, salt, pasta,
coins, dice, cereal, etc. (be creative but be safe..nothing sharp, breakable, wet
or sticky!)

Part A: The Abrasion of Materials

Question: How will materials change after episodes of abrasion?

State a hypothesis for this experiment (if…then…) (1 point)

if the number of shakes increases then the partilce will decrease
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Procedure:
1. Make a drawing (or insert picture) of what the average item looks like
prior to shaking and draw this in your data table. This drawing goes in
the “0 shakes” row.
2. Place the items in the container and close (only fill the container about
1/3 of the way full).
3. Shake your container 20 times.
4. Open the jar and look at the items. Choose a few of the different items
and draw on your table (or insert picture). (Don’t eat any of it!!!)
5. Place the materials back in the contain and close.
6. Repeat this procedure 5 times.
Shaking Trial Drawing of Items (or picture) (1 point each)

0 Shakes

crrackar iif you cant tell

After 20 Shakes

After 40 Shakes

After 60 Shakes

After 80 Shakes

After 100 Shakes

Conclusion Questions (2 points each) (page 2 must be done get credit
for these questions!)

1. What change did you notice in the items over time?

as the shakes increased the particle size decreased

2. Were these changes due to chemical or physical weathering? Explain.

physical because there was no substances coming in contact with the cracker besides the walls of the tuber ware so it was physical
weathering

3. What reason(s) did you give for these changes? Give at least two.
1 the cracker is coming in contact with a harder surfaces so it brakes
and the other materials were harder than the tuber ware

4. How did the continued shaking change the items appearance?

as the shakes increased the particle size decreased

5. Describe where this occurs in nature (give two examples).

the beach were waves are crashing into sand rock and reef were small pieces are slowly Brocken of

deer rub and smash their antler against trees to rub of the velvet as well as to aid the shedding of antlers