2.4.

3 Lab: Investigate Weathering and Erosion Dry Lab

Environmental Studies Sem 1 Name: Angelica Arellano

In this lab, you will be analyzing the processes that break down rock using graham crackers as the crust and water and ice as

erosion agents. As you complete these steps, think about how these forces act in the real world on rock and soil. You will then get

the chance to design an investigation to test a variable and determine its impact on weathering and erosion in a model.

Analyze Data and Draw Conclusions

1. Water Erosion

a. How was erosion observed in Part 1-A? What real-life situation did these steps model?

We observed the process of erosion by watching the gram cracker become soft and mushy
over a period of time. This can be related to real-life scenarios when things around us and
the environment change or become old. The rock formation, decomposing, and cracks in the
roads are the common examples of erosion we can witness.

b. How was erosion observed in Part 1-B? What real-life situation did these steps model?
 The cracker was soaked in water, as the ice cube slid down the surface of the crackers. This
is an example of glacial erosion. When the ice cube was on the gram cracker the ice cube
melted and the cracker started to fall apart more.

2. Sample Investigation

b. Summarize the results. If the hypothesis was "Hot water causes more erosion than tap water,"
was the hypothesis supported or not supported? How do you know? (What data drive this
statement?)

The hypothesis was not supported because it is a fact and not what exactly happened in the
experiment. It is a fact that hot water causes more erosion than tap water because it breaks the
bonds faster.

d. What does the sample data from the investigation attempt to model about erosion in real life?
Based on the results, what would you hypothesize about erosion in real life?

The amount of erosion will increase because the bonds are weakened due to strong pH. The
amount of heavier rainfall will cause more erosion. This happens because there is more water to
wash away the soil.

3. Did you model weathering, erosion, or both in this lab? Give an example of a step of the lab in
which you modeled a process to support your statement. If you say that you did not model one
process, describe a way in which you could model that process using the same graham cracker
setup.
The process by which rocks are broken down chemically and physically is called weathering.
The movement of worn rocks is what we refer to as erosion. The process by which rocks are
broken down chemically and physically is called weathering. The movement of worn rocks is
what we refer to as erosion. Both weathering and erosion were modeled here in this particular
lab. As a representation of rocks, we utilized graham crackers, and water stood in for the
element that causes weathering. Toothpicks were used to symbolize the process of physical
weathering, while sugar was used to represent the chemical weathering process. The wind,
which was responsible for the erosion, was symbolized by the straw. Using a hammer to smash
the graham crackers into tiny pieces is one technique to simulate the effects of weathering
caused by physical exposure. Adding vinegar to water is one approach to simulate the effects of
weathering caused by chemical reactions.

4. Describe an area in the natural world in which you have observed weathering or erosion, and
describe what is occurring there. This area could be an area of your environment, a place you
have visited, or an image you have seen.

An area in the natural world in which I have observed erosion was in California I observed a
storm there that caused erosion.