GIZMOS 8TH
Name: Regina Castro
Student Exploration: Weathering
Vocabulary: abrasion, chemical weathering, clay formation, climate, dissolving, frost wedging,
granite, limestone, mechanical weathering, rusting, sandstone, shale, weathering
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using
the Gizmo.)
Compare the two pictures at right. Both pictures show the
same kind of rock, granite.
1. Which rock do you think has been exposed on Earth’s
surface longer? Rock B
2. Why do you think so?
It looks rounder because of the weathering
Gizmo Warm-up
When rocks are exposed on Earth’s surface, they are
gradually broken down into soil by the actions of rain, ice,
wind, and living organisms. This process is called
weathering. In the Weathering Gizmo, you will explore
how weathering takes place.
To begin, select the SIMULATION tab. Notice the selected
Rock type is Granite, a hard, dense rock.
1. Click Play ( ). Wait for about 5,000 simulated years, and click Pause ( ). What do you
notice? The rock has gotten smaller
, 2. Click Fastplay ( ). Wait for about 50,000 simulated years. What do you notice? The
rock is getting smaller every 100 years
3. Based on your observations, is weathering a fast or slow process?
Slow process
Activity A: Get the Gizmo ready:
Types of ● Select the ANIMATION tab. Check that Frost
weathering wedging is selected.
Introduction: Mechanical weathering occurs when rocks are physically broken or worn down.
Chemical weathering occurs when the minerals in the rock are changed by chemical reactions.
Question: What are the most common ways in which weathering occurs?
1. Observe: Read the text about frost wedging, then click Play.
A. In the process of frost wedging, how does ice cause cracks in rocks to become
larger? The more water the cracks get, the more ice there is in between the
rocks
B. Is frost wedging more important in a warm or a cold climate?
Cold Climate
2. Observe: Read about and look at the animations for the other major types of weathering:
Abrasion, Pressure release, D
issolving, Clay formation, and Rusting.
A. What are three different ways that rocks can be worn down by abrasion?
wind carrying sand wears away rocks, a glacier moving down a mountain, and rivers
carrying sediments.
B. How can a large block of granite form layers like an onion?
Its caused by the expansion of the surface layers
C. What type of rock is affected by dissolving, and what features result?
Limestone and it can lead to underground rivers, caves, sinkholes, and oddly shaped
mountains.
Name: Regina Castro
Student Exploration: Weathering
Vocabulary: abrasion, chemical weathering, clay formation, climate, dissolving, frost wedging,
granite, limestone, mechanical weathering, rusting, sandstone, shale, weathering
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using
the Gizmo.)
Compare the two pictures at right. Both pictures show the
same kind of rock, granite.
1. Which rock do you think has been exposed on Earth’s
surface longer? Rock B
2. Why do you think so?
It looks rounder because of the weathering
Gizmo Warm-up
When rocks are exposed on Earth’s surface, they are
gradually broken down into soil by the actions of rain, ice,
wind, and living organisms. This process is called
weathering. In the Weathering Gizmo, you will explore
how weathering takes place.
To begin, select the SIMULATION tab. Notice the selected
Rock type is Granite, a hard, dense rock.
1. Click Play ( ). Wait for about 5,000 simulated years, and click Pause ( ). What do you
notice? The rock has gotten smaller
, 2. Click Fastplay ( ). Wait for about 50,000 simulated years. What do you notice? The
rock is getting smaller every 100 years
3. Based on your observations, is weathering a fast or slow process?
Slow process
Activity A: Get the Gizmo ready:
Types of ● Select the ANIMATION tab. Check that Frost
weathering wedging is selected.
Introduction: Mechanical weathering occurs when rocks are physically broken or worn down.
Chemical weathering occurs when the minerals in the rock are changed by chemical reactions.
Question: What are the most common ways in which weathering occurs?
1. Observe: Read the text about frost wedging, then click Play.
A. In the process of frost wedging, how does ice cause cracks in rocks to become
larger? The more water the cracks get, the more ice there is in between the
rocks
B. Is frost wedging more important in a warm or a cold climate?
Cold Climate
2. Observe: Read about and look at the animations for the other major types of weathering:
Abrasion, Pressure release, D
issolving, Clay formation, and Rusting.
A. What are three different ways that rocks can be worn down by abrasion?
wind carrying sand wears away rocks, a glacier moving down a mountain, and rivers
carrying sediments.
B. How can a large block of granite form layers like an onion?
Its caused by the expansion of the surface layers
C. What type of rock is affected by dissolving, and what features result?
Limestone and it can lead to underground rivers, caves, sinkholes, and oddly shaped
mountains.
