How do movements affect the earth’s surface? Some
cause parts to push upward and others cause areas to
drop or wear away.
What are some of these movements? volcanoes and
earthquakes
What is a volcano? a crack in the surface of the earth
through which lava flows
How does a volcano form a landform? Lava and rocks
pile up and cool.
What landforms do volcanoes often make? mountains
and islands
What is weathering? a process of breaking rocks into
smaller pieces
What are some other natural causes of weathering
besides water? wind and plants
How is the chalk changing? It is wearing away.
What would happen to the chalk if I kept on rubbing it?
It would become dust.
What is this process called? abrasion
What is abrasion? the process of wearing away rocks by
Friction
What natural forces can cause abrasion? water or wind
How can they cause abrasion? by causing rocks to rub
against other rocks or sand
Describe the surface of a rock that has been worn by
abrasion. smooth
Have you ever gathered stones from a stream or on a
beach? Describe how they looked. rounded, smooth
What kind of weathering made them that way?
Abrasion
What is soil? the loose material at the surface of the
earth
Is all soil the same? no
What makes up most of soil? bits of weathered rock
What other things are in soil? water, air, and humus
What is humus? decayed plant and animal material
How does humus help plants? It provides nutrients for
them to grow.
What are the three main sizes of soil? sand, silt, and
clay
What are the smallest particles of soil made of? clay
What are the largest particles made of? Sand
What are the three layers of soil? topsoil, subsoil, and
bedrock
Does the soil in each layer look the same? no
Why do parts of the soil look different? Each part is a
different mixture of the kinds of soil.
Are the layers the same thicknesses? No
What does topsoil contain that gives it a dark color?
humus
Why do you think plants are able to grow best in topsoil?
It is fertile.
Why is topsoil fertile? It contains humus, which has the
nutrients that plants need.
What is subsoil? Subsoil is mostly coarse, weathered
rock and does not contain humus.
Why do you think the lowest layer of soil is called
bedrock? Possible answers: It is solid rock. The rock is
flat like a bed.
How do movements affect the earth’s surface? Some
cause parts to push upward and others cause areas to
drop or wear away.
What are some of these movements? volcanoes and
earthquakes
What is a volcano? a crack in the surface of the earth
through which lava flows
How does a volcano form a landform? Lava and rocks
pile up and cool.
What landforms do volcanoes often make? mountains
and islands
What is weathering? a process of breaking rocks into
smaller pieces
What are some other natural causes of weathering
besides water? wind and plants
How is the chalk changing? It is wearing away.
What would happen to the chalk if I kept on rubbing it?
It would become dust.
What is this process called? abrasion
What is abrasion? the process of wearing away rocks by
Friction
What natural forces can cause abrasion? water or wind
How can they cause abrasion? by causing rocks to rub
against other rocks or sand
Describe the surface of a rock that has been worn by
abrasion. smooth
Have you ever gathered stones from a stream or on a
beach? Describe how they looked. rounded, smooth
What kind of weathering made them that way?
Abrasion
What is soil? the loose material at the surface of the
earth
Is all soil the same? no
What makes up most of soil? bits of weathered rock
What other things are in soil? water, air, and humus
What is humus? decayed plant and animal material
How does humus help plants? It provides nutrients for
them to grow.
What are the three main sizes of soil? sand, silt, and
clay
What are the smallest particles of soil made of? clay
What are the largest particles made of? Sand
What are the three layers of soil? topsoil, subsoil, and
bedrock
Does the soil in each layer look the same? no
Why do parts of the soil look different? Each part is a
different mixture of the kinds of soil.
Are the layers the same thicknesses? No
What does topsoil contain that gives it a dark color?
humus
Why do you think plants are able to grow best in topsoil?
It is fertile.
Why is topsoil fertile? It contains humus, which has the
nutrients that plants need.
What is subsoil? Subsoil is mostly coarse, weathered
rock and does not contain humus.
Why do you think the lowest layer of soil is called
bedrock? Possible answers: It is solid rock. The rock is
flat like a bed.
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