Dr. Michael J. Passow                 INTERMEDIATE LEVEL SCIENCE: SHAPING THE EARTH'S SURFACE
Core Concepts Suggested Activity
2.1g.  The dynamic processes that wear away Earth's surface include weathering and erosion.  
2.1h.  The process of weathering breaks down rocks to form sediment.  Soil consists of sediment, organic material, water, air, and living organisms.  
3.2a.  During a physical change, a substance keeps its chemical composition and properties.  Examples of physical changes include freezing, melting, tearing, and crushing. Study the effects of shaking pieces of various rocks, with and without water.
4.2d.  Most substances expand when heated and contract when cooled.  Water is an exception, expanding when changing to ice.  
3.2c.  During a chemical change, substances react in characteristic ways to form new substances with different physical and chemical properties. Study examples of chemical changes, such as the rusting of steel wool.
4.2e.  Temperature affects the solubility of some substances in water. Study reaction rates when an effervescent tablet is dropped into waters of different temperatures and acidity.
2.1i.  Erosion is the transport of sediment.  Gravity is the driving force behind erosion.  Gravity can act directly or through agents such as moving water, wind, and glaciers.