In the last investigation, students began thinking about how

rocks change through time. Students were introduced to the

concept of weathering and looked at abrasion as one of several
physical weathering processes. In this investigation, students
explore how rocks weather chemically. Chemical
weathering is the process that breaks down rock through
chemical changes. The most common agents of chemical
weathering include water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and living
organisms. Chemical weathering creates holes or soft spots in
rock, so the rock breaks apart more easily. Chemical and
mechanical weathering often go hand in hand; mechanical
weathering breaks rock into pieces, exposing more surface area
to chemical weathering. In this investigation, students
examine the effects of naturally formed acids on the breakdown
of rock. When water (e.g. rainwater) mixes with carbon
dioxide gas in the air or in air pockets in soil, a weak acid
solution, called carbonic acid, is produced. When carbonic acid
flows through the cracks of some rocks, it chemically reacts
with the rock causing some of it to dissolve. Carbonic acid is
especially reactive with calcite, which is the main mineral that
makes up limestone. Over many thousands of years, the
dissolving action of carbonic acid on limestone sometimes
produces underground caves.

In this investigation, students will simulate the effect of

carbonic acid on limestone. Pieces of chalk represent limestone
and vinegar represents carbonic acid. Students place the chalk
into the acid and observe how it changes over time.

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Materials Needed

For each student group:

2 clear plastic cups

vinegar
 water
2 small pieces of chalk
masking tape
marker or pen
magnifying glass
paper towels
observation sheet
paper (e.g. newsprint) to cover desktops
safety goggles and apron

For instructional purposes:

images of Chemical Weathering

overhead projector and blank transparency sheet, flip
chart or white board for recording student responses

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Safety

This investigation is generally considered safe to do with

students. Students should be reminded not to drink the water
or vinegar. Also, review the investigation for your specific
setting, materials, students, and conventional safety
precautions. Be sure to remind students to wash their hands
when they finish.

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Setting the Scene

Begin the investigation by reminding students of the abrasion

activity they did in the last investigation. Continue with the
following questions:

1. What caused the rocks to break apart?

 2. What other processes are responsible for breaking
up rocks? How do they work?

Have your students discuss these questions, first in pairs, then

groups and then as a whole class. Record their answers on a
flipchart that you can refer to throughout the investigation.

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Presenting the Investigation Question

After the scene is set, introduce your students to the

investigation question:

1. Do rocks dissolve?

Have your students discuss the question in pairs, then in

groups, and then as a whole class. Record their answers on a
flipchart.

Have your students brainstorm ideas about how this

investigation question could be investigated.

2. How would you design an experiment that could be

used to test the investigation question?
3. What materials would be needed?
4. What would you have to do?
5. What would be measured?
6. How long would the experiment take?

Tell your students that they will be investigating this question

and at the end of their study they will be able to provide
reliable answers.

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Assessing What Your Students Already Know

Students will have had some experiences with solids dissolving
in liquid, e.g. mixing salt, sugar, or a drink mix in water.
Students will probably not recognize that rocks can dissolve in
water. They will also not know that rainwater is naturally
slightly acidic.

Here are some initial questions that your students can discuss,
in pairs, then in groups:

1. What happens when you mix salt, sugar, or a drink

mix in water?
2. If you mixed rock in water, could the same thing
happen? Why or why not?
3. What causes solids to dissolve in water?

Have your students share their ideas with the class and record
them as a list on a flipchart.

Have students think about what they would like to learn about
how rocks dissolve. Record their ideas on the flipchart as a list
called Questions we have about how rocks dissolve. This list
will provide further insights into what your students know, and
also what they would like to know. By the end of the
investigation, some of these questions will probably be
answered.

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Exploring the Concept

1. Explain to students that rainwater is not the same as the

water they drink. Rainwater is a weak acid. Tell them
that they will be looking at the effects of rainwater on
the weathering (breakdown) of rocks. They will be
putting chalk, which is similar in composition to
limestone, into vinegar, which is a weak acid, much like
rainwater. They will observe the chalk over time to see
 whether or not the acid has any effect on the chalk.
They will also be putting chalk in water for comparison.
2. Break students into groups of 3 or 4.
3. Provide the materials to the groups.
Observation Sheet Word Document (30 KB)
| Observation Sheet Adobe PDF (12 KB)
4. Instruct groups to cover their desktops with paper.
5. Provide the following instructions to groups:
a. Use the magnifying glass to examine each piece of
chalk. Draw or describe what each piece of chalk
looks like on the observation sheet.
b. Pour vinegar into one clear plastic cup until it is
about 2/3 of the way full. Use the masking tape to
write acid and put the label on the cup.
c. Pour water into one clear plastic cup until it is about
2/3 of the way full. Use the masking tape to write
water and put the label on the cup.
d. Predict what will happen to the chalk after it sits in
the vinegar for one hour. Record your prediction on
the observation sheet.
e. Place one piece of chalk in each plastic cup.
f. Store the cups in a safe place.
g. After 1 hour, examine the chalk with the magnifying
glass. Draw or describe on the observation sheet
what each piece of chalk looks like.
h. Predict what will happen to the chalk after it sits in
the vinegar for a total of 24 hours. Record your
prediction on the observation sheet.
i. After 24 hours, examine the chalk with the
magnifying glass. Draw or describe on the
observation sheet what each piece of chalk looks
like.
j. On the observation sheet, write a conclusion that
explains your observations.
 6. Discuss students findings as a class. Prompt them with
the following questions:
a. Which piece of chalk changed the most, the
one soaking in water or the one soaking in
vinegar? Why?
b. How did the chalk change after soaking in
vinegar for 1 hour? After 24 hours? What
may have caused these changes?
c. Was there more of a change after 24 hours?
Why?
d. How did your predictions compare with your
results?
e. How does what you observed compare to what
happens when rainwater falls on rocks?
f. How long does it take to dissolve rocks in
nature?
7. Help students to understand that when rainwater mixes
with carbon dioxide in the air or carbon dioxide in air
pockets in soil, a weak acid called carbonic acid is
produced. When carbonic acid flows through the cracks
of some rocks, it chemically reacts with the rock causing
some of the rock to be dissolved. Over many thousands
of years, much rock can be dissolved.

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Applying Students' Understanding

Show students the Images of Chemical Weathering pictures.

Have students answer the following questions related to the
pictures:

1. Describe the rocks in each picture.

2. What evidence would suggest that these rocks are
undergoing chemical weathering?
 Images of Chemical Weathering Word
Document (6.65 MB)
Images of Chemilcal Weathering Adobe PDF (349 KB)

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Revisiting Investigation Question 4

Complete this investigation by asking your students the

following:

1. Do rocks dissolve?

As a result of this investigation, students should be able to

state that certain rocks can dissolve when exposed to
rainwater, which is slightly acidic. This exposure increases the
breakdown of rocks into smaller and smaller pieces.

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Digging Deeper

The following passage provides more detailed information

related to this investigation that you may choose to explain to
your students.

Chemical Weathering Processes

Chemical weathering is the decomposition of rocks due to

chemical reactions occurring between the minerals in rocks and
the environment. Following are examples of the chemical
weathering processes.

Water

Water, and many chemical compounds found in water, is the

main agent of chemical weathering. Feldspar, one of the most
abundant rock-forming minerals, chemically reacts with water
and water-soluble compounds to form clay.

Acids

Water contains many weak acids, such as carbonic acid. This

weak, but abundant, acid is formed when carbon dioxide gas
from the atmosphere mixes with rainwater. Sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen gases create other types of acids that act as chemical
weathering agents. Some sources of sulfur dioxide are power
plants that burn coal; as well as volcanoes and coastal
marshes. Sulfur gases react with oxygen and rainwater to form
sulfuric acid. Although relatively weak, this acids abundance
and long term effects produce noticeable damage to
vegetation, fabrics, paints and rocks.

Oxidation

Oxidation is another kind of chemical weathering that occurs

when oxygen combines with another substance and creates
compounds called oxides. Rust, for example, is iron oxide.
When rocks, particularly those with iron in them, are exposed
to air and water, the iron undergoes oxidation, which can
weaken the rocks and make them crumble.

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In the last two investigations students looked at weathering

and how rocks break down into smaller pieces over time. In
this investigation, students explore erosion, the process by
which soil and sediment (the products of weathering) are
moved from one location to another. Erosion is caused by
gravity, wind, glaciers, and water in the form of ocean waves
and currents, streams, and ground water.

In this investigation, students explore river and stream

erosion. Precipitation (rain) that falls to the Earths surface
either soaks into the ground, evaporates, or flows across the
land. Water that flows across the land runs downhill. Along
the way, it can pick up and carry sediment ranging from fine
clay to coarse sand or gravel. As the water runs downhill, it
cuts into the soil, forming channels called gullies. When gullies
reach a low-lying area, they merge together, forming a larger
stream. Streams merge together to form larger streams or
rivers. Most sediment carried downhill eventually ends up in a
stream and is carried away. In this way, streams affect more
of the Earths surface than any other agent of erosion. The
amount of sediment a stream can carry depends on the speed
and size of the stream. The speed of the water in a stream
depends on its slope. The steeper the slope, the faster the
water moves. Fast-moving or large streams can carry more
sediment than slow-moving or small streams.

Abrasion occurs as sediment in a stream collides with rock in

and along the stream. Pieces of rock are chipped away and
rough edges in rocks and sediments themselves become
rounded. The bedrock beneath streams is also eroded by
abrasion. Sediment flowing in the water can cut deeply into
the bedrock. Over a long time, stream abrasion can cause
great changes in the shape of a stream or river and Earths
surface.

In this investigation, students examine models of river

erosion. Groups build different types of river beds by filling
stream tables with sand. Each group perches one end of their
stream table on some blocks to create a slope. They then pour
water into the river bed through a spout. They watch as the
water enters the stream bed and begins to carry away sand
from the stream edges and the bottom. The sediment is
deposited at the end of the stream where the water stops
flowing. They see that as sediment is eroded, the shape of the
stream changes.

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Materials Needed

For each student group:

AGI
Set up for the coffee can

stream table or similar container

fine damp sand, enough to fill the stream table to a depth
of 3 cm.
water reservoir, e.g. a coffee can with a small hole at the
bottom and a short rubber tube attached. Seal the hole
with clay.
water
books or blocks of wood to elevate the stream table
paper towels
container for collecting overflow
stopwatch or watch with second hand
ruler or meter stick
paper (e.g. newsprint) to cover desktops
safety goggles and apron
Observation sheet
Stream or River Card
For instructional purposes:

Images for Setting the Scene

Images of Flowing Water
overhead projector and blank transparency sheet, flip
chart or white board for recording student responses

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Safety

This investigation is generally considered safe to do with

students. The sand should be dampened prior to the start of
the investigation. Fine sand can be inhaled and is a major
irritant. If the sand has not been dampened, provide
disposable masks to students. Ensure that students wash their
hands thoroughly after handling the sand. Make sure that
water is well away from any electrical outlets or equipment.
Also, review the investigation for your specific setting,
materials, students, and conventional safety precautions.

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Setting the Scene

Many students have stood on the bank of a stream or river and

watched its water flowing. Many will probably not have seen
streams or rivers from a high altitude or elevation. Begin the
investigation by showing students the Images for Setting the
Scene. Ask them the following:

Images for Setting the Scene Word Document (4.42

MB)
Images for Setting the Scene Adobe PDF (171 KB)

1. Describe what you see.

2. In what ways are these rivers changing the land
around them?
Have your students discuss these questions, first in pairs, then
groups and then as a whole class. Record their answers on a
flipchart that you can refer to throughout the investigation.

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Presenting the Investigation question

After the scene is set, introduce your students to the

investigation question:

1. How does a river change the land?

Have your students discuss the question in pairs, then in

groups, and then as a whole class. Record their answers on a
flipchart.

Have your students brainstorm ideas about how this

investigation question could be investigated.

2. How would you design an experiment that could be

used to test the investigation question?
3. What materials would you need?
4. What would you have to do?
5. What would you measure?
6. How long would the experiment take?

Tell your students that they will be investigating this question

and at the end of their study they will be able to provide
reliable answers.

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Assessing What Your Students Already Know

Most students will have observed the movement of water in a

stream or river, but they may not be aware of the effect of
moving stream or river water on the land. Some students may
have noticed that water flowing over land will move sediments
and debris during a big rain storm, but they do not realize that
this same process is continually taking place in rivers and
streams. Students who live near major rives may have had
some experiences with the erosion of sediment due to
flooding. Some students who live near, or have visited,
shorelines of an ocean or lake, may have observed erosional
features, but not understood how they formed. Here are some
initial questions that your students can discuss, in pairs, in
groups, and as a whole class:

1. During big rainstorms, water often flows across the

surface of the land. What does this water do to the
soil and rock that it flows over?
2. Where does water that flows over the land go?
3. What causes some rivers or streams to be brownish
in color?
4. What does the water flowing in a river or stream do
to the rock or soil that surrounds the river?

Have your students share their ideas with the class and record
them as a list on the flipchart.

Have students think about what they would like to learn about
river or stream erosion. Record their ideas on the flipchart as a
list called Questions we have about how a river changes the
land. This list will provide further insights into what your
students know, and also what they would like to know. By the
end of the investigation, some of these questions will probably
be answered.

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Exploring the Concept

1. Explain to students that they will be running models of

stream systems. They will create their models in stream
 tables containing sand. They will pour water into a coffee
can. The water will flow through a rubber hose and into
the streams. They will observe how the flowing water
affects the sand and shapes of the streams.
2. Arrange students in groups.
3. Provide the materials to each group.
4. Instruct students to cover their desktops with paper.
5. Assign each group an image from the Stream and River
Cards.
Stream and River Cards Word Document (456 KB)
| Stream and River Cards Adobe PDF (350 KB)
6. Have students use their stream tables and moist sand to
build a model of the stream or river system assigned to
them.
7. Instruct students to draw a picture of their river systems
on their observation sheets.
Observation Sheet Word Document (28 KB)
| Observation Sheet Adobe PDF (12 KB)
8. Ask students to measure the widths of their rivers at the
top, middle, and ends. Have them record their
measurements on their observation sheets.
9. Have students raise one end of their stream tables to a
height of 10 cm. Instruct them to raise the end where the
water reservoir will be pouring water into the rivers.
Students should use thin wooden blocks or books to raise
the stream tables. (see image)
10. Have students set up the water reservoir so it will
feed into the high end of the stream table. (see image)

AGI
Set up for the activity
11. Have students predict what will happen to the sand
and the shapes of their streams after water flows through
them. Have students record their predictions on their
observation sheets.
12. Have students fill their water reservoirs and allow the
water to flow through their streams.
13. Have students record on their Observation Sheets the
effect of the flowing water on the sand and shape of the
streams.
14. Instruct students to measure the widths of the
stream beds at both ends and in the middle. This should
be recorded on their observation sheets.
15. Ask students to develop a conclusion about how the
flowing water affected their streams.
16. Hold a class discussion about what the students
observed. Ask students the following questions. Record
their answers on the flipchart.
o Why did the water go down the river bed?
o What happened to the sides of the river bed? Where
did the sand go?
o How did the shape of the river change? What caused
these changes?
o How did your predictions compare to your results.
17. Help students to understand that water will move
from higher elevations to lower elevations, due to gravity.
In the activity, students tilted the stream bed with books
or wood so that gravity could move the water. As the
water moved, it transported sand from the stream banks
and bottom to the end of the stream table. The process
whereby water moves sediment from one location to
another is called erosion. Much like their stream models,
as a stream continues to flow, it carries more and more
sediment away, changing the shape of the stream. In
nature, the stream bed may consist of rock. The sediment
in a stream collides with this rock, chipping it away and
carrying the pieces downstream. Through this process,
river beds can cut deeply into the rock below.
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Applying Students' Understanding

Show students the Images of Flowing Rivers pictures. Have

students answer the following questions related to the pictures:

1. Describe how the rivers are changing the land in

each picture.
2. What evidence would suggest that the land pictured
was sculpted by a flowing stream or river?

Images of Flowing Rivers Word Document (745 KB)

Images of Flowing Rivers Adobe PDF (257 KB)

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Revisiting Investigation Question 5

Complete this investigation by asking your students the

following:

1. How does a river change the land?

Students should note that rivers or streams carry sediment

from one location to another. They should also recognize that
as a river flows and erodes sediment, the shape of the river will
change.

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Digging Deeper

The following passage provides more detailed information

related to this investigation that you may choose to explain to
your students.

Stream and River Erosion

Erosion always has been, and still is, a natural part of the rock
cycle. Without erosion there would be no sediment and no
sedimentary rock. Erosion involves the pickup of loose,
unconsolidated soil and sediment, or it can involve erosion of
solid bedrock.

Streams and rivers erode and transport sediment. They erode

bedrock and/or sediment in some locations and deposit
sediment in other areas. Moving water, in river and streams, is
one of the principal agents in eroding bedrock and sediment
and in shaping landforms. Without streams or rivers, there
would be few valleys, because streams and rivers form most
valleys. The landscape would wear down much more slowly
through geologic time. Also, weathering products, such as
sand and dirt, would not be carried away to the ocean, so soil
thickness would increase in most areas.