Earth Structures & Changes

Earth Structures & Changes 6th Grade Study Guide Students need to be able to: Identify different types of landforms found on Earth’s surface, including: Coastlines, Dunes, Rivers, Mountains, Valleys, Glaciers, Deltas, & lakes Differentiate landforms found in Florida (such as aquifers, caverns, and sinkholes) from those found outside of Florida (such as mountains & glaciers) Describe, cite examples of, and differentiate between physical weathering, chemical weathering, erosion, and deposition Investigate the effects of physical weathering, chemical weathering, erosion, and deposition on Earth’s surface

Vocabulary: Abrasion-the grinding away of rock by other rock particles carried in water, ice, or wind Aquifer-a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater Chemical weathering-the process that breaks down rock through chemical changes Coastlines-the area of land the forms where the ocean or lake and land meet Deltas-a landform made of sediment that is deposited where a river flows into an ocean or lake Deposition-process in which sediment is laid down in new locations Dunes-a deposit of wind-blown sand, typically found at Florida’s coastlines and beaches Erosion-the process by which water, ice, wind, or gravity moves weathered particles of rock and soil Glacier-any large mass of ice that moves slowly over land Lake-any area of water completely surrounded by land Landform-a feature of topography formed by the processes that shape Earth’s surface Limestone-a sedimentary rock formed from the remains of small sea animals, the Florida peninsula sits on a huge limestone platform Models-a representation of a complex object or process, used to help people understand a concept they cannot observe directly. The object or process may be too small, too large, or too dangerous to study directly. Mountains-a landform with high elevation and high relief Physical weathering-the type of weathering in which rock is physically broken down into smaller pieces Rivers-flowing water that usually originates in mountains and flows to the oceans, responsible for carrying and dropping sediment helping to form beaches, barrier islands, and deltas Sediment-small, solid pieces of material that come from rocks or the remains of organisms; earth materials deposited by erosion Sinkhole- A cavity in the ground, especially in limestone bedrock, caused by water erosion and providing a route for surface water to disappear underground Valley-the low area of land between mountains and hills, may be caused by glaciers or rivers weathering and eroding the surface of the land Weathering-the chemical and physical processes that break down rock and other substances

Physical Weathering vs. Chemical Weathering

Physical Weathering Chemical Weathering In physical weathering the rocks are broken Chemical weathering occurs when rocks are down into smaller pieces, but the chemical broken down by a chemical change composition of the rock remains the same Temperature changes Acid rain Freeze-thaw Oxidation Wind Limestone caverns Rain Lichens Waves Carbon dioxide/carbonic acid

Physical weathering is caused by physical interactions. Sand blown by the wind scouring a surface, or water causing swelling of underlying structure or weakening a material (or shattering and cracking due to water within something freezing and thus expanding), etc.

Chemical weathering is caused by chemical reaction with the surface. For example, acid rain erodes the surface of a marble statue, oxygen in the air causing iron oxidation forming rust, or granite changing into feldspar and eventually into clay. Features of Florida: Aquifers:

http://floridaswater.com/aquifer/

http://www.floridasprings.org/learn/journey/ Barrier Islands: They are known as barrier islands because they provide an essential barrier, blocking strong storm waves that would otherwise erode the mainland coast. This is especially true during strong storms like Hurricanes, which frequent the Florida coast.

http://www.basecampsarasota.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/field-guide-to- the-flora-and-fauna-of-the-barrier-islands-of-southwest-florida.pdf