Structure of the Earth System
Station 4 – Destructive Forces
The difference between destructive forces and constructive forces is that while destructive
forces are activities that cause damage to the earth surface such as erosion and weathering,
constructive forces are actives that bring forth geographical features like mountains.
Activity 1 Define these vocabulary words on your vocabulary sheet for this station:
sedimentation, sediments, weathering, erosion, and crustal deformation
Activity 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
Making Sedimentary Rocks
Fill the jar about ¾ full of water.
Add sand and put the lid on the jar securely.
Shake the jar briskly back and forth for 20 seconds.
Place the jar in the center of your table and watch what happens for the next 2-3
minutes.
Answer the following questions:
1. What did the shaking of the sand in the jar represent?
2. What does the sand represent in this activity?
3. What happened when you left the jar undisturbed after shaking?
Activity 3
Physical Weathering of Rocks
1. Open the jar and line the inside of it with a piece of sandpaper so that the rough
surface is facing the interior of the jar. Tape the sandpaper into place.
2. Trace the sugar cubes onto the paper towel.
3. Place the sugar cubes in the jar and close the lid.
4. Shake the jar vigorously for 2 minutes.
5. At the end of the 2 minutes, open the lid and carefully pour the contents of the jar
onto the paper towel.
6. Trace the “new” sugar cubes below the “old” sugar cubes.
Answer the following questions:
1. How did the size and consistency of the sugar cubes change after being agitated in
the jar?
2. What type of environmental force do you think you were simulating when you shook
the jar?
3. What did the sugar cubes represent in this activity?
4. How do you know that the type of weathering in this activity was physical and not
chemical?
Activity 4
Watch the following video clip on erosion
http://www.schooltube.com/video/f2c42addfb6d40ccacb3/. Write 3-5 sentences summarizing
the video clip.