Question

activity b:
rock type and erosion
get the gizmo ready:

• click reset (). check that landscape 1 is selected and pause every 100,000 years is on.

introduction: sandstone is a rock made from cemented grains of sand. it is very hard and is sometimes used in buildings. shale is a softer rock made of clay and other tiny particles. in this activity, you will compare the erosion of sandstone to that of shale.
question: how does rock type affect erosion?

1. which type of rock do you think will erode more quickly, and why?
2. in the dropdown menu, select shale. set precipitation to 200 cm/yr, average temperature to 35°c, and vegetation cover to 0%.

a. click play and wait 100,000 years. how much rock was eroded?
b. click reset. select sandstone. click play and wait 100,000 years. how much erosion occurred this time?
c. how did the results compare to your prediction?

Explanation:

1. Shale is softer than sandstone. Softer rocks are more easily eroded by natural forces like water, wind, and temperature changes.
2. A. The amount of eroded rock depends on the Gizmo simulation. But generally, for shale under those conditions, a significant amount (e.g., several meters) would erode.

B. Sandstone, being harder, would erode less (e.g., a meter or less) compared to shale in the same time frame.
C. The results would likely match the prediction that shale erodes more quickly than sandstone.

Answer:

1. Shale will erode more quickly because it is a softer rock.
2. A. [Amount from Gizmo, e.g., 5 meters]

B. [Amount from Gizmo, e.g., 1 meter]
C. The results likely matched the prediction that shale erodes more than sandstone.