VOLCANO ZONE
What is the opening in Earth's crust where lava, ash, and gases can escape?
A volcano or volcanic vent
Which two natural forces are especially important in creating and changing many canyons and sand dunes?
Wind and water
What is the solid outer layer of Earth where we live?
The crust
You're standing near a giant sand dune. Which force is most likely moving the sand?
Wind
What is the name of the highest mountain on Earth?
Mount Everest
What do we call melted rock below Earth's surface?
Magma
A river slowly cuts deeper and deeper into rock. What feature could eventually form?
A canyon
What is erosion?
The movement of weathered rock and soil from one place to another.
You're hiking toward the top of Mount Everest. Would you expect the temperature to get warmer or colder?
Colder
Mountains can form when two tectonic plates do what?
Push or collide with each other.
What do we call melted rock after it reaches Earth's surface?
Lava
What is a large hill or ridge of sand formed by wind called?
A sand dune
Which is more likely to cause erosion: a strong wave or a powerful river?
A powerful river
You discover a deep, narrow canyon with steep rock walls. What force most likely helped create it?
Water/erosion
What is the name for the process in which rock is broken down by wind, water, ice, or temperature changes?
Weathering
A volcano suddenly erupts and sends ash high into the atmosphere. What type of natural event is this?
A volcanic eruption
Why might a sand dune move from one location to another?
Wind moves the sand, gradually causing the dune to shift.
Name three things that can change Earth's surface over time.
Possible answers: water, wind, ice, volcanoes, earthquakes, weathering, erosion, glaciers, plants, humans.
You are camping near a volcano and notice ash falling from the sky. Name one danger this could create.
Possible answers: breathing problems, poor visibility, ash covering roads/buildings, contaminated water, damage to crops, etc.
Why are mountains often colder at their peaks than at their bases?
Temperature generally decreases as elevation increases.
Why can volcanic eruptions change the land around a volcano?
Lava, ash, and other volcanic materials can build up, destroy, or reshape the surface.
Which would change a landscape faster: one thousand days of water erosion or one thousands of years of wind erosion? Explain why.
Thousands of years of wind erosion because small changes can build up over a very long period of time.
Earth's surface may look like it is staying the same, but it is constantly changing. Why might these changes be difficult for humans to notice?
Many changes happen very slowly over hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years.
You are given a landscape with a huge mountain, a volcano, a deep canyon, and giant sand dunes. Explain how at least two different natural forces could have helped create or change these landforms.
Students should correctly connect forces such as tectonic activity, volcanic activity, wind, water, ice, weathering, or erosion to landform changes.
Imagine you are hiking up a very tall mountain. Give two environmental changes you might notice as you climb higher.
Possible answers: colder temperatures, thinner air, less vegetation, snow/ice, stronger winds, different types of plants or animals.