Rock Layers and Fossils
Q: What type of rock usually contains layers and fossils?
A: Sedimentary rock
Q: Breaking rock into smaller pieces without moving it is called what?
A: Weathering
Q: Name two natural forces that cause erosion.
A: Water, wind, ice, or vegetation
Q: What do plant roots do to help stop erosion?
A: Hold soil in place
Q: If a fish fossil is found in a rock layer on land, what does this tell us?
A: The area was underwater long ago
Q: Moving soil or rock from one place to another is called what?
A: Erosion
Q: Which force creates smooth, rounded rocks in rivers?
A: Water
Q: What do terraces (terracing) do to water?
A: Slows it down
Q: Which layer is older: the top layer or the bottom layer?
A: The bottom layer
Q: Plant roots cracking rock is an example of what?
A: Weathering
Q: Which force causes sand dunes?
A: Wind
Q: Why are two solutions better than one?
A: They work together to slow water and hold soil
Q: What word means clues that help support an explanation?
A: Evidence
Q: A river carrying sediment downstream is an example of what?
A: Erosion
Q: What process happens when water freezes in cracks and expands?
A: Ice weathering
Q: Name one way humans increase erosion or make erosion worse.
A: Cutting trees, construction, removing vegetation
Q: If rock layers are tilted instead of flat, what might have happened?
A: Land movement or Earth forces changed the landscape
Q: Why does faster water cause more erosion?
A: Fast water carries more soil and sediment
Q: Why do mountains often have faster erosion?
A: Steeper slopes cause faster water movement
Q: A Denver neighborhood near the South Platte River is flooding. Name TWO solutions and explain why they work together.
A: (Example) Add plants + rocks; plants hold soil and rocks slow water; levees; ripraps