Analyze the differences. Why they are so different?

Rocky Mountains Appalachian Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Formed about 70 million years ago.

Appalachian Mountains

Began to form about 480 million

years ago.

Lab: Modeling Weathering, Deposition and Erosion of Mountains

Procedures:1. Use a hand lens to observe or analyze the sandpaper

carefully. Rub your finger on the sandpaper and feel the texture.

2. Pick a small section of the sandpaper to rub the sandpaper against the wooden popsicle stick. Rub for 30 seconds. Make sure not to rub the entire sandpaper sheet against the wood.

3. Use the hand lens to analyze any changes that happened. Feel the sandpaper that you just used to sand the wood with your finger. Compare this to the sandpaper you did not use.

Geological Processes

Geo means “Earth” Definition: natural forces

that shape the surface of the earth

Examples: Plate tectonics,

weathering, erosion

New Mountains. Little to no weathering or erosion. (Sandpaper before)

Draw on your lab page:

Weathering begins to break up the mountains. Erosion moves the sediments into the valley’s where they are deposited.

Millions of years later, the valleys have been completely filled with sediments and land is flat. (Sandpaper after sanding)

Using the information from this lab, develop an individual and

group definition for each of the following terms.

Weathering

The breaking down of Earth's rocks and soils into smaller pieces.

Sediment

Sediment is rock and soil that has been broken down into smaller pieces through weathering.

Erosion

The movement of sediment from its original home to a new location. Wind, water and gravity cause erosion.

Deposition

The natural process of laying of sediment in a new location. Deposition causes landforms to build up. Examples include deltas and sand dunes.