How Mountains Form (Part 2)

What You'll Learn

The water cycle describes how water moves through Earth's systems. Water evaporates from oceans, condenses into clouds, falls as precipitation, and flows back to the ocean.

Key Words

rock cycle
weather
water cycle

Materials Needed

rocks
sand
clay

Safety First

Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
Use materials only as directed in the experiment.
Keep small objects away from young children.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read the introduction and identify the main idea of this lesson.

Step 2 — Do

Model erosion: tilt a tray of soil and pour water from a cup at the top. Observe how channels form. Try adding plants or rocks to slow the erosion.

Step 3 — Observe

Draw a detailed diagram of what you observe.

Step 4 — Record

Write a conclusion: what did your results show? Did they match your prediction?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What causes weathering?