A student wants to model the physical weathering of rock. Which activity could the student perform?
A. Place drops of acid on chalk, and then observe the chemical reaction.
B. Place ice cream in a bowl, and then watch it melt.
C. Place several cookies in a box, and then shake the box.
D. Place a paper boat in a ditch, and then use water from a hose to make it sail away.
Is the answer A?
No, the answer is not A. Option A (Place drops of acid on chalk, and then observe the chemical reaction) describes a chemical weathering process, where acid reacts with the chalk (calcium carbonate) to produce a chemical change.
Physical weathering, also known as mechanical weathering, involves the breaking down of rocks without chemical changes. The correct answer that simulates physical weathering is:
C. Place several cookies in a box, and then shake the box.
This activity simulates physical weathering because it involves physically breaking down the cookies into smaller pieces through mechanical stress, which is analogous to how rocks can be broken into smaller pieces through processes such as abrasion, freeze-thaw cycles, or mechanical pressure.