A student wants to model the physical weathering of rock. Which activity could the student perform?
A Place drops of acid on chalk, and the observe the chemical reaction.
B Place ice cream in a bowl, and then watch it melt
C Place a paper boat in a ditch, and the us water from a hose to make it sail away
D Place several cookies in a box, and the shake the box
D Place several cookies in a box, and then shake the box is the activity that best models the physical weathering of rock. Physical weathering is the breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces without changing their chemical composition. Shaking the box with cookies represents the mechanical force that causes rocks to break apart into smaller fragments.
The correct answer is B. Place ice cream in a bowl, and then watch it melt.
To model the physical weathering of rock, the student could perform activity D: Place several cookies in a box, and then shake the box.
Physical weathering refers to the process by which the Earth's rocks are broken down into smaller pieces through physical forces such as impacts, vibrations, and pressure. By placing cookies in a box and shaking it, the student can simulate the effects of these physical forces on the rocks.
When the box is shaken, the cookies will collide with each other and with the walls of the box. This collision and movement will cause the cookies to break into smaller pieces. This activity is similar to the way rocks can be broken down into smaller fragments through impacts from other rocks, water flow, or wind.