Connecticut

NATURE
Common Core Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1-3.10/4.1-4.10/5.1-5.10

Weathering, Erosion and Deposition

Written by Michelle Eckman, Connecticut Audubon Society

Canyons, valleys, and riverbanks - all magnificent features of our landscape caused by three important
processes: weathering, erosion and deposition. These three processes are the main forces responsible
for everything from tiny, shallow streams that you can see form during a rain shower to our very own Long
Island Sound. Connecticut happens to be an excellent place to investigate the geological processes, the pro-
cesses of earth that lead to the ever-changing shape of our landscape here and around the world.

The surface of our planet consists of water (oceans, lakes, rivers, etc.) and earth. The earth itself is made of rocks,
minerals and soil, which hold pockets of air and water. Sometimes quickly, but often very slowly, the shape of the earth
is constantly changing. The forces that cause these changes include weathering, erosion and deposition. The American
Heritage dictionary defines weathering as the “the mechanical or chemical processes that cause exposed rock to decom-
pose.” In other words, weathering occurs when rocks break into smaller pieces of sediment by a physical or chemical force.
Physical or mechanical weathering can happen when rocks roll and bang into each other or when rocks are hit by another object
– even water, tiny fragments of rock break off. Frost and ice can cause bits of rock to be chipped off of its surface. Rocks can also
be chemically-weathered by the acids present in rainwater. Lichens, a unique organism that can live on rock surfaces, can also
break that rock into smaller particles as they collect water off of the surface of the rock. In fact, some scientists believe that lichens
played a major role in the formation in the first soils found on earth billions of years ago.
Erosion is the movement of rock, minerals, soil and sediment. Forces that move these particles include wind, water and ice. It is
important to note that the term ‘erosion’ sometimes is mistakenly used instead of the word ‘weathering’, but these words are quite
different. Erosion only refers to the movement of the material; the breaking down of the rock is the weathering. Without weathering,
there would not be any material to move, or erode. As a stream or river flows, the water can be both weathering rock and eroding
the sediment over which it travels. And as the river travels, another process occurs…

Deposition is the geologic process of sediment or soil settling out of the water, wind or ice that is carrying it. As the speed of water,
wind or ice slows, the amount of energy that holds the solid material begins to decrease and eventually the solid
material falls to the ground. As you might imagine, the larger and heavier particles will fall to the ground
first, while the lighter and smaller particles will be able to stay in the water, wind or ice for a longer period
of time. But eventually the speed of the water, wind or ice will become so slow that even the small par-
ticles fall to the ground.

While all of these processes do not sound very dramatic or exciting, these are the processes that
make most of earth’s beautiful canyons and valleys possible. They are the reason why our mountains
in New England are not as tall as the Rocky Mountains. These processes are why we have sandy
beaches, the Connecticut River and our precious Long Island Sound.

Student
Did You Know?
Activity
Long Island, NY and Long Island Sound
are a result of sediments being weathered,
eroded and deposited by large sheets of
ice called glaciers? Approximately 20,000
years ago, a huge glacier covered the
area of Connecticut all the way into New
Hampshire. This glacier gouged the New
England mountains (weathering) over
which it moved. This glacier moved south-
ward (erosion) and eventually dropped the
sediment (deposition) at its southernmost
edge. The sediment that it deposited is
now what we call Long Island, NY!
Make Your Own Landscape:
You Will Need:
• 1 plastic bin, at least 12” x 6” x 4” – anything larger will work great, too
• 2-4 lbs of gravel or sand (which will also contain other sized particles) – enough to cover the bottom of the
bin at a depth of 1” or more
• Water hose or water-filled watering can or pitcher
Instructions:
1. Fill the bottom of the plastic bin with the gravel or sand.
2. Place one end of the bin on a book or other object to create an incline.
3. Using your finger, draw a straight line into the sand/gravel about 6 inches long.
4. Make the next 6 inches of this line a curvy line
5. Turn on your water hose to a low flow or slowly start pouring water from the can or pitcher from the top
of the incline. Pour the water so that it is flowing through the “stream” slowly, not too fast so it damages
the course. Keep it flowing for about 10 seconds, then shut off the hose or stop pouring.
6. What do you notice? Which particles moved? Where did they stop? Where did the water move the fastest?
7. How did the stream being curved change the route of the water? What will happen when it all gets eroded
away?
8. Eventually the stream’s water will erode at one of the sharp curves and cut through the landscape to get
the quickest route down. The result is a “flood” downstream. If this were a real stream or river, what effect
would it have on the people, animals, birds, and vegetation in the surrounding area?
9. Is all erosion negative? What can we do to prevent this from happening in real life? While hiking through
the woods between areas, point out the rip raps on the banks of the streams that prevent their erosion.
10. There will be different sized sediment and obstacles in the course. Which particle size moved the furthest,
least, and in between? How does particle size influence the shape of the land? Compare the rocky coast
of Maine to the sandy shores of Connecticut. Why are there rocks in Maine and sand in Connecticut?