2.3.

2 Lab: Investigating How Water Affects Earth's

Rock Dry Lab
Earth Science Sem 2 Name: Isabella Lopez
Date:

Investigating How Water Affects Earth's Rock

In Part 1 of this lab, you will examine sample observations of the dissolving
properties of water. The investigation will test how well water can dissolve a variety
of minerals (represented by salt, sand, and chalk). Then, in Part 2, you will use what
you have learned to design an investigation. Your investigation will explore how
water's properties as a solvent affect the weathering and erosion of various kinds of
rock.

Safety

• The materials are nontoxic, but you should still be careful not to taste or inhale
them.

• Wear safety goggles.

Tips and Tricks

• You can use a pH meter or pH paper to test the acidity of the water you are using
in this activity to see how well it models neutral water. Neutral water has a pH of
7 (making it neither acidic nor basic). Tap water tends to have a pH of between
6.0 and 8.5.

• Playground or sandbox sand can be purchased at a landscaping-supply or

home-improvement store.

• Make sure the chalk you use contains calcium carbonate. Extruded chalkboard
chalk (meant to minimize the production of dust) is often made up of calcium
carbonate. Molded chalk, which is harder and grittier and meant for use on a
sidewalk, is often made up of calcium sulfate. You can determine which kind of
 chalk you have by placing a small piece in a cup of vinegar. Calcium carbonate
will react with the acetic acid in vinegar to produce bubbles, but calcium sulfate
will not react. (Note that chalkboard chalk contains other ingredients that may not
dissolve.)

• To produce crushed chalk, put one or two pieces of chalk in an envelope or small
paper bag. Fold the bag closed and place it on a cutting board. Use a rolling pin
to break and crush the chalk.

• Vinegar is used to model rainwater because it is an acidic solution. Rainwater

typically has a pH of between 5.0 and 5.5. Carbonated water, such as seltzer and
sparkling water, can have a pH ranging from 4.5 to 6.0. Vinegar has a pH of
about 2.5 and is a stronger acid than carbonic acid. It will produce results that are
more easily observed during the time you have. You could also use carbonated
water.

• Do not dispose of undissolved solids down the sink. Catch all wastewater
mixtures first in cups or a plastic tub. Then pour them through a strainer, a coffee
filter, or paper towels to separate the solid materials from the liquid. Solid
materials can then be thrown in the trash, and clear wastewater solutions can be
poured down the sink.

Materials

When selecting the materials that you will use for this lab, consider the best way to
conserve Earth's resources. For example, whenever possible, choose materials that
are easily reusable or recyclable.

NOTE: You do not need these materials in order to complete the dry lab.

• safety goggles

• tap water

• vinegar
 • 6 clear plastic cups

• teaspoon

• playground sand

• table salt (sodium chloride)

• crushed white chalkboard chalk (containing calcium carbonate)

• paper towels

• plastic tub (for collecting wastewater)

Optional Additional Materials for Part 2

• carbonated water, such as unflavored seltzer or sparkling water

• eyedropper or pipette

• coffee filters

• laboratory balance or kitchen scale

• graduated cylinder

• plastic plates or shallow trays

Procedure

Part 1: Observing Solution (12 points)

1. Label your six clear plastic cups according to the chart below.

Cup 1 Cup 2 Cup 3 Cup 4 Cup 5 Cup 6

Liquid Water Vinegar Water Vinegar Water Vinegar

Solid Sand Sand Salt Salt Chalk Chalk

2. Put half a teaspoon of the specified solid in each cup: sand in cups 1 and 2, salt in
cups 3 and 4, and chalk in cups 5 and 6.

3. Add water to cup 1 until it is half-full. Stir the mixture. Observe what happens.
Does any bubbling occur? If so, how much? If bubbling occurs, wait until it stops. Do
you see a difference in the amount of solid present? What does that tell you about
whether any of the solid dissolved in the liquid? Record your observations in the
data table. Repeat this process with the remaining cups, using water or vinegar,
according to the table in Step 1. Be sure to dry the spoon with a paper towel
between mixtures.

Sample data:

Cup 1 Cup 2 Cup 3 Cup 4 Cup 5 Cup 6

Water + Vinegar Water + Vinegar + Water + Vinegar

Mixture sand + sand salt salt chalk + chalk

No
bubbles
occur. There
The are
mixture many
turns bubbles.
No No cloudy. Most of
bubbles bubbles There is the solid
occur. occur. No bubbles No bubbles still a lot is gone
All the All the occur. All occur. All of solid after the
sand sand the salt the salt at the bubbling
Observations remains. remains. disappears. disappears. bottom. stops.

Did any solid

dissolve? No No Yes Yes No Yes

4. Pour clear solutions into your wastewater collection tub. Do not pour mixtures
containing pieces of undissolved sand, salt, or chalk into the sink. Instead, first pour
these mixtures through paper towels or coffee filters to collect solids, then dispose of
the solids in the trash. Rinse and dry the plastic cups for reuse in Part 2.
 5. Answer the analysis questions for Part 1 before moving on to Part 2 of the lab
activity.

Analyze Data and Draw Conclusions (20 points)

1. Which material in the lab represents each of these parts of the Earth system? (4
points)

• Rainwater (water with dissolved CO2):Waters ability to dissolve different kinds of rocks is weather
• Quartz (silicon dioxide): NaCI are minerals dissolved by plainwater
• Halite (sodium chloride): Minerals do not undergo solution
• Limestone (calcium carbonate): Minerals are dissolved by rainwater.

2. Use the data from Part 1 to answer these questions and form a conclusion about
water's ability to dissolve different kinds of rock.

Which minerals are dissolved by plain water?

Which minerals are dissolved by rainwater?
Which minerals do not undergo solution?
How do you know whether solution is occurring?
Are all kinds of rock equally chemically weathered by water?

Support your claims with evidence from your observations. (12 points)

Only sedimentary rocks are chemically weathered by water. Minerals do not undergo the
solution is Halite (sodium chloride). NaCI are minerals dissolved by plain water, the
considerable portions o silicon dioxide determined withinside the earth's crust are enough
to fulfill commercial needs.
3. How do you think rainwater is affecting the parts of Earth's surface that contain
rocks made of the three types of minerals you modeled in this activity? (4 points)

Rainwater is affecting the parts of the earth's surface that contain rocks through
what is referred to as physical weathering

Part 2: Investigating Water's Effect on Weathering and Erosion (20

points)

1. Use what you learned in Part 1 to design an investigation. Your investigation

should explore how water's properties as a solvent affect the weathering and erosion
of different kinds of rock on Earth's surface. Answer the following questions to guide
your experimental design:

• What scientific question would you like to explore in your investigation? (3 points)

How does NaCI minerals dissolve by plain water?

• How will you investigate the answer to this question? What kind of test will you
carry out? One idea for a test could be to drip water onto certain materials and
then measure the mass of the remaining material to see how much solution has
occurred. Another idea would be to set up a sloped tray of various mineral
materials to see how dripping water causes erosion on a slope. Describe your
idea. If it helps, include a drawing of your setup. (6 points)

Drip water onto certain materials and then measure the mass of the
remaining material to see how much solution is left

• In a controlled experiment, you change one variable while keeping all other
variables constant for each test or experimental setup. That way, you know that
any differences in results are due to the one variable that was changed. In your
investigation, which variable will you change for each test? Which variables will
stay the same? What observations will you make — that is, what kinds of
measurements will you take to help you compare the results of the tests? (6
points)

The variable I would change for each test would be the amount of water it
takes to dissolve the mineral.
2. Think about the conclusions you drew from Part 1 that led you to design this
experimental investigation. What results do you predict for your investigation? What
evidence from Part 1 led you to this prediction? (5 points)

The mineral dissolves completely.

3. If possible and with your teacher's approval, carry out your investigation. Make a
data table and record your observations there. Make a note of any unusual or
missing data that might be caused by experimental error.

4. When you have finished making your observations, follow the instructions in Step
4 of the procedure for Part 1 of this lab to safely dispose of any waste materials.

Analyze Data and Draw Conclusions (10 points)

1. Weathering is the breaking down of rock. Erosion is the wearing away of rock so
that it is moved from its original location. Which parts of your experimental
investigation modeled the weathering of rock by water? Which parts modeled the
erosion of rock by water? What kinds of weathering did you model? (5 points)

The weather that was modeled is rainwater.

2. Do you think the results of your investigation could be compared to weathering
and erosion of rock in the natural world? Why or why not? How is your experimental
setup different from real-world conditions? Is there a way that you could improve
your setup to better match the real world? (5 points)

The setup I could've used to imitate the real world is actual rainwater and a pail
used to water plants. It's different from the actual circumstance because its tap
water poured until the mineral is dissolved.

Complete the Lab Activity

Submit this worksheet to your teacher.

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2.3.2 Lab: Investigating How Water Affects Earth's Rock