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Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________
Science Notes: Unit 7: Chapter 9
Earth’s Changing Surface
Lesson 1: How does Earth’s surface wear away? (p. 317- 323)
VOCABULARY
landforms- natural land features on Earth’s surface
weathering- process of rocks in Earth’s crust slowly being broken into
smaller pieces
erosion- the process of carrying away weathered bits of rocks
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NOTES
Wind, water, ice, changes in temperature, and chemical changes can
weather, or break down, rock.
o During chemical weathering, chemicals cause rocks to change into
different materials and break down.
o In physical weathering, rocks are broken into smaller pieces of the
same kind of rock.
Erosion carries away weathered rock.
o A canyon is a landform that is the result of erosion, mainly caused
by flowing water.
Earth’s surface is divided into large pieces called plates.
o As the plates move slowly over time, it can cause volcanoes and
earthquakes.
o Volcanoes can rapidly change earth’s surface.
o Earthquakes occur along a fault, which is a break or crack in rocks
where Earth’s crust can move.
Look at the image. Explain what probably caused this valley.
The valley was probably caused by flowing water which
weathered the rock and land on the side of the river.
Then the currents carried the broken pieces away.
Name one landform made by erosion and one landform made by deposition.
Explain how each landform forms.
Some canyons form by erosion after a very long time as flowing water wears
away rock and picks up sediment along its course. Deltas can form where a
river flows into the ocean or a lake and sediment is deposited.
Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________
Science Notes: Unit 7: Chapter 9
Earth’s Changing Surface
Lesson 2: How are minerals classified? (p. 325- 329)
VOCABULARY
minerals- natural, nonliving solid crystals that make up rocks
luster- the way the surface of a mineral reflects light
hardness- how easily the surface of a mineral can be scratched
streak- the color of the powder that a mineral leaves when it is scratched
across a special plate
cleavage- property of minerals to break along smooth, flat surfaces
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NOTES
Some of the properties of minerals are: color, luster, hardness,
streak, shape, cleavage
o A streak test is useful for identifying a mineral because
even though a mineral might come in several colors, its
streak is almost always the same.
o A streak can be a different color than the mineral itself.
Lesson 3: How are rocks classified? (p. 331- 339)
VOCABULARY
Igneous rocks- rocks that form from molten rock
Sedimentary rocks- rocks that form when layers of sediments settle on top
of one another and harden
Metamorphic rocks- rocks that have changed as a result of heat and
pressure
NOTES
 Rocks are classified as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic, based
on how they form.
 A cycle of heat, pressure, and chemical reactions can change rocks.
o As lava cools, mineral crystals form.
 When lava cools quickly, the crystals that form are very
small.
o Magma cools slowly.
 When magma cools slowly, the crystals that form are
large.
 The mineral in this image shows crystals.
Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________
Science Notes: Unit 7: Chapter 9
Earth’s Changing Surface
A river carries weathered bits of rock downstream. The material settles in
layers at the mouth of the river. Predict which kind of rock would be most
common over time at the river’s mouth: sedimentary, igneous, or
metamorphic.
Sedimentary rock would be the most common. I know this because it forms
as layers of material settle and harden over time.
Lesson 4: What are the properties of soil? (p. 341- 345)
VOCABULARY
humus- a material in soil made up of decayed plants and animals
NOTES
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Humus helps plants grow.
Some properties of soil are color, texture, ability to hold water, and
ability to support plant growth.
o Soil with a rough, gritty texture has a lot of sand.
Describe how the amounts of sand, silt, and clay in soil affect plant growth.
The amounts of sand, silt, and clay in soil affect how well plants can soak up
water and nutrients and how easily plant roots can spread.
**Test will consist of material from notes, textbook, and questions from
handouts completed in class.**