Candy Weathering and Erosion

Day after day, the rocks on the surface of the earth are worn down by water, ice, wind, and chemicals.  The process of weathering breaks down rocks so that they can be carried away by agents of erosion.  Weathering is either mechanical, in which rocks are broken down through an external force, or chemical, where rocks are broken down through a chemical reaction and change.

As these rocks are broken down into smaller pieces, natural forces like eater, wind, ice, and gravity transport these smaller rocks and soil to other places. The movement of these earth materials is called erosion.   Weathering and erosion occur constantly and they gradually cause mountain peaks to smooth, hills to flatten, and canyons to deepen.   Every rock on the surface of the earth will be different tomorrow than it is today.   

Using candy to represent rocks, we can model the processes of weathering and erosion.  Physical weathering can be modeled by scraping pieces of candy rocks against each other and observing the wear and tear on the surface of the rocks.  Chemical weathering can be modeled by adding drops of vinegar to the surface of the candy rocks.  Finally, erosion can be modeled by the dissolving and diffusion of the candy rocks when water is added to the bottom surface.