We asked kids visiting the Hall of Planet Earth the questions below.
To read their answers, plus the answers of our
scientist, click on the questions below or just scroll down.
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Michelle, age 12 |
"Because when it falls into the water, the water makes many movements. The movements affect
the rocks. The water moves so much that the rocks turn smooth." - Michelle, age 12
"...Because the water rubs the rock." - Thomas, age 9
"The water will weather it down by eroding it." - Devon, age 9 |
All of your answers were right. A rock turns smooth in a river because the water tumbles the rock around which causes sharp edges
to break off. Also, rocks may bang against one another, and smooth down the rock.
Did you know that you can tell how far a rock is from its source by the texture of the rock? In most cases, the farther a rock is from its source,
the smoother it will be.
When determining how far a rock is from is source, scientists take into account the speed of the water and the kind of rock. Other factors are the original size of the rock and how long the rock has been in the water but scientists usually don't have this information.
Geologically Yours,
Margaret Carruthers |
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Gabriela, age 9 |
"Yes, water can break rocks because water is strong and can break
things."
- Gabriela, age 9
"I think [it] can, because many things in this world contain pressure. Since water has pressure, the pressure can push or damage it. So
then it breaks."
- Michelle, age 12
"Yes, because if a strong tide came along, it could probably break a newly formed rock."
- Melissa, age 11
"If the wave is strong enough, it can break or damage the rock."
- Anibal, age 11 |
Yes,
these are all ways that water can break rocks.
Another way is by frost cracking. Water seeps into the cracks of a rock, and then when the water freezes, it expands inside the rock and breaks it.
Engineers also use water pressure for some forms of mining.
Geologically Yours,
Margaret Carruthers |
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Thomas, age 9 |
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"Because some of the rocks are really old and some could be a fossil. I would collect all
kinds of colored rocks, and shape, and size." - Thomas, age 9
"Once I collected rocks in my backyard to see what kind of rock formation that it used to have. I collected ten different rocks, and I
classified them. I got interested because of the formations. I thought it was cool because I got to learn more about rocks." - Michelle, age 12
"I would be interested because some rocks are shiny and nice, and maybe because I could pass it down and my kids or their kids can keep a record
for me." - Ana, age 12
"I thought it was cool because they were so nice and looked pretty. I used to keep it in a box, in my room." - Lauren, age 10
"I collected them because I really like how they looked--especially birthstones because they are shiny-smooth-cool and anyway they really helped
me out in Science Class. And the colors are awesome!!" - Devon, age 9
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Devon, age 9
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"Almost three or four years ago, there was a really strong snowstorm. The snow was too
rough, and nobody could even try to go outside. As soon as the storm was over, people tried to go outside, but it was hard because there was four feet
deep of snow. I was small in that year, so in order to get through, I had to throw myself on the snow to be able to go through."
- Michelle, age 12
"When I was in a snowstorm, I was in my house, and I did not go to school. I was not scared and when it stopped, I went to play
in the snow."
- Nico, age 10 |
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Anibal, age 11 |
"I was in a rainstorm. I went running into my building and I
was soaking wet!"
-Ana, age 12
"I was in a bad storm and everything was flying everywhere--I was scared. I saw a house move. This was in my
country, Colombia."
-Anibal, age 11 |
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"I was very scared. This happened when I was little and I thought that it
was the end of the world. We had to run out of my grandmother's house. It was a rather small earthquake, and we went back into the house. This
happened in California."
- Jose, age 13 |
Jose, age 13 |
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