Preventing erosion · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.
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Preventing erosion

Science · Earth's Systems · ages 7-8
Name ______________________   Date ____________
  1. Wind can never change the shape of land.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. Which action is an example of erosion?

    • Water freezing in a rock crack
    • Wind carrying soil across a field
    • A root pushing a crack wider
  3. Which of these is a solution people use to slow erosion?

    • Planting grass so its roots hold soil
    • Removing grass from the slope
    • Pouring more water down the slope
  4. A windbreak is a row of trees or a fence. How can it reduce wind erosion?

    • It slows wind near loose soil
    • It adds water to the soil
    • It blows soil away from the field
  5. Matching model hills receive equal amounts of water for the same length of time. Only their protection differs. Adults collect, dry and weigh all soil washed out. The chart shows the same results in grams (g) for all three tests. Which design protects best in these tests?

    No cover18Wall6Plants11
    • No cover, because the largest mass washed out
    • Plants, because less washed out than with no cover
    • Wall, because the least soil washed out
  6. A class compares bare and planted model hills. Which plan makes the rain test fair?

    • Use different slopes and pour equal water
    • Use matching hills and equal water for equal time
    • Use matching hills but pour water only on the bare one
  7. Equal rain carries soil away from matching model slopes. At marked spots, the surface drops 9 cm without plants and 3 cm with plants. How many fewer centimeters does it drop with plants?

    No plants9Withplants3

    Answer: ______________

  8. Ravi says a wall and grass protect soil in exactly the same way, so comparing them is unnecessary. Which reply explains why testing helps?

    • They work in the same way, so comparing them adds nothing
    • Grass cannot protect soil, so test only walls
    • They work differently, so compare their test results
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Preventing erosion W1-mt_m6UaSmrQVG-s1

  1. False · Wind can pick up and move loose sand or soil, changing the shape of land.
  2. Wind carrying soil across a field · Erosion involves transport. Wind carrying loose soil away is an example.
  3. Planting grass so its roots hold soil · Roots from grass and trees grip the soil and help keep it in place.
  4. It slows wind near loose soil · A windbreak slows wind near the soil, which can reduce the amount carried away.
  5. Wall, because the least soil washed out · The wall model lost 6 g, less than 11 g with plants or 18 g with no cover. Losing the least soil shows the best protection in these tests, not in every place.
  6. Use matching hills and equal water for equal time · Matching hills and equal water help test plant cover rather than differences in soil, slope or rain.
  7. 6 · Subtract the smaller drop from the larger: 9 minus 3 is 6 cm.
  8. They work differently, so compare their test results · A retaining wall holds soil back, while roots help bind soil. Tests compare how designs perform in particular conditions.
Worksheet · LightMySky