Name________________________Date______________________Period________________

Effect Of Temperature on Physical/Chemical Weathering

Introduction:
As you know from your reading, weathering is the break-up of rock resulting from exposure to the earths
atmosphere. Weathering occurs due to either mechanical or chemical processes. Mechanical weathering
takes place when rocks are broken apart by physical activities such as ice wedging or biological actions of
plants and animals. Chemical weathering is generally caused by hydrolysis, oxidation or dissolving-chemical
reactions that alter and break down rocks.
Problem: What effect (if any) does temperature have on chemical and mechanical weathering?
Materials:
Triple Beam Balance
250 mL Beaker
Alka-Seltzer Tablets(3)
Hot Plate

Graduated Cylinder
Chalk
Empty Gatorade Bottle
Thermometer

Tongs
Flask


1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Procedure:
Part 1:
Put 100 mL of water at room temperature into a 250 mL beaker. Measure the temperature of the water
Take an antacid tablet and put it in the beaker. Measure the amount of time it takes for the tablet to
completely dissolve
Rinse out the beaker and put another 100 mL of water into the beaker. Put the beaker on a hot plate and
leave it there for 10 minutes
Carefully remove the beaker from the hot plate with tongs. Measure the temperature of the water
Take an antacid tablet and put it in the beaker of hot water and measure how long it takes for the tablet to
completely dissolve.
Rinse out the beaker and fill the beaker with ice up to the 50 mL mark. Fill the rest of the beaker with water
up to the 100 mL mark. Measure the temperature of the water
Take an antacid tablet and put it in the beaker of cold water and measure how long it takes for the tablet to
completely dissolve.
Record your observations

Part 2:
Take a piece of chalk and measure the mass of it with a triple beam balance
Place the chalk in an empty Gatorade bottle.
Measure out 150 mL of water from the sink. Measure the temperature of the water
Put the water into the Gatorade bottle
5. Shake the bottle up for 5 minutes, and measure the mass of the chalk every minute. Record your
measurements
6. Rinse out the Gatorade bottle and throw the chalk away.
7. Take another piece of chalk and measure the mass of it with a triple beam balance. Place it in the Gatorade
bottle
8. Measure out another 150 mL of water. Place the beaker full of water on a hot plate for 10 minutes. Measure
the temperature of the water
9. Pour the water into the Gatorade bottle
10. Shake the bottle up for 5 minutes and measure the mass of the chalk every minute. Record your
measurements. Be sure not to pour the water down the drain!
11. Rinse out the Gatorade bottle and throw the chalk away
12. Take another piece of chalk and measure the mass with a triple beam balance
13. Take the beaker and fill it up to the 75 mL mark with ice. Fill in the rest of the beaker with water until it
reaches the 150 mL mark. Record the temperature
14. Pour the water into the Gatorade bottle.
15. Shake the bottle up for 5 minutes, and measure the mass of the chalk every minute. Record your
measurements. Be sure not to pour the water out after each trial.
16. Rinse out the Gatorade bottle and throw the chalk away

Data:
Data for part 1: Effect of temperature on chemical weathering
Tri Temperatu Time for the
Observations
al
re of the
table to
water
dissolve
Ro

om
Te

mp
wat
er
Hot

wat
er

Col
d
wat
er

Measurement
Temperature of the
water
Initial mass of the
chalk
Mass of the chalk
after 1 minute
Mass of the chalk
after 2 minutes
Mass of the chalk
after 3 minutes
Mass of the chalk
after 4 minutes
Mass of the chalk
after 5 minutes
Observations
(describe what you
see over a 5 minute
period)
Questions:

Data for Part 2: Effect of temperature on physical weathering

Room temp

Hot temp

Cold Temp

1. In part 1 what was the independent variable (what did you change)? What was the dependent variable
(what were you measuring)?
Independent:
Dependent:

2. In part 2 what was the independent variable? What was the dependent variable?
Independent:
Dependent:

3. How did the mass and shape of the chalk change after each minute?

4. What might happen to the size and shape of the chalk if you shook it for 3 hours?

5. Use the following formula to determine the percent change in mass of the chalk for each of the 3 trials.
(Change in mass/initial mass) X 100%. Show your work:

Room temperature:

Hot water:

Cold water:

6. In part 1 what differences did you notice in the rates of weathering between the 3 temperature trials?

7. What reasons can you give for differences in reaction rates in part 1?

8. What type of weathering does adding the tablets to water represent, chemical or physical? Explain your
answer.