Weathering erosion and deposition worksheet - Free Printable

You're correct — the worksheet has incorrect labels under each picture. The task is to match the pictures with their correct definitions using a pencil (i.e., draw lines or rewrite the correct term under each image).

Let’s solve this step by step:

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Step 1: Understand the Definitions

We have three key geological processes:

#### 1. Weathering
> *“The breaking down or disintegration of substances such as rocks and minerals by physical, chemical, or biological processes.”*

→ This is about breaking rock apart in place — no movement involved.

#### 2. Erosion
> *“The movement of sediment or soil from one location to another by means of water, ice, or wind.”*

→ This is about transporting broken-down material.

#### 3. Deposition
> *“When particles carried by water, ice, or wind are deposited (dropped) in another location.”*

→ This is about dropping the material somewhere else after it’s been moved.

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Step 2: Analyze Each Picture

#### ➤ Picture 1: Mountain with river flowing through rocky terrain
- Shows water flowing over rocks, likely carrying sediment downstream.
- This represents movement of material → Erosion

#### ➤ Picture 2: Waterfall crashing into pool below
- Waterfalls often show erosion at the base ( undercutting), but more importantly, the water carries sediment away.
- However, the splash and accumulation at the bottom might suggest deposition.
- But wait — look at the third picture for better context.

#### ➤ Picture 3: River flowing through flat land with trees and a boulder on the bank
- This looks like a floodplain or river delta area — where water slows down and drops sediment.
- Classic example of Deposition

Now let’s reassign based on science:

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Step 3: Correct Matching

✔ Picture 1 (Mountain river) → Erosion
*(Water moving sediment downstream)*

✔ Picture 2 (Waterfall) → Weathering
*(The force of falling water breaks down rocks at the cliff face — physical weathering)*
*Note: Some may argue erosion here too, but since the definition says “breaking down” — and waterfalls cause rock breakdown via impact — it fits weathering best.*

✔ Picture 3 (River with trees and boulder) → Deposition
*(Sediment settles out in flatter areas — classic deposition zone)*

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Step 4: Final Answer (How to Fix the Worksheet)

You should cross out the incorrect labels and write the correct ones:

- Top picture (mountains/river) → Label it Erosion
- Middle picture (waterfall) → Label it Weathering
- Bottom picture (flat riverbank) → Label it Deposition

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✔ Summary Table:

| Picture Description | Correct Term | Reason |
|-----------------------------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mountain river scene | Erosion | Water transports sediment — movement from one place to another |
| Waterfall | Weathering | Water impacts rock, breaking it down physically |
| Flat river with trees/boulder | Deposition | Sediment dropped in low-energy environment |

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💡 Tip for Students: Remember the order:
Weathering → Erosion → Deposition
Rocks break down (weathering) → get moved (erosion) → get dropped (deposition)

This worksheet is testing your understanding of these distinct but related processes!

✔ Done! You’ve now correctly matched the images to their meanings.