Physical weathering and erosion
I can describe the difference between physical weathering and erosion of rock and provide examples of each.
Physical weathering and erosion
I can describe the difference between physical weathering and erosion of rock and provide examples of each.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Weathering is the slow breakdown of rocks on Earth's surface. It happens while the rocks are ‘in place’.
- Erosion is the process that removes material from where bedrock has been broken down or weathered.
- Rock can be weathered biologically, chemically or physically.
- Rock can be eroded by the wind, rain, or by flowing streams and rivers, oceans, ice flows or gravity.
- Small changes caused by weathering and erosion can have large impacts over time.
Keywords
Weathering - The wearing down or breaking of rocks while they are in place. Weathering can be biological, chemical or physical.
Expansion - An increase in volume which happens when most solids get hotter, but also when water freezes to form ice.
Freeze-thaw - A physical weathering process whereby water seeps into cracks, freezes and expands. This gradually wedges open cracks until the rock breaks.
Erosion - The breakdown and removal of rock material by flowing water, wind, or moving ice.
Common misconception
Pupils equate 'weathering' as the breakdown of rock caused only by the 'weather'. They also tend to use 'weathering' and 'erosion' interchangeably.
Provide many opportunities for pupils to identify weathering from erosion or classify examples of weathering or erosion.
To help you plan your year 9 science lesson on: Physical weathering and erosion, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 9 science lesson on: Physical weathering and erosion, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 science lessons from the Carbon cycle and climate change unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Short section of guttering; soil, sand & pebble mixture; water; bucket to collect mixture at bottom of guttering.
Content guidance
- Risk assessment required - equipment
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
contain crystals that point in many directions
contain large crystals that are often in bands
may contain fragments of shells, fossils or grit cemented together
Exit quiz
6 Questions
Does not move fragments of rock to another location.
Fragments of rock are moved naturally to new locations.
Related to living organisms.
Related to chemical substances.
Related to forces acting upon materials.