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Experiments on Landforms

Landforms are geographical features on the surface of the earth that are formed completely naturally, such as valleys, plateaus, hills, plains, mountains and glaciers. The following experiments help to illustrate to students how some of these landforms are created and how different types of erosion help to change the shape of the landscape over time. They will also serve to instigate further thought and discussion.

Mountain Erosion
- This outdoor experiment illustrates to students how erosion causes mountains to form new, smaller landforms. Students should understand that real mountains are made up of far more solid materials than just soil, however. This experiment will still show the effects of erosion and deposition. Make a large mountain of dirt, then pour some water over it. As the water pours down the dirt pile, it will displace some of the dirt, the students can then take a close look and try to identify some of the landforms created.
Forming Valleys
- Students can create their own valleys with sand and water.
  
  Using sand and water, you can illustrate to students how the three different types of valleys form. For the v-shaped valley, create two sand mountains about an inch apart at one end of a sand-filled tray. Elevate the mountain end slightly and slowly pour a cup of water in between the mountains. For the river plain valley, repeat the procedure, but this time place the mountains with a much broader valley in between. Students will note how and where new valleys form. For the u-shaped valley, place the mountains about an inch apart and roll a cylindrical wooden block down them. This method illustrates glaciers carving out valleys while pushing sediment to the bottom of the mountain.
Rock Erosion
- This experiment illustrates how erosion causes rocks to break apart, changing the shape of landforms and forming new ones over time. Take two empty milk cartons with the top half cut away. Fill a balloon with water until it is around the size of a golf ball and secure the end. Pour plaster of Paris into the milk cartons, submerge the water balloon in one, then place both cartons in the freezer overnight. Students will find that the plaster containing the balloon has cracked, due to the expansion of the water as it froze. This is one way rocks can break apart.
Wind Forming Landforms
- Students will attempt to move a mini sand dune using "wind."
  
  In this experiment, you can illustrate to students how sand dunes form. Create a pile of sand, then gently blow on it. Ask the students to note what happens as you blow on the sand; does it create other, smaller sand dunes or simply disperse? Instruct each student to take a turn in blowing on the sand; is it possible to move the entire sand dune? Is this a slow or fast process?

Nature