Question

Can water change the land quickly, slowly, or both? Explain.

Answer 1

Answer: Yes, but slowly

Explanation: Flowing water causes sediment to move. Flowing water can erode both rocks and soil.

Materials can dissolve in water. With enough time, even rocks can be dissolved by water. This process happens really slowly. It may take over a million years to dissolve a rock. It doesn't matter how big the rock is. With enough time, flowing water can dissolve it.  Moving water also has the ability to move small pieces of rock and soil. How can water move a rock? Doesn't it need energy? Of course, water gets its energy because it is moving. Moving water has kinetic energy. Things that have more energy can do more work. When water stops moving it will have no energy. It will no longer be able to move the rock and soil. When this happens the rock and soil will settle to the bottom of the calm water. Scientists call this process deposition. Faster-moving water has more kinetic energy. Therefore, it can carry larger particles. It can also carry more particles. What causes water to move faster? The steeper the slope, the faster the water flows. It's just like a toy car rolling down a ramp. It will roll the fastest when the ramp is steep. It will roll slower when the ramp is less steep. If the ramp is flat, it may have no motion. The slope of the land causes water to move faster. If a stream or a river is flowing down a mountain, it will move more quickly. If it is flowing across a flat area, it will move slowly. Some minerals dissolve in water. The minerals are then carried along in the solution. Small particles, such as clay and silt, are carried in suspension. They are mixed throughout the water. These particles are not dissolved in the water. Somewhat bigger particles bounce along the bottom. Particles, such as sand, move in little jumps near the stream bottom. They are nudged along by moving water. The biggest particles move in a different way. They are too big to hop. Instead, they roll along the bottom.  Gravel and pebbles move in this way. These particles roll or drag along the bottom of the water.