NGSS.4-ESS2-1✓ Nunavut Department of Education AlignedAcademic Year 2026–27
Earth Systems: Rock Cycle, Water Cycle & Weather
Investigate how the hydrosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere interact through rainfall, weathering, and continental rock formation.
Why It Matters:Essential for climate resilience, soil conservation in agriculture, and water resource management.
Curated Video Instruction
● Verified Active EmbedSTEP-BY-STEP PROOF
Worked Example
Differentiate between mechanical weathering and chemical weathering:
1
Identify Mechanical Weathering mechanism
Physical breakdown (Freeze-Thaw)
Water enters rock fissures, freezes, expands by 9%, and wedges rock apart without changing mineral composition.
2
Identify Chemical Weathering mechanism
Chemical dissolution (Acid Rain / Carbonic Acid)
Atmospheric CO₂ dissolves into rainwater, reacting with calcium carbonate in limestone to form soluble bicarbonate.
3
Synthesize Earth system impact
Mechanical exposes surface area → Accelerates chemical rate
Both processes work synergistically to generate rich organic topsoil.
✓Verification Check
Confirm conservation of mass: Does weathering destroy rock matter?
Initial mass = Solid bed rock.
•
Final mass = Soil particles + dissolved ions (Matter is conserved).
⚠️ Common Pitfalls & Misconceptions
Confusing weathering with erosion
✗ Using weathering and erosion interchangeably✓ Weathering BREAKS DOWN rock in place; Erosion TRANSPORTS sediments via wind or water
Weathering is the in-situ breakdown; erosion is the movement.
INTERACTIVE DRILLS
Guided Practice
Practice Question1 of 1
Step-by-step Feedback
Which Earth sphere includes all of Earth’s liquid water, ice, and atmospheric water vapor?
MASTERY BENCHMARK
Official Assessment Quiz
Formal Assessment
Earth Systems: Rock Cycle, Water Cycle & Weather
Passing Criteria:70% or higher
Question 1 of 1
What process occurs when water changes from liquid to gas via solar heating?
Education to Career Navigation
Where This Lesson Leads
Geologists, Hydrologists, and Environmental Scientists monitor Earth dynamics to prevent natural hazard devastation.