Question

  

Canyon Formation

Geoscience processes change the surface of Earth at various time and spatial scales. Some processes, such as the uplift of mountain ranges, occur over a long period of time. Others, such as volcanic eruption, occur over a short period of time. Processes can be small in scale like the weathering of a rock, or large in scale like the motion of Earth's plates.

In the formation of a canyon, moving water breaks down rock that is then transported away. The Colorado River has been forming the Grand Canyon in the United States for about 6 million years. The Grand Canyon now covers about 1,900 square miles. The picture shows how a canyon can form over millions of years.



Multiple Choice Question

How will the Grand Canyon most likely look in one hundred years? 

A. 

It will look different because the processes that are forming it occur over a long time scale.

B. 

It will look different because the processes that are forming it occur over a short time scale. 

C. 

It will look the same because the processes that are forming it occur over a long time scale.

D. 

It will look the same because the processes that are forming it occur over a short time scale. 

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

C. It will look the same because the processes that are forming it occur over a long time scale.

Since the Grand Canyon has been formed over millions of years and the geological processes are gradual, significant changes in its appearance in just one hundred years are unlikely.