Question

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

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.

From left to right, the picture shows (1) a river with water flowing even with Earth's surface, (2) the river has worn away some earth and the water is flowing at a lower level than Earth's surface, and (3) the river has worn away even more earth and the water is flowing at a level much lower than Earth's surface.

Resize Columns
Question 15.



Which pair of processes is responsible for the formation of a canyon?


weathering and erosion


sedimentation and deposition


deposition and weathering


erosion and sedimentation

Answer 1

weathering and erosion

Moving water breaks down rock (weathering) and carries the particles away (erosion), carving the canyon over time.