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💬 Think about it
Think of pebbles on a riverbank. They came from big mountain rocks, broken down again and again by flowing rivers. So a rock can become sand. But can sand be broken even smaller? Let's find out how far matter can be divided.
Where do pebbles, stones, and sand come from?
- In the mountains, rocks slowly break down due to erosion.
- Rivers carry these broken rock pieces along.
- As rivers flow, they break the rocks down further.
- Big rocks become pebbles, then stones, then fine sand and clay.
Example:
The sand on a beach was once part of much bigger mountain rocks.
Important Points
- Rocks are broken down by erosion and flowing rivers.
- Big rocks become pebbles, stones, sand, and clay.
- This raises a question: what is the smallest unit of matter?
Important Definitions
- Erosion — the slow breaking down of rocks in nature, for example by rivers.
