Background: Mechanical weathering increases the rate of chemical weathering. As rock breaks into smaller pieces, the surface area of the pieces increases. With more surfaces exposed, there are more places for chemical weathering to occur. Let’s say you wanted to make some hot chocolate on a cold day. It would be hard to get a big chunk of chocolate to dissolve in your milk or hot water. Maybe you could make hot chocolate from some smaller pieces like chocolate chips, but it is much easier to add a powder to your milk. This is because the smaller the pieces are, the more surface area they have. Smaller pieces dissolve more easily.

Situation: Sue and Ann were both having a glass of ice tea. Sue put 2 cubes of sugar into her tea. Ann decided to use granulated sugar and added the same amount of sugar to her tea. They both gave their tea a stir to dissolve the sugar before enjoying it.

Question: Who's tea was ready faster.

Situation: Sue and Ann were both having a glass of ice tea. Sue put 2 cubes of sugar into her tea. Ann decided to use granulated sugar and added the same amount of sugar to her tea. They both gave their tea a stir to dissolve the sugar before enjoying it.

Question: Who's tea was ready last?

Situation: Sue and Ann were both having a glass of ice tea. Sue put 2 cubes of sugar into her tea. Ann decided to use granulated sugar and added the same amount of sugar to her tea. They both gave their tea a stir to dissolve the sugar before enjoying it.

Question: Who's tea needed to be stirred longer?

Situation: Sue and Ann were both having a glass of ice tea. Sue put 2 cubes of sugar into her tea. Ann decided to use granulated sugar and added the same amount of sugar to her tea. They both gave their tea a stir to dissolve the sugar before enjoying it.

Question: Who's tea needed to be stirred lless?

Situation: Jane and Beth both decided to have a glass of ice tea. Beth put a large chunk of ice in her glass then poured the tea while Jane use crushed ice.

Question: Whose ice has more exposed surface area?

Situation: Jane and Beth both decided to have a glass of ice tea. Beth put a large chunk of ice in her glass then poured the tea while Jane use crushed ice.

Question: Whose ice has less exposed surface area?

Situation: Jane and Beth both decided to have a glass of ice tea. Beth put a large chunk of ice in her glass then poured the tea while Jane use crushed ice.

Question: Whose ice will melt faster?

Situation: Jane and Beth both decided to have a glass of ice tea. Beth put a large chunk of ice in her glass then poured the tea while Jane use crushed ice.

Question: Whose ice will melt slower?

Situation: Jane and Beth both decided to have a glass of ice tea. Beth put a large chunk of ice in her glass then poured the tea while Jane use crushed ice.

Question: If Beth breaks up her chunk of ice will it melt slower or faster??

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let their melt on it's own.

Question: Will Jane or Ann's chocolate melt faster?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let their melt on it's own.

Question: Will Jane or Beth's chocolate melt faster?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let their melt on it's own.

Question: Will Beth or Ann's chocolate melt faster?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let their melt on it's own.

Question: Does the grated or whole chocolate have more surface area exposed to the heat?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let their melt on it's own.

Question: Does Beth or Ann's chocolate have more surface area?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let their melt on it's own.

Question: Does Jane or Ann's chocolate have more surface area?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let their melt on it's own.

Question: Is stirring mechanical or chemical weathering?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let their melt on it's own.

Question: Did grating increase or decrease the surface area?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let theirs melt on it's own.

Question: Would chopping her chocolate make Ann's chocolate melt faster or slower?

Situation: Beth, Jane and Ann were making chocolate eggs for their churches Easter sale. They decided to make three batches s of chocolate coating. They all started with a chunk of chocolate that needed to be melted in a double boiler.  Beth and Jane grated their chocolate first. Ann just threw the hole chunk into the double boiler. Beth stirred her chocolate while Jane and Ann let theirs melt on it's own.

Question: Who's chocolate will melt the fastest?