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Questions for Discussion: The Grand Canyon: How It Formed
- Although the Colorado River has obviously cut down through the layers of rock, why were scientists unsure that this explained how some areas of the Grand Canyon formed?
- What clues suggest that the river acts as a "freight train" carrying rock out through the Grand Canyon?
- What type of event would trigger a debris flow such as the one shown in the video?
- How do scientists explain the observation that the Grand Canyon is far wider than the river itself?
- Design an experiment in which you can demonstrate the erosive nature of moving water.
- If you have access to a stream table, make a model that shows how water flowing through a side canyon can sweep debris into a main river, which washes it away.
