Sinkhole

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sinkhole

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary geomorphic process?Karstification, involving the dissolution of soluble bedrock by acidic groundwater
2. What is the triggering mechanisms?Changes in groundwater levels, increased surface loading, seismic activity, or natural erosion
3. How do sinkholes form?Sinkholes form when rainwater, which has become slightly acidic, dissolves limestone or other soluble rocks underground, making big holes. When the ground above can’t hold the void, it collapses.
4. Why do sinkholes happen more in some places?Places with lots of limestone or gypsum and plenty of rain are more likely to have sinkholes. Also, if people build heavy structures or change water levels, sinkholes can happen more often.

Doline: A term for an enclosed depression in karst topography, often synonymous with sinkhole.
Suffosion: The gradual removal of subsurface material by percolating water, leading to subsidence.
Karst Topography: A landscape characterized by soluble rocks, underground drainage, and features like sinkholes and caves.
LiDAR: Light Detection and Ranging, a remote sensing method used to map terrain with high accuracy.