THE HYPOTHESIS: One or more major landforms of the NY City Area formed due to the more rapid wearing away of areas underlain by non-resistant materials and less rapid wearing away of areas underlain by resistant materials. THE PREDICTION: If the hypothesis is correct for the one or more landforms of the NY City region, then certain predictions may be made. For example, if some or all of the high areas and low areas in the NY City region are the result of differential erosion, it may be predicted that there are areas in which higher elevations will be found to be underlain by more resistant material than is present underneath adjacent areas with lower elevations. If this prediction is fulfilled, then the hypothesis is supported and strengthened. If the prediction is not bourne out, then the hypothesis is contradicted and weakened.

©2001
David J. Leveson