What is weathering?

What is weathering?

• A. The movement of rocks from one place to another.
• B. The formation of rocks from molten material.
• C. The erosion of soil to deeper layers.
• D. The breakdown of rocks at or near Earth's surface by physical, chemical, or biological processes.

Answer: (D)

Weathering is the breakdown of rocks at or near Earth’s surface by physical, chemical, or biological processes. That means rocks are worn down in place, through mechanical forces like freeze-thaw cycles or abrasion; chemical changes such as dissolving minerals or forming new ones; and living organisms, like plant roots splitting rock or lichens slowly corroding surfaces. The key idea is that the rock is being altered where it sits, not moved to a new spot. This differs from erosion, which involves the transport and removal of weathered material by water, wind, or ice. The other scenarios describe rocks moving, forming from molten material, or being removed through erosion, rather than in-place breakdown.

Weathering is the breakdown of rocks at or near Earth’s surface by physical, chemical, or biological processes. That means rocks are worn down in place, through mechanical forces like freeze-thaw cycles or abrasion; chemical changes such as dissolving minerals or forming new ones; and living organisms, like plant roots splitting rock or lichens slowly corroding surfaces. The key idea is that the rock is being altered where it sits, not moved to a new spot. This differs from erosion, which involves the transport and removal of weathered material by water, wind, or ice. The other scenarios describe rocks moving, forming from molten material, or being removed through erosion, rather than in-place breakdown.