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In a paragraph, describe how plant roots could break rocks.

This is a question that I could not answer or figure out myself. I hope we can all try to find useful information and answers to make this question more understand.

I googled and this is what I came up with. It is long because it covers ALL types of weathering, of which rocks being broken apart by plant roots is just one. Here is the link. I will follow that with a second section that is a little more succinct

.https://www2.paradisevalley.edu/~douglass/v_trips/wxing/introduction_files/vegetation.html

This is a section from a longer link (I couldn't find the link) but here is the summary.

"Rocks are pulled down and grind against each other during a rock slide, creating smaller and smaller rock fragments. ... Roots grow into cracks in the rocks, as the roots grow, they press on the sides of the crack, making it wider until it breaks apart (example - tree roots breaking up the sidewalk)."

Thank you so much "DrBob222"! I could not have answered my question without you! Thank you so much.

Plant roots have the remarkable ability to break rocks through a process known as physical weathering. This occurs due to the growth of roots, which exert pressure on the rocks. Firstly, plant roots grow in search of water and nutrients, and as they elongate, they encounter obstacles such as rocks. As the roots grow, they exert force against the rocks, causing them to crack and break. Additionally, some plant species produce chemicals, such as weak acids or enzymes, that aid in the breakdown of minerals in rocks, further facilitating their disintegration. Over time, as roots continue to grow and exert pressure, coupled with weathering agents like rain, wind, and temperature fluctuations, the rocks gradually disintegrate into smaller fragments. Ultimately, plant roots play a crucial role in the process of rock breakdown, contributing to soil formation and the availability of essential nutrients for plants to thrive.