Explain how temperature causes physical weathering of rocks?
Ice wedging (also caused frost wedging) also causes weathering of rocks. The steps of ice wedging are listed below.
Cracks form in rocks.
___________ seeps into the cracks.
The water in the rocks _____________ and forms _________.
The ice expands and causes cracks and holes in the rock to ___________.
Eventually, the rocks ____________ apart.
Temperature causes physical weathering of rocks through a process known as thermal expansion and contraction. As the temperature changes, different minerals in the rock expand and contract at different rates, causing stress on the rock's structure. Over time, with repeated cycles of heating and cooling, this stress can cause the rock to crack and break apart.
In the case of ice wedging, you can fill in the blanks as follows:
1. Cracks form in rocks.
2. Water seeps into the cracks.
3. The water in the rocks freezes and forms ice.
4. The ice expands and causes cracks and holes in the rock to widen.
5. Eventually, the rocks break apart.
Ice wedging is most effective in climates that have many cycles of freezing and thawing. When water freezes, it expands by about 9%, exerting significant pressure on the surrounding rock. This pressure can be strong enough to fracture the rock and cause it to break apart over time. This cycle can be repeated many times, with water entering the new cracks, freezing, expanding, and gradually causing the rock to disintegrate into smaller pieces.