A few million years ago, volcanic eruptions caused a large region to be covered by lava. The lava eventually cooled, which resulted in the formation of large amounts of igneous rock. Most of the rock formed was basalt. Today, this region is covered by soil, most of which is a soil known as laterite. Which geologic process caused the rock to change into soil?

Question

A few million years ago, volcanic eruptions caused a large region to be covered by lava. The lava eventually cooled, which resulted in the formation of large amounts of igneous rock. Most of the rock formed was basalt. Today, this region is covered by soil, most of which is a soil known as laterite. Which geologic process caused the rock to change into soil?
 A. 
deposition
 B. 
transportation
 C. 
erosion
 D. 
weathering

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The correct answer is D. weathering.

Weathering is the process through which rocks break down into smaller particles or soil due to various factors like temperature changes, water, wind, and biological activity. In this case, the basalt rock underwent weathering to eventually form laterite soil.