How can plants cause weathering?Sprouting seeds and growing roots can cause rocks to break.

Question

Sprouting seeds and growing roots can cause rocks to break.

Plants attract animals, and animals can burrow into rocks.
Plants attract animals, and animals can burrow into rocks.

Chemical reactions in plants change rocks and break them into smaller pieces.
Chemical reactions in plants change rocks and break them into smaller pieces.

Plants need water, and water can weather rocks.

Answer 1

Plants can contribute to weathering in several ways:

1. Root Growth: As seeds sprout and roots grow, they can penetrate crevices and fissures in rocks. The physical pressure exerted by expanding roots can cause rocks to break apart.

2. Animal Attraction: Plants can attract animals, such as rodents or other burrowing creatures. These animals can burrow into the soil and rocks, further breaking them down and contributing to weathering.

3. Chemical Weathering: Plants engage in various chemical processes that can alter rocks. For instance, the organic acids produced by decaying plant matter can react with minerals in the rocks, leading to chemical weathering and breaking them down into smaller pieces.

4. Water Absorption: Plants require water for growth. Their roots absorb water, which can increase the moisture content in the soil. Additionally, the presence of water is a key factor in both physical and chemical weathering processes, as it can seep into rocks and promote breakdown.

Each of these mechanisms illustrates how plants play a crucial role in the weathering process, contributing to soil formation and landscape changes over time.

Answer 2

which one

Answer 3

Here are the options you provided, with a brief evaluation of each to identify which ones correctly describe how plants can cause weathering:

1. Sprouting seeds and growing roots can cause rocks to break.

   • Correct: This accurately describes how the physical expansion of plant roots can penetrate rock crevices and contribute to breaking them apart.

2. Plants attract animals, and animals can burrow into rocks.

   • Partially Correct: While it's true that plants can attract animals, it's more relevant how the activities of these animals (like burrowing) in the surrounding soil affect weathering, rather than directly into rocks.

3. Chemical reactions in plants change rocks and break them into smaller pieces.

   • Correct: This statement reflects the process of chemical weathering that can occur through organic acids produced by plants and decaying plant matter.

4. Plants need water, and water can weather rocks.

   • Correct: This statement is also true, as the process of weathering is indeed influenced by water, which plants utilize, and it can promote both physical and chemical weathering of rocks.

In summary, the first, third, and fourth statements correctly describe how plants can cause weathering. The second statement is only partially relevant in the context of plants directly causing weathering.

Answer 4

only one

Answer 5

If you need to choose only one statement that best describes how plants can cause weathering, the most accurate choice is:

"Sprouting seeds and growing roots can cause rocks to break."

This succinctly captures the physical aspect of weathering caused by the growth of plant roots.