How can temperature lead to weathering of rocks?

Question

1.Rocks move faster when they are heated,which can cause the pieces to eventually move away.
2.Rocks expand and contract when they are heated and cooled which cause them to break
3.Rocks become ice when they get cold,which can later melt and wash away
4.Rocks can melt when they become hot,which can lead to pieces breaking off

Answer 1

The statement that best explains how temperature leads to the weathering of rocks is:

2. Rocks expand and contract when they are heated and cooled, which causes them to break.

This process is known as thermal expansion and contraction. When rocks are heated, they expand, and when they cool, they contract. Repeated cycles of heating and cooling can create stress within the rock, leading to the formation of cracks and eventually causing the rock to break apart.

The other options do not accurately describe the weathering process related to temperature:

1. While movement of rocks can occur, it is not the primary mechanism of weathering due to temperature changes.
2. Rocks freezing (turning into ice) is not accurate; rather, water that seeps into cracks can freeze, causing expansion and potentially breaking the rock.
3. Rocks do not "melt" in the context of weathering due to temperature changes at the Earth's surface; melting typically occurs under extreme conditions, like in magma formation.