The characteristic of water that is responsible for frost wedging is its ability to expand when it freezes. When water seeps into cracks in rocks and then freezes, it expands by about 9% in volume. This expansion exerts significant pressure on the surrounding rock, gradually widening the cracks. Over time, repeated freeze-thaw cycles can lead to the breakage and fragmentation of the rock, a process known as frost wedging or freeze-thaw weathering.
Which describes a characteristic of water that is responsible for frost wedging?
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