A chunk of solid rock in the hand--let alone a snowy peak on the horizon--might seem permanent and unchanging, an indestructible bone of Earth. But both weathering and temperature change it. read more
By Ethan Shaw; Updated April 20, 2018 A chunk of solid rock in the hand--let alone a snowy peak on the horizon--might seem permanent and unchanging, an indestructible bone of Earth. read more
You can get a fair bit of weathering as a result of frost shattering in cooler climates (where the continual expansion and contraction of water/ice wedges rock material apart) when the temperature fluctuates around the freezing point. read more
Changes in temperature can affect weathering in a rock indirectly when water freezes, but they can also affect it directly due to changes in the rock itself. When a rock is exposed to sunlight, the temperature of the rock will increase and the rock itself will expand a little. read more
Temperature affects the rate and type of weathering. At high elevations, cold nighttime temperatures during much of the year can produce relentless freeze-thaw cycles. This process explains the presence of broken boulders and stony fragments that litter mountaintops. read more
Climate affects the rate of weathering in several ways: humidity, physical erosion and temperature all impact the rate at which rocks and earthen materials wear and fade. Climate influences weathering over short and longer periods of time. read more