Weathering

• Weathering is the breakdown of rocks
• Chemical Weathering

  Rainwater and seawater can be a weak acid. If a coastline is made up of rocks such as limestone or chalk, over time they can become dissolved by the acid in the water.
• Carbonation occurs when slightly acidic (carbonic) rain or sea water comes into contact with sedimentary rock such as limestone and or chalk and causes it to dissolve. 
• Mechanical Weathering (Freeze Thaw)

  Step 1: Water enters the crack of the rock

  Step 2: Water inside the crack freezes and expands - becomes larger in volume- Which makes the rock's crack bigger.

  Step 3: The ice melts and the water goes deeper into the crack

  Step 4: This process of the crack getting deeper and larger repeats itself till the rock splits
• Biological Weathering

  Step 1: Plant roots can get into small cracks in the rock

  Step 2: As the roots grow, the cracks become larger

  Step 3: This causes small pieces of rock to break away