It is called frost heave, frost wedging, and freeze/thaw cycle, an example of mechanical weathering. Cracks formed in rocks by the pressure of freezing allow water to penetrate further, and enlarge the crack when that water freezes, gradually reducing the size of the rock body.
The alternate freezing and thawing of soil and rock is called freeze thaw weathering.
ice wedges
Weathering
A+:
frost action
ice wedging
Mechanical
Freeze/thaw cycle doesn't create potholes. It creates cracks on pavement. Potholes form when water, whether from melting snow, rain or frost thawing gets into the cracks in the pavement and cause the road base to shift and develop voids just under the pavement. When this occurs, the weight of vehicles causes the pavement to crumble causing potholes.
When water in little fractures or cracks in a rock freezes, and since water expands when it freezes, it causes the crack to enlarge a little bit. The cycle of this happening over and over until the cracks are big enough to split the rock apart is Frost Wedging.
Wind, rain and ice are the three main causes of erosion. Sand carried on the wind acts like sandpaper; rain penetrating into cracks can, on freezing and expanding, split rocks into smaller pieces. Rivers and streams also contribute to erosion.
ice wedges
well it's under weathering and soil formation or weathering and erosin
ice wedging
Mechanical
A cycle of freezing and thawing can break down any rock, no matter how big or heavy it is. If water gets into small cracks, then freezes, it will expand and push the rock crystals apart.
Freeze/thaw cycle doesn't create potholes. It creates cracks on pavement. Potholes form when water, whether from melting snow, rain or frost thawing gets into the cracks in the pavement and cause the road base to shift and develop voids just under the pavement. When this occurs, the weight of vehicles causes the pavement to crumble causing potholes.
When water in little fractures or cracks in a rock freezes, and since water expands when it freezes, it causes the crack to enlarge a little bit. The cycle of this happening over and over until the cracks are big enough to split the rock apart is Frost Wedging.
It is one form of mechanical weathering. Freeze/thaw cycle. Frost heave.
There are several ways that rock is broken down. One of these is wind. Another is water, especially the cycle of freezing and thawing.
Wind, rain and ice are the three main causes of erosion. Sand carried on the wind acts like sandpaper; rain penetrating into cracks can, on freezing and expanding, split rocks into smaller pieces. Rivers and streams also contribute to erosion.
Freezing!
Yes, freezing and thawing does cause these things. This is known as freeze-thaw weathering. For an in depth description of the process:Water falls into a slight crack in a rock, or a bedding plane between rock strataOvernight the water freezes and expandsThe crack is forced to expand as the ice expanding is more powerful than the capability of the rock to resist stress.Over a number of nights the process is repeated.Eventually when the crack is great enough, a/some fragment/s or rock strata come loose and fall down the slope due to gravity.They fall down the slope, forming a scree slope/fanFor a road surface, apply the word 'road' in place of rock and remove advanced terms completely. Eliminate the second part of step 5 and the whole of step 6.**N.B.Not all cracks are formed by freeze-thaw weathering.