Ice wedging is mechanical weathering caused by water flowing into cracks and freezing which expands the water. The ice crack grows larger and larger as the water freezes which expands the water and melts in spring and freezes which makes the crack larger and then melts etc.
Information About Ice Wedges
An ice wedge is a crack in the ground formed by a narrow or thin piece of ice that measures anywhere from 3 to 4 meters wide and extends downwards into the ground up to 10 inches. During the winter months, the water in the ground freezes and expands. Once temperatures reach -17 degrees Celsius or colder, the ice that has already formed acts like a solid and contracts to form cracks in the surface known as ice wedges. As this process continues over many years, ice wedges can grow up to the size of a swimming pool. (from Wikipedia)
Because ice doesn't change the chemical make-up of a rock. It can however, when liquid, get into a crack in the rock and then freeze. When water freezes, it expands by about 9%. If you've ever had a can of soda explode on you in the freezer then you already know this. So if water gets in a crack in a rock and then freezes, it will expand breaking the rock open a little further each time. That is an example of how ice can cause mechanical weathering.
No. It is an example of physical (mechanical) weathering.
Ice wedging, is mechanical weathering.
mechanical weathering
No it's an agent of physical weathering
Frost wedging is classified as mechanical weathering, but does open up rock to further surface attack by chemical weathering.
Acids in the rain create holes in the rock, which allows water to get inside for ice wedging.
An example of physical weathering would be sand wearing down a rock or ice wedging where water seeps into a crack, freezes in the winter, then expands it over and over.
chemical (:chemical (:
frost wedging
Frost wedging is classified as mechanical weathering, but does open up rock to further surface attack by chemical weathering.
An example of Physical Weathering is plant wedging, where a plant finds its way into a rock and its roots wedge the rock apart. An example of Chemical Weathering is Acid Rain, where chemicals in the clouds caused by global warming rain down and dissolve rocks. Thousands of years of acid rain can result in discoloring and the breaking down of rocks.
Acids in the rain create holes in the rock, which allows water to get inside for ice wedging.
Acids in the rain create holes in the rock, which allows water to get inside for ice wedging.
an example of mechanical weathering is called ice wedging. it is when water gets into a small crack in rock then freeze and expand breaking the rock.
An example of physical weathering would be sand wearing down a rock or ice wedging where water seeps into a crack, freezes in the winter, then expands it over and over.
No, it is physical weathering. Ice wedging occurs when water seeps into cracks in rocks and freezes. Water expands when it freezes, and when that happens it can crack the rock, causing the rock to break down over time. No chemical changes occur during this process. The water stays water, it just changes state, and the rock stays rock, it just breaks down into smaller pieces.
chemical (:chemical (:
frost wedging
Chemical
Freeze/thaw cycles are an example of mechanical weathering of rock.
carbonation is an example of chemical weathering carbonation is an example of chemical weathering