It is erosion that breaks down rocks into gravel, sand and soil. The action of wind and water (either as a liquid or as ice) over time, as well as temperature changes (over shorter periods or longer ones), that can reduce mountains to nothing. And it has. And continues to do so. Wind drives rain or dust or sand into rocks, and this abrades them, wearing them away. Water can wash over rocks and wear them away, or it can carry sediment (fine bits of dirt or sand) which can abrade them and wear them down. Water can rush at rocks and pound them in a torrent, lifting them and smashing them into each other as in a flood. Water can slip into tiny cracks in rock and freeze there, breaking off bits of the rock itself (due to ice expanding as the water it is created from freezes). Certainly any catastrophic geologic events can cause massive changes in large rock formations, shifting countless tons of rock and pounding them against each other. Glaciers can grind rocks to dust. Wikipedia has a nice article, and a link is provided.
The process of rocks breaking down into soil can take hundreds to thousands of years, depending on factors like the type of rock, weathering conditions, and the environment. Factors like temperature, moisture, and the presence of plant roots can all influence the rate of rock weathering and soil formation.
Bedrock can weather and break down over time into smaller rock fragments, which can then mix with organic material to form soil sediments. This process can take thousands or millions of years, depending on the type of rock and environmental conditions.
Over time, loose rocks at Earth's surface and beneath it take a beating. Water that drips into cracksnin rock freezes and thaws again and again. This makes the cracks larger and weakens the rock. Eventually this causes pieces of the rock to break apart. Even plant roots can force their way down into a rock and break it into smaller pieces. These natural Earth processes, known as weathering, take their toll.
Erosion occurs due to the movement of water, wind, or ice that break down rock and soil. This process is influenced by factors such as gravity, weather, and human activities, leading to the wearing away of land surfaces over time.
Soil is formed from the weathering and breakdown of rocks over time through physical, chemical, and biological processes. As rocks are exposed to factors such as temperature changes, wind, water, and organic matter, they gradually break down into smaller particles that eventually become soil. This process of rock weathering can take centuries or even millennia to transform into nutrient-rich soil capable of supporting plant life.
The process of rocks breaking down into soil can take hundreds to thousands of years, depending on factors like the type of rock, weathering conditions, and the environment. Factors like temperature, moisture, and the presence of plant roots can all influence the rate of rock weathering and soil formation.
Bedrock can weather and break down over time into smaller rock fragments, which can then mix with organic material to form soil sediments. This process can take thousands or millions of years, depending on the type of rock and environmental conditions.
The time it takes for a rock to break down can vary greatly depending on factors like the type of rock, climate, and environmental conditions. Some rocks can break down in a few years, while others may take thousands or even millions of years.
I think they help break down the soil tp release the nutrients but dont take my word for it, I think this may be for natural fertilisers, Sorry.
Lichen being a fungi attaches itself to a rock via its root system. The deeper it can anchor itself within the rock the better and more durable attachment it forms. This contributes to mechanical weathering where the roots of the vegetation get bigger and stronger and ultimately splitting the rock into pieces which in time get broken down into even smaller fragments.
Over time, loose rocks at Earth's surface and beneath it take a beating. Water that drips into cracksnin rock freezes and thaws again and again. This makes the cracks larger and weakens the rock. Eventually this causes pieces of the rock to break apart. Even plant roots can force their way down into a rock and break it into smaller pieces. These natural Earth processes, known as weathering, take their toll.
Erosion occurs due to the movement of water, wind, or ice that break down rock and soil. This process is influenced by factors such as gravity, weather, and human activities, leading to the wearing away of land surfaces over time.
Using biodegradable products, that is, materials that will break down easily in the soil, we are cutting down on pollution (from detergents and chemicals) and land fill stagnation (where landfills are full of plastics and material that will take hundreds of years to break down). == ==
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Yes, this is why plants can live in soil but not on solid rock.
Decomposers such as worms and flies break down dead organisms and turn them into soil. It's very important, but people take it for granted.
take it down