Nature is an amazing, mysterious outside world, subject to laws that have been formed over many millions of years. The definition of the word "nature" is interpreted by scientists in different ways, but its essence is primary. Nature is not created by man, and it should be taken for granted. In short, nature is an amazing and multifaceted environment.
How do stones break down and why does this happen? The answers to these questions can be found by reading this article.
General information
Most of the changes in the surrounding landscape are not immediately noticeable. The process of destruction in natural conditions is very slow, but it certainly exists. What does not happen in nature! The processes are the most amazing and diverse, among which there are inexplicable ones.
In nature, literally everything is destroyed over time, including stones, which, it would seem, are such strongholds. As a result, everything turnsinto a completely different state and into other forms.
About stones
Before the answer to the question of why stones are destroyed, one should know what a stone is and what properties it has.
Stones are solid bodies. They are scattered everywhere, they can be seen everywhere. Moreover, there are stones small and large, regular and indefinite, smooth and with a rough surface. They cover almost the entire earth's surface, including the underwater part.
Influence on environmental stones
How do rocks break down in nature?
- On sunny warm days the stones heat up and at night they cool down. Accordingly, they periodically expand and contract. Moreover, in some places the heating is strong, in others - weaker. It turns out that both expansion and contraction are uneven. For these reasons, cracks appear in the stones, where water enters, which freezes in frosts, and expands even more. Ice presses against the walls of the cracks with great force, and the stones break into smaller pieces, in which the same process is repeated. Under the influence of this factor, the destruction of the stone most often occurs.
- How are stones destroyed by the wind? The wind, especially strong, is capable of blowing small particles from the surface of hard stones. During strong storms, the wind carries with it a huge number of small particles of sand, which, hitting the stones, treat their surface like sandpaper. Also in cracks canget the seeds of plants that eventually grow right into them. The growing roots further widen the existing cracks and break the stones. After many hundreds and thousands of years, and at the very foot of huge rocks, placers of smaller stones appear. All this is the result of wind erosion. The impact of wind is the weakest factor influencing the destruction of the stone.
- How are stones destroyed by water? After rains and snow melt, and in rivers and rivers, water flows pick up stones and roll them, transferring them to different distances. Stones are rubbed against each other and on the ground and crushed. They can gradually turn into both clay and sand.
Other processes affecting the destruction of stones
How are stones destroyed under the influence of other natural phenomena? There is also chemical weathering in nature - reactions that occur between chemical elements that can damage stones. The main force is water and oxygen, formed by the interaction of alkali and acid.
There is also biological weathering. It is due to the action of animals and plants. They either through personal involvement (e.g. eating a sprout that breaks through a stone) or through the participation of their metabolic products (chemical active substances are added and their subsequent action falls under another definition - chemical weathering) affect the rate of destruction of stones.
Conclusion
How do rocks break down? All this happens thanks tothe action of water, sun, wind, temperature changes, plants and other biological and chemical substances.
Absolutely everything in nature is affected by the above phenomena. Mountains, rocks, cliffs, boulders, stones and even sands change shape and size over time. But the most destructive thing in nature is still time. Only it has power over all this, and the forces of nature are only an instrument. Of course, human economic activity cannot be ruled out, which is the main artificial cause of the destruction of rocks, including stones.
