Which of the following processes is primarily responsible for the mechanical weathering of rocks in high-altitude periglacial environments through repeated freezing and thawing of water within fractures?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Frost wedging occurs when water enters rock crevices and expands by approximately nine percent upon freezing, exerting immense pressure that shatters the rock over successive freeze-thaw cycles. Exfoliation involves the peeling away of outer rock sheets due to pressure release during unloading. Carbonation and hydrolysis are chemical weathering processes involving rainwater reacting with minerals to form soluble compounds. Frost wedging creates extensive talus slopes in mountainous terrain.