Question

How does the process of biological weathering take place?

Answer 1

Weathering: The process of formation of soil by the disintegration of rocks due to physical, chemical, and biological factors is called weathering.

The process of biological weathering occurs in the following stages below:

1. Lichens grow on the surface of the rocks extracting minerals from the rocks.
2. This creates small crevices at places where a thin layer of soil builds up.
3. With time, mosses grow in these crevices thereby deepening them, resulting in the building up of more soil, which increases cracks.
4. These cracks become wider and deeper and gradually the roots of short-lived herbs pass into them.
5. With the passage of time, the roots of bigger plants enter into the cracks and slowly get fragmented and eventually pulverize the rock.