Frost weathering
Also called: Freeze-thaw weathering, Frost wedging · Topic: Geomorphic Processes: Weathering, Mass Movement, Erosion and Soil Formation · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 5 "Geomorphic Processes"
Meaning
Frost weathering is a type of physical weathering. Water seeps into cracks in rock. When it freezes, it expands by about 9%, and this pushes the crack wider. When the ice melts, more water flows in, and the cycle repeats. After many rounds of freezing and thawing, the rock splits into sharp, angular pieces. It is common in high mountains and cold regions, where the temperature often swings around freezing point.
Example
In Ladakh, nights below freezing and sunny days split exposed rock. Slopes become covered with loose heaps of angular stones called scree.
Don't confuse with
- Salt weathering: here salt crystals growing in pores push rock apart, not ice. It is common in deserts and on coasts, not cold mountains.
Related concepts
- Physical weathering
- Unloading
- Thermal expansion and contraction
- Salt weathering
- Biological weathering