Mechanical Weathering
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Example:
Imagine trying to squeeze into an old pair of shoes that are now too tight. Just as your foot exerts pressure on the shoe's material, causing it to stretch or crack without changing the fabric itself, plant roots grow and push against rocks, breaking them apart without altering their chemical composition. In both cases, an external force applies pressure to cause a physical change without altering the intrinsic makeup of the material.
Practice Version
Mechanical Weathering: The breaking of rocks without any chemical change, like by plant roots, is called mechanical weathering. Mechanical weathering is when rocks are broken down into smaller pieces by physical forces, such as wind, water, or plant roots, without changing their chemical structure.