In the context of mechanical weathering, the process that involves the physical breakdown of rocks without changing their chemical composition is called abrasion.
1. Abrasion is a form of mechanical weathering that occurs when rocks are physically broken down into smaller fragments due to the grinding, rubbing, and impact of other rocks or materials carried by wind, water, or ice.
2. This process does not alter the chemical composition of the rocks but rather focuses on the physical disintegration of the material through friction and impact.
3. Examples of abrasion include rocks being worn down by the constant flow of a river, the grinding action of glaciers on mountain surfaces, or the tumbling of rocks in the ocean waves against a cliff.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question "Which process is a form of mechanical weathering?" is D. Abrasion.
