Which of the following is an example of physical weathering?
A. The cracking of a rock caused by the freezing and thawing of water. Correct
B. Sediments being transported in a stream.
C. A sandbar forming in a stream.
D. Acid rain dissolving a statue.
Rationale: Physical weathering involves the mechanical breakdown of rocks without changing their chemical composition. Option A exemplifies this process, as the repeated freezing and thawing of water causes cracks in the rock, physically altering its structure.
Option B describes sediment transport, which is a process of erosion rather than weathering. Option C refers to the formation of a sandbar, a deposition process, not related to weathering. Option D involves chemical weathering, where acid rain alters the chemical structure of a statue, rather than physically breaking it down.
