Freeze-thaw weathering is a process that breaks down rocks in cold climates. It happens when water gets into small cracks in rocks and then freezes. When water freezes, it expands, making the cracks bigger. This process repeats as the ice melts and freezes again, gradually causing pieces of the rock to break off. Over time, this can change the landscape and create piles of broken rock, known as scree, at the base of slopes. Freeze-thaw weathering is important in shaping the features of mountainous and polar regions.
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