Notice the layers of sediments. Weathering Rocks at the Earth's surface are subject to weathering by the chemical action of acid and alkali salts in rain and ground water. They are also broken down mechanically. Expanding ice, and alternate heating and cooling crack the rocks. This allows water to get in the cracks and when the water freezes in winter the expanding force is so great that the rock can shatter.
Plant roots break up the surface of a rock allowing water to penetrate the cracks.
This water helps the chemical breakdown of rocks. Frost shattering is a major processes of mechanical breakdown and is responsible for the accumulation of angular rock fragments, known as scree deposits, at the foot of steep mountain slopes. In hot deserts, rocks can fracture as they expand during the heat of the day and contract during the cold night. Tunnel walls in a mine can collapse with explosive force because of the pressure of the surrounding rock. This happens to some extent at the Earth's surface.