Rocks and soil which have water inside of them can be cracked open when the water freezes and expands. The type of soil you are walking on is dependent on the type of bedrock deep under your feet. As the bedrock breaks down, the smaller pieces move to the surface and mix with the already existing soil. Chronological means time. You need time to make soil.
Sediment can move around quickly, but it takes a long time to break down bedrock.
We can't just sit and watch this happen, we have to study it over many years. In the same way, if we pollute our soil, we can't renew it in our lifetime. It takes hundreds to thousands of years. If you look really closely, you'll find that soil is half minerals and rock, half air and water. In that air and water space, all sorts of biological things are happening.