what process breaks rock down into smaller pieces
Answers. Best Answer: Rocks can be broken down by physical or chemical weathering. Physical weathering is the cracking, breaking up, and grinding down of rocks into smaller pieces while maintaining the same mineral composition. This type of weathering is caused by a number of different factors. Changing temperatures cause rocks to crack and flake, ice splits rocks open, living things dig or pry open rocks, gravity causes rocks to fall and shatter, and abrasion breaks down rocks with solid particles like sand.