What process involves the breaking down of rocks and materials on the Earth's surface?

The process that involves the breaking down of rocks and materials on the Earth's surface is weathering. Weathering is a geological process that can occur through various mechanisms, including physical, chemical, and biological means.

Physical weathering involves the mechanical breakdown of rocks through processes such as freeze-thaw cycles and thermal expansion. Chemical weathering occurs when chemical reactions, including oxidation and hydrolysis, alter the minerals within rocks, leading to their disintegration. Biological weathering takes place when living organisms, such as plants and microbes, contribute to the breakdown of rocks and minerals.

Understanding weathering is crucial in geology, as it plays a significant role in soil formation, landscape development, and the overall cycling of materials in the Earth’s systems. This distinguishes it from erosion, which specifically refers to the movement of those weathered materials from one location to another, and lithification, which is the process of converting sediments into solid rock. Meteorology focuses on atmospheric phenomena rather than geological processes.