What process involves the gradual breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces?

The process of weathering entails the gradual breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces through various natural forces. This can occur through physical means, such as freezing and thawing, where water seeps into cracks in rocks, freezes, expands, and subsequently breaks the rock apart. Additionally, chemical weathering involves reactions that alter the minerals in rocks, leading to their disintegration.

Weathering is distinct from erosion, which involves the movement of these smaller rock particles from one location to another, typically by water, wind, or ice. Deposition, on the other hand, is the process where sediments settle out of the transporting medium and accumulate in a new location. Photosynthesis is a biological process by which plants convert light energy, usually from the sun, into chemical energy in the form of glucose, and does not relate to the breakdown or movement of rocks. Thus, weathering is the correct process associated with the breakdown of rocks into smaller fragments.