What is happening when water breaks down rock at or near the earths surface?

Water seeps into the cracks of rock. When it freezes, it forces the rock to crack and break apart. This process of water freezing and thawing to break apart rock is called ice or frost wedging. The ice works just as a wedge works to split wood apart.

Explanation:

heat or electricity in the atmosphere- c.

answer is: naturally occurring solid, inorganic compound or element is mineral.

minerals usually have crystalline form, that means than crystal constituents (atoms, molecules or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions.

for example magnetite is a mineral of iron oxide (fe₂o₃).

calcite is a carbonate mineral and the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate (caco₃).

dolomite is an   carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate (camg(co₃)₂).