Ice wedging, pressure release, plant root growth, and abrasion can<span> all </span>break<span> apart</span>rocks<span>. ... When plants grow in cracks in a </span>rock<span>, their roots </span>can<span> widen the cracks and force the </span>rock<span> apart. Rainwater fills small cracks in a </span>rock<span>. As the </span>water<span> freezes, it expands, widening the cracks and splitting apart the </span>rock<span>.</span>