In a cold mountain environment, water seeps into cracks in rock during the day and freezes overnight. Over time, large pieces of rock begin to break off. What is the best explanation for this change?

When water freezes, it expands and pushes outward on the sides of the cracks. Repeated freezing and thawing widens the cracks until pieces of rock break off. This process is called frost wedging, so the best explanation is that water expands as it freezes, widening the cracks each time.

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