Final answer:
Factors that cause a rock to become particles of sand include physical and chemical weathering, transportation, chemical alteration, compaction, and cementation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factors that may cause a rock to become particles of sand over time include:
- Physical and Chemical Weathering: The rock breaks apart due to physical processes like wind, ice, and water erosion, as well as chemical processes like acid rainwater and root growth.
- Transportation: The broken particles are carried by wind or water until they settle in a lower area with slower currents.
- Chemical Alteration: Some minerals in the rock, like feldspar, can alter into clay through chemical weathering and erosion.
- Compaction: As more sediment accumulates on top of the deposited particles, the pressure compacts the sediment, reducing pore spaces.
- Cementation: Water squeezed out during compaction can precipitate minerals like calcite, quartz, and pyrite, acting as cement to hold the particles together and form sedimentary rock layers.