Final answer:
Cracks, such as joints and bedding planes, play a significant role in their environment. They act as pathways for the movement of fluids, affect rock strength and stability, and can be indicators of past environments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cracks, such as joints and bedding planes, play a significant role in their environment. In geological formations, joints and bedding planes act as pathways for the movement of fluids such as water and oil. They can also affect the strength and stability of rocks, as they provide areas for stress to be concentrated and for rocks to break along.
For instance, in the case of mudcracks, the cracks form when wet sediment dries out and shrinks. These cracks can be indicators of past environments, such as indicating areas that were once drying or desiccating.
Furthermore, cracks can also be influenced by thermal stress. Changes in temperature can cause expansion and contraction, leading to the formation of cracks. This is seen in various examples ranging from roads buckling on hot days due to lack of expansion joints, to cracks forming in plaster walls as a house warms and cools.