Consider the following statements : 1. Crystallization is a form of mechanical weathering. 2. Hydration causes granular, disintegration. 3. Frost action is synonymous with freezethaw action. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Crystallization is a form of mechanical weathering where salt crystals grow in rock pores, exerting pressure that leads to disintegration [3]. Hydration, while a chemical process involving the addition of water to minerals, causes significant volume expansion [4]. This expansion creates physical stress that leads to fatigue and granular disintegration, effectively bridging chemical and physical weathering [4]. Frost action is indeed synonymous with freeze-thaw action; it involves the repeated freezing and expansion of water in rock fractures, which exerts tremendous pressure and tears the rock apart [1]. This process is a primary agent of mechanical weathering in cold and temperate climates [1]. Therefore, all three statements are correct as they accurately describe the mechanisms and effects of these specific weathering processes.

Sources

1. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 6: Geomorphic Movements > Salt Weathering > p. 85
2. [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 6: Geomorphic Movements > Physical Weathering Processes > p. 83
3. [4] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 6: Geomorphic Movements > Hydration > p. 91
4. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 6: Geomorphic Movements > Frost Weathering > p. 84