Physical weathering
Physical weathering is the breakdown,disintegration and fracturing of rocks by mechanical process. The driving force behind physical weathering is stress. Alternate cooling and heating is the main ingredient of physical weathering.
Physical weathering is more pronounced in hot arid or cold polar regions. The end product of physical weathering is usually large disintegrated boulders or fractures. The latter providing way for chemical weathering to further breakdown the rock.
Chemical Weathering
Decomposition of rocks by chemical reactions. Usually chemical weathering results in the complete breakdown of the rock leaving fine sand or clay regolith.
Most of the time physical and mechanical weathering work hand in hand with physical weathering providing fractures and then chemical weathering taking precedence.
Chemical weathering is most dominant in wet hot regions(the ideal conditions for chemical reactions to take place)such as Tropical Rainforests.
