Final answer:
Exfoliation combines mechanical and chemical weathering processes, which is true. Mechanical weathering physically breaks rocks, while chemical weathering alters their chemical structure. Together, they contribute to exfoliation, where rocks peel due to temperature fluctuations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Exfoliation indeed involves both mechanical and chemical weathering agents, and this statement is true. Weathering is the process that breaks down Earth materials, leading to the creation of soil. Mechanical weathering includes processes like freeze-thaw cycles and thermal expansion, which physically break rocks apart without changing their chemical composition. Chemical weathering, on the other hand, alters the chemical structure of minerals by reactions such as hydrolysis, oxidation, and carbonation, which can lead to the degradation of rocks. Over time, these processes contribute to the formation of various sedimentary rocks, each characterized by the different rates at which weathering affects the material. Therefore, the combination of mechanical and chemical methods is a vital component of how exfoliation, a specific type of mechanical weathering, functions, especially when rocks undergo repeated contractions due to temperature fluctuations, which subsequently leads to the peeling of outer rock layers.