The scientific term for the process of rock breakdown is "weathering." Weathering involves the physical or chemical alteration of rocks and minerals at or near the Earth's surface due to environmental factors like wind, water, temperature changes, and biological activity. There are two main types of weathering: mechanical (or physical), which breaks rocks into smaller pieces without changing their composition; and chemical weathering, which alters the minerals within the rocks through chemical reactions. Weathering is a crucial step in soil formation and landscape evolution.