A scientist was examining a large boulder that was covered with lichens (a combination of fungi and algae). He chipped a piece of the rock and placed it under a microscope. He observed that the surface of the rock was breaking down underneath the lichen. Which was the scientist MOST likely observing?
a. The interaction between abiotic factors
b. The effects of chemical weathering
c. The process of deposition
d. The effects of abrasion