MARIA ISLAND

Maria island is located in the state of Tasmania on the Southern most tip of Australia. 

Pictured here are rocks that have endured weathering thus creating joints and ridges on the rock's surface. Due to this breaking down of sandstone cracks or fissures, form from the contractional cooling and/or thermal expansion of the rock. This cooling and heating of the rock causes it to separate and crack causing joints to form.

This sedimentary rock has gone through the process of pressure release. This is a type of weathering where rocks form due to massive amounts of pressure leading to a speedy process of erosion creating pressure release shells to create the rock's slab like features. 

The hydrologic cycle circulates from the ocean to the air back to the ground creating a flow of water within the atmosphere. The ocean holds the largest portion of this water which is evaporated in the atmosphere creating precipitation that turns into groundwater. Groundwater flows into the cracks between the rocks and seeps into the ground giving moisture and life to plants and animals. 

The groundwater in this photo is called an aquiclude. This means the water is impermeable due to the lack of space between the rocks therefore inhibiting the flow of groundwater. This inhibition forces the water to sit on top of the rocks and evaporate back into the hydrologic cycle.