Consider the following statements regarding mechanical weathering : 1. Comparatively more compact and densely consolidated rocks are least affected by weathering caused by freezing and thawing. 2. Disintegration of rocks in hot deserts is comparatively very common. 3. Crystalline rocks generally tend to exfoliate. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

All three statements are correct. (1) Compact, densely consolidated rocks have fewer pores and joints where water can enter, so they are least affected by frost weathering (freeze-thaw action). (2) Hot deserts experience extreme diurnal temperature variations that cause rocks to expand and contract daily, leading to thermal stress and disintegration ('insolation weathering'); this is therefore very common in deserts. (3) Crystalline rocks like granite tend to exfoliate (peel off in sheets/layers) due to differential expansion and contraction or pressure release, producing dome-like landforms.