Chemical Weathering Flashcards
Name the 5 types of chemical weathering?
Oxidation.
Hydration.
Hydrolysis.
Carbonation.
What is oxidation?
Causes rocks to disintegrate when the oxygen dissolved in water reacts with some rock minerals, forming oxides and hydroxides .
What is hydration?
Makes rocks more susceptible to further chemical weathering.
Causes rock to expand creating stress which causes rock to disintegrate.
Weakens rock and can create/widen joints.
What is hydrolysis?
Mildly acidic water reacts with minerals in the rock to create clays and dissolvable salts.
Degrades rock making it weak.
What is carbonation?
Occurs where carbon dioxide dissolved in rainwater makes weak carbonic acid.
Reacts with calcium carbonate in rocks in limestone and chalk to create calcium bicarbonate which then easily dissolves in water.
