Chemical Weathering

Question 1

In chemical weathering rocks are broken down through ______ processes

Answer 1

chemical

Question 2

What is dissolution?

Answer 2

the dissolving of rocks

Question 3

what is the primary agent that dissolves rocks?

Answer 3

acidic rain

Question 4

Why is rain naturally acidic?

Answer 4

Because there is carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When carbon dioxide combines with water, it creates carbonic acid, which is a weak acid

Question 5

When carbon dioxide combines with water it creates _______ rain

Answer 5

acidic

Question 6

what have we been polluting the air with that has made rain even more acidic?

Answer 6

sulfur dioxide and nitric oxides.

Question 7

what is the primary source of sulfur dioxide?

Answer 7

coal burning power plants

Question 8

When sulfur dioxide combines with water in the atmosphere it creates _____ acid

Answer 8

sulfuric

Question 9

What is the primary source of nitric dioxide?

Answer 9

car exhausts

Question 10

When nitric dioxide is released in the atmosphere and combines with water it creates _____ acid

Answer 10

nitric

Question 11

Are nitric and sulfuric acid weak or strong acids?

Answer 11

strong

Question 12

which is a stronger acid, sulfuric acid or carbonic acid?

Answer 12

sulfuric

Question 13

When acidic rain hits primarily ______ and ______ it starts dissolving the rock

Answer 13

limestone, marble

Question 14

what does acidic rain do to rocks?

Answer 14

it breaks the rock down

Question 15

Ionic exchange converts ______ minerals to _____ minerals

Answer 15

hard, soft

Question 16

Does ionic exchange facilitate all weathering processes?

Answer 16

Yes, once the minerals are soft it is easier for them to be broken down by any mineral process

Question 17

Oxidation is a reaction between ______ and ______ that is dissolved in water

Answer 17

minerals, oxygen

Question 18

Where does oxidation operate most often?

Answer 18

In iron-rich minerals

Question 19

What are the factors affecting the rate of weathering?

Answer 19

• climate
• topography
• tectonic setting
• rock composition
• structure
• organic processes.
• human activity

Question 20

The wetter and hotter the climate the more likely ______ weathering will occur

Answer 20

chemical

chemical weathering is the primary agent of weathering in these climates because chemical processes occur more rapidly in hot and wet climates

Question 21

The colder and dryer the climate the more likely ______ weathering will occur

Answer 21

mechanical

Question 22

Areas with steeper slopes will weather more ______

Answer 22

rapidly

Question 23

Rocks that are not cracked weather more _____

Answer 23

slowly

Question 24

Rocks with hard minerals such as quartz weather more _____

Answer 24

slowly

Question 25

When an area is deforested by humans, more area of land is exposed to the elements, and therefore the rocks will weather more _____

Answer 25

rapidly