Chemical Weathering Flashcards
In chemical weathering rocks are broken down through ______ processes
chemical
What is dissolution?
the dissolving of rocks
what is the primary agent that dissolves rocks?
acidic rain
Why is rain naturally acidic?
Because there is carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When carbon dioxide combines with water, it creates carbonic acid, which is a weak acid
When carbon dioxide combines with water it creates _______ rain
acidic
what have we been polluting the air with that has made rain even more acidic?
sulfur dioxide and nitric oxides.
what is the primary source of sulfur dioxide?
coal burning power plants
When sulfur dioxide combines with water in the atmosphere it creates _____ acid
sulfuric
What is the primary source of nitric dioxide?
car exhausts
When nitric dioxide is released in the atmosphere and combines with water it creates _____ acid
nitric
Are nitric and sulfuric acid weak or strong acids?
strong
which is a stronger acid, sulfuric acid or carbonic acid?
sulfuric
When acidic rain hits primarily ______ and ______ it starts dissolving the rock
limestone, marble
what does acidic rain do to rocks?
it breaks the rock down
Ionic exchange converts ______ minerals to _____ minerals
hard, soft
Does ionic exchange facilitate all weathering processes?
Yes, once the minerals are soft it is easier for them to be broken down by any mineral process
Oxidation is a reaction between ______ and ______ that is dissolved in water
minerals, oxygen
Where does oxidation operate most often?
In iron-rich minerals
What are the factors affecting the rate of weathering?
- climate
- topography
- tectonic setting
- rock composition
- structure
- organic processes.
- human activity
The wetter and hotter the climate the more likely ______ weathering will occur
chemical
chemical weathering is the primary agent of weathering in these climates because chemical processes occur more rapidly in hot and wet climates
The colder and dryer the climate the more likely ______ weathering will occur
mechanical
Areas with steeper slopes will weather more ______
rapidly
Rocks that are not cracked weather more _____
slowly
Rocks with hard minerals such as quartz weather more _____
slowly
When an area is deforested by humans, more area of land is exposed to the elements, and therefore the rocks will weather more _____
rapidly
