Which Of The Following Statements Best Describes Chemical Weathering?
A. It’s the type of weathering in which rocks and minerals break down into smaller pieces.
B. It always results in dome-shaped formations.
C. It’s the process by which rocks and minerals undergo changes in their composition.
D. It happens only in cool environments.
It’s the process by which rocks and minerals undergo changes in their composition.
Explanation:
Chemical weathering is a natural process that happens in nature. Chemical weathering causes the existence of various shapes of rocks. If we look closer to the rocks in a garden, most of them will have different shapes. There are no two rocks that look exactly the same.
Most of the rocks have a different shape as if they are engraved or carved by a sculptor. it is as if there is someone who intentionally carves the rocks. Yet, the carved shape in the rocks is not done by humans. It is done by nature and chemical weathering.
Chemical weathering is a process where rocks are broken down by chemical reactions. Because of the chemical weathering, rocks are broken down and felt into pieces. When rocks are broken down, it is chemically altered. Various types of chemical weathering happen naturally in nature.
Examples are hydrolysis and oxidation. Hydrolysis is when rocks break down because of the combination of a substance and water. The most commonly known hydrolysis is a rock which is ‘engraved’ by rain or water. On the other hand, oxidation is when rocks break down because of the reaction between a substance and oxygen.