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Flashcards in Chemical Weathering Deck (25)
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1
Q

In chemical weathering rocks are broken down through ______ processes

A

chemical

2
Q

What is dissolution?

A

the dissolving of rocks

3
Q

what is the primary agent that dissolves rocks?

A

acidic rain

4
Q

Why is rain naturally acidic?

A

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

5
Q

When carbon dioxide combines with water it creates _______ rain

A

acidic

6
Q

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

A

sulfur dioxide and nitric oxides.

7
Q

what is the primary source of sulfur dioxide?

A

coal burning power plants

8
Q

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

A

sulfuric

9
Q

What is the primary source of nitric dioxide?

A

car exhausts

10
Q

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

A

nitric

11
Q

Are nitric and sulfuric acid weak or strong acids?

A

strong

12
Q

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

A

sulfuric

13
Q

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

A

limestone, marble

14
Q

what does acidic rain do to rocks?

A

it breaks the rock down

15
Q

Ionic exchange converts ______ minerals to _____ minerals

A

hard, soft

16
Q

Does ionic exchange facilitate all weathering processes?

A

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

17
Q

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

A

minerals, oxygen

18
Q

Where does oxidation operate most often?

A

In iron-rich minerals

19
Q

What are the factors affecting the rate of weathering?

A
  • climate
  • topography
  • tectonic setting
  • rock composition
  • structure
  • organic processes.
  • human activity
20
Q

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

A

chemical

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

21
Q

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

A

mechanical

22
Q

Areas with steeper slopes will weather more ______

A

rapidly

23
Q

Rocks that are not cracked weather more _____

A

slowly

24
Q

Rocks with hard minerals such as quartz weather more _____

A

slowly

25
Q

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

A

rapidly