Chemical Weathering Process
Oxidation
Chemical weathering requires a reaction between a mineral and elements in the environment to change the structure of the mineral. Factors that contribute to weathering include the climate and the ability of the surface to interact with environmental chemicals. Oxidation occurs when oxygen comes into contact with the surface. Most people associate oxidation with rust, which results from iron reacting with oxygen to create ferric iron oxide, or hematite.
Hydrolysis
Water with minerals is ionic. Combining ionic water with the ions in a surface mineral can create an acidic environment, which further dissolves the surface. Through hydrolysis, silicates and feldspars chemically weather into clay compounds. By altering the chemical composition of the minerals, hydrolysis creates weakened materials and makes the minerals more vulnerable to weathering through other processes
Carbonation and solution
Rain water and carbon dioxide create carbonic acid. This mild acid interacts with minerals in soft rocks: lime, potash and soda. Calcium, magnesium and potassium convert into carbonate when mixed with carbonic acid and wash away with rain water. This type of chemical weathering often creates sinkholes and caverns.
Hydration
A weakening of the minerals in a rock can occur when ions of H+ and OH- from water (H2O) become a part of the structure of the rock, expanding the latticework of the attachments of molecules in the rock. Hydration mainly affects the surfaces and edges of the rock rather than changing the mineral structure throughout. Gypsum forms from water entering the structure of anhydrite through hydration.
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