What is weathering of rocks caused by roots of trees and water and chemical composition of rocks change when acid is produced by roots of plants?
This type of weathering is caused by plants and animals. The plants and animals have acids inside them and when they release their acid it converts into chemicals that further results in weathering and breaking down of rocks and minerals and other types of land forms. Biological weathering occurs when plants break up rocks with roots or root exudates. Chemical weathering describes the process of chemicals in rainwater making changes to the minerals in a rock. Carbon dioxide from the air is dissolved in rainwater, making it slightly acidic. A reaction can occur when the rainwater comes into contact with minerals in the rock, causing weathering. Plants grow around rocks where roots penetrate and crack the rocks. Plants grow around rocks and disintegrate the rock into soil. Mechanical weathering caused by ice wedging and plant roots cause rocks to 'break' from the inside out. Water seeping into rocks will freeze and expand, pushing the rock apart from the inside. Plant roots can slowly grow inside rocks through small holes or cracks. As plant roots take in nutrients, they remove elements from the minerals. This causes a chemical change in the rock that is as oxidation. Carbonic acid is a common, weak acid found in nature. This acid works to dissolve rock. Chemical Weathering Chemical weathering changes the molecular structure of rocks and soil. For instance, carbon dioxide from the air or soil sometimes combines with water in a process called carbonation. This produces a weak acid as carbonic acid that can dissolve rock. Acids are one substance that can cause chemical weathering. When rocks are exposed to acidic substances the acids react with minerals inside the rocks, weakening the structure of the rock and causing it to break down more quickly. Chemical weathering describes the process of chemicals in rainwater making changes to the minerals in a rock. Carbon dioxide from the air is dissolved in rainwater, making it slightly acidic. A reaction can occur when the rainwater comes into contact with minerals in the rock, causing weathering.
Chemical weathering changes the molecular structure of rocks and soil. For instance, carbon dioxide from the air or soil sometimes combines with water in a process called carbonation. This produces a weak acid, called carbonic acid that can dissolve rock. As plant roots take in nutrients, they remove elements from the minerals. This causes a chemical change in the rock that is called oxidation. Carbonic acid is a common, weak acid found in nature. This acid works to dissolve rock. Chemical weathering changes the molecular structure of rocks and soil. For instance, carbon dioxide from the air or soil sometimes combines with water in a process called carbonation. This produces a weak acid, called carbonic acid that can dissolve rock. During metamorphism, new minerals grow, with different sizes, shapes, and orientations than those of the original minerals. The chemical composition of the original rock may also change, as some elements are carried away and others are added by the fluids flowing through the rocks. Metamorphic rocks have had their appearance changed because of intense heat and/or pressure. Metamorphic changes do not involve melting nor any change to the chemical composition of the rock. There is no change of their chemical composition. Physical weathering transforms a large mass of rock into smaller pieces which are more easily transported and eroded. Rocks can break for a variety of reasons, including stress along natural zones of weakness and due to biological and chemical activity. It is a process in which rocks can change size and shape without changing their chemical composition. In this process, only physical changes occur, whereas chemical structure does not change. Physical weathering is also known as mechanical weathering. Mechanical weathering breaks rock into smaller pieces. These smaller pieces are just like the bigger rock, just smaller. That means the rock has changed physically without changing its composition. Chemical weathering, also known as decomposition or decay, is the breakdown of rock by chemical mechanisms.
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