Karst Landscapes and Chemical Weathering Quiz

Chemical Weathering

• Oxidation is the main driver of chemical weathering in rocks containing iron.

Mineral Transformation

• The hydration of anhydrite to gypsum is an example of hydration in chemical weathering.

Biological Role

• Living or once-living organisms play a role in chemical weathering, contributing to the breakdown of rocks.

Freeze-Thaw Cycle

• Water's expansion as it freezes is the main mechanism responsible for widening cracks and splitting rocks through the freeze-thaw cycle.

Bornhardt Formation

• Spheroidal weathering leads to the formation of bornhardts, prominent landscape features characterized by tall, domed, isolated rocks.

Exfoliation

• The removal of overlying rocks contributes to exfoliation, releasing underlying rocks from pressure and making them vulnerable to fracturing.

Salt Weathering

• As salt crystals grow, they exert pressure on the surrounding rock, slowly breaking it apart through a process known as salt weathering.

Salt Domes

• In New Orleans, salt upwelling from underground salt domes destabilized structures.

Carbonation

• Carbonation alters the molecular structure of rocks and soil by combining carbon dioxide with water to form carbonic acid.

Mechanical Weathering

• Plants and animals contribute to mechanical weathering by displacing or burrowing into rocks and soil, breaking them up through physical forces.