Geology 210

Class Preparation

Chemical Weathering and Soils

Describe each of the following weathering processes using an example with balanced equations:

hydrolysis of K-feldspar

oxidation of pyrite

dissolution of halite

dissolution of calcite

hydration of anhydrite

Why do some silicate minerals weather more rapidly than others?

What is cation mobility?  How is reflected in the bulk chemical composition of soils?

What are the sources of natural acids which drive chemical weathering?

What is chelation?

What processes besides chemical weathering produce soil profiles?

What are the major soil horizons?