Water plays an important role in the chemical weathering of rock. In ONLY 4 SENTENCES, identify and explain two agents of chemical weathering to support that statement.(4 points)
One agent of chemical weathering is hydration, where water molecules react with minerals in the rock to form new compounds. For example, when water reacts with feldspar minerals, it creates clay minerals. Another agent is dissolution, where water dissolves soluble minerals from the rock. This is particularly important in carbonate rocks such as limestone, where water can dissolve the calcium carbonate mineral. Both hydration and dissolution occur due to the interaction between water and minerals in the rock, highlighting the important role of water in chemical weathering.
