HKDSE Geography/E1/Chemical Weathering

You guessed it - another definition!

Five Processes
Favourable conditions: Waterlogging (for hydration and reduction), exposure to air (for oxidation), rocks made of soluble minerals (for solution and carbonation), hot and wet climate

There are five processes involved in chemical weathering, which may appear simultaneously:

Two Forms
There are two important 'forms' of chemical weathering - i.e. the shape that the rocks look like after weathering.

Honeycomb weathering
Favourable conditions: Found in rocks with minerals of different resistance.


 * 1) Salt sprays from the sea dissolve minerals in rocks.
 * 2) The minerals are removed by solution on the rock face, weakening the rock to produce pits.
 * 3) This creates a honeycombed effect.

Spheroidal weathering
Favourable conditions: Well-jointed and exposed rocks (e.g. granite), heavy rainfall


 * 1) Rainwater seeps into cracks and joints.
 * 2) Chemical weathering takes place mainly on the surface and along the joints.
 * 3) Gradually, the rainwater works its way to the interior part of the rock.
 * 4) The rocks are reduced to small and round boulders surrounded by concentric weathering layers. The boulder in the centre is a corestone.
 * 5) The corestone gets smaller and rounder as time goes by.
 * 6) When the weathered layers are removed by wind or rain, corestones will be exposed on the ground. They pile up to form tors.

Note: When the bedrock is covered by a very thick layer of regolith already, furthering weathering will be restricted.

Effect of Climate on Weathering Occurrence
TODO: The rectangle with four corners diagram