Which rock is least resistant to weathering?

Rocks also weather differently. Igneous rocks are usually solid and are more resistant to weathering. Intrusive igneous rocks weather slowly because it is hard for water to penetrate them. Sedimentary rocks usually weather more easily.

Which rock is least affected by chemical weathering?

Quartz
Quartz, which is crystalline silica, is the only common mineral that is not strongly affected by chemical weathering. It does not dissolve in water. All other common minerals are either dissolved completely or are partially dissolved and reduced to clay.

What is least resistant to chemical weathering?

Chemical weathering reactions are with the cations that bind the silica structural units together. So it makes sense that isolated tetrahedra are the least stable in weathering, while quartz, which is completely formed of interlocking silica tetrahedra with no intervening cations, is the most stable.

Which rock is likely to be least resistant to weathering and erosion?

Certain types of rock are very resistant to weathering. Igneous rocks, especially intrusive igneous rocks such as granite, weather slowly because it is hard for water to penetrate them. Other types of rock, such as limestone, are easily weathered because they dissolve in weak acids.

Is limestone resistant to weathering?

Limestone in arid environments tends to be as resistant to weathering and erosion as sandstone, or more so. Limestone, however, has another property unlike sandstone or shale. Limestone is composed mostly of calcite (calcium carbonate) and will dissolve in acidic water.

Which rock is most resistant to weathering?

Quartz is known to be the most resistant rock- forming mineral during surface weathering.

Is quartz resistant to chemical weathering?

The explanation is that quartz is highly resistant to the types of weathering that occur at Earth’s surface. It is not affected by weak acids or the presence of oxygen. This makes it unique among the minerals that are common in igneous rocks.

What rock is most susceptible to chemical weathering?

Limestone, for instance, is notably prone to chemical weathering given the solubility of its carbonate rock; in humid limestone provinces, caves and caverns – examples of karst landforms – abound. In arid country, by contrast, limestone can be quite resistant and often forms scarps.

What types of rock are vulnerable to weathered by carbonic acid?

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. Carbonic acid is especially effective at dissolving limestone.

Which type of rock is most resistant to weathering?

What rocks are most resistant to chemical weathering?