Types of Weathering That Affects Granite

There are several different types of weathering that affect granite Weathering That Affects Granite. While some weathering can be natural, others are chemical, causing the rock to become brittle and crumbly. Here’s an overview of some of the most common types. Hydrolysis – chemical weathering occurs when water dissolves a solid and produces a water-based solution that contains the same substances that were present in the original solid. In this case, water dissolves the granite and produces kaolinite.

Weathering That Affects Granite

The main chemical process that breaks down granite is hydration. Water and soil moisture is in constant contact with the bedrock granite. During this process, quartz crystals cool to form clear, vein-like crystals. Quartz is also colored pink, green, and violet by trace iron and copper, and is used as a semi-precious stone called amethyst. Some quartz crystals remain as grains of soil or sand in rivers.

Physical weathering is the second process. It occurs on a large scale and is the most common type. In both instances, water penetrates along cracks and fractures Galina Sato, causing the rock to crumble and form exfoliation joints. The first mineral to weather out of granite is lime, which is used in mortar and is responsible for the white or yellow color of most granite. This process produces a wide variety of crystalline shapes in granite.

A final type of weathering that affects granite is ice. Ice and water can erode granite, causing outcrop cracks. Water and wind are two other common causes of ice and water damage, and ice can affect the surface of granite as well. Water-based weathering is most common, but chemical weathering is more difficult on granite. Granite is more resistant than most other materials and can withstand greater amounts of chemicals.