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CH3041
WEATHING RATES
Solubility
Chemical weathering occurs primarily in
the
Vadose zone
of soil (aerobic)
Ø
Rate increases
with:
1
)
Temperature
2
)
H
2
O
infiltration rate
(
GR
)
4
)
Dissolution rates at 25
o
C
of different minerals also
vary substantially with
pH
.
(
GR= P
± R- ET-MR
)
3
)
Physical
weathering
•
There is an inverse
relationship between
particle size and solubility
as shown here for minerals
goethite
a
-FeOOH
&
hematite
a
-Fe
2
O
3