- 2078 Poush · 2 marks
Physical and chemical disintegration
Short answer
Physical disintegration breaks rock into smaller pieces without mineral change (by temperature, frost, abrasion), producing coarse soils. Chemical decomposition alters minerals via oxidation, hydrolysis, etc., forming clay minerals and fine soils.
Differentiate between physical and chemical disintegration process.
Both are types of weathering: the breakdown of rock into soil.
| Basis | Physical disintegration | Chemical decomposition |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Rock breaks into smaller pieces | Minerals change to new minerals |
| Composition | Unchanged | Changed |
| Agents | Temperature change, freezing of water, abrasion, wind, roots | Water, oxygen, CO, acids |
| Processes | Exfoliation, frost action, abrasion, unloading | Oxidation, hydration, carbonation, hydrolysis, leaching |
| Product | Coarse soils: gravel, sand, silt | Fine soils: clay minerals |
| Climate | Cold and dry regions | Warm and humid regions |
| Particle shape | Angular, bulky | Flaky, very small |
Example: granite breaking into sand-size quartz by frost is physical; feldspar of granite turning into kaolinite by hydrolysis is chemical.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
Related questions
- Compare montmorillonite and kaolinite · Soil Mechanics, chapter 4
- Physical and chemical weathering · Engineering Geology I, chapter 6 · asked 5×
- Chemical versus physical weathering; factors · Engineering Geology I, chapter 6
- Physical and chemical causes of deterioration · Concrete Technology and Masonry Structure, chapter 6 · asked 5×
- Physical and chemical characteristics of solid waste · Environment and Pollution Control, chapter 5