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Contents of 5.1 How and why do rocks disintegrate to form sediment?

5.1 How and why do rocks disintegrate to form sediment?

• Chemical weathering - Hydrolysis
• involves mineral rearrangement into a new type that incorporates water, such as feldspar to clay.

potassium feldspar water

2 KAlSi3O8(s) + 11 H2O

2 K+(aq) + 2 OH-(aq) + 4 H4SiO4(aq) + Al2Si2O5(OH)4(s)

potassium and hydroxyl ions silicic acid kaolinite

Fig 5.4c