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Is rainwater a weak acid that dissolves limestone to form caves?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
yes
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
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Why does rainwater weather away limestone buildings?
Because rainwater is mildly acidic. Acid in the rainwater dissolves the limestone.
What dissolves limestone and forms caves or caverns?
Carbonic Acid .
Can granite dissolve slowly in acid water to form caves?
No, only limestone dissolves.
How does acid and rain water affect the land underground?
Acid in the rainwater causes limestone to dissolve, leaving open spaces, or caves.
What reacts with water to produce limestone caves?
Carbon dioxide dissolves in water forming carbonic acid H2CO3, a weak acid that slowly erodes the limestone.
How is carbonic acid responsible for the for the formation of some caves?
Over time it dissolves limestone or gypsum, so most caves are in those rocks, of which limestone is by far the more widespread.
How does limestone react when exposed to weak acids?
If the water contains any carbonic acid (if its rain water) then it will slowly dissolve/disintegrate the limestone.
Is a cave formed when carbonic acid dissolves underground limestone?
Yes, caves are formed when carbonic acid, which is created by the reaction of water with carbon dioxide, dissolves underground limestone. Over time, the dissolved limestone is carried away by water, creating large openings and chambers that we call caves.
How can you say that rainwater is chemical weatherings?
Because rainwater dissolves carbon dioxide to produce carbonic acid - a weak acid - but over geological time it can dissolve various types of rock like limestone and thus weather it.
How does a acid cave form?
Limestone is the rock that is in Caves. When carbonate acid is reacted to the limestone in the caves, it will corrode forming strange caves landforms.
Why does rainwater have an effect on limestone?
Under the category of weather, limestone would be most affected by rain. Rain contains carbonic acid which reacts chemically with the calcium carbonate in limestones. Just try putting a drop of vinegar on a piece of limestone and see what happens. Carbonic acid in rainwater is not nearly this concentrated, though, and the effects take much longer to be noticeable. Tropical climates also produce large amounts of vegetation whose plant roots help break limestone apart, creating more surface area for rainwater to attack. Limestone would be least affected in arid climates, where most erosion is in the form of wind particle abrasion.
What are the relationship between groundwaters and caves?
Groundwater is weakly acid: it starts as rainwater that absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, and this carbonic acid may be enhanced by acids from the soil. Most caves are in limestone, which is broken by joints, bedding-planes and faults that allow water to seep through from catchment to spring. The weakly acid water dissolves the limestone walls of the joints etc; in time creating tiny conduits that in suitable conditions eventually co-alesce and develop distinct cave passages.
