Exercise No.

3 WEATHERING AND SOLUBILITY

Introduction:
1
Essentially, this exercise deals with finding evidence of weathering events in your local
environment, and conducting basic solubility tests in weathered rock or sediment particles. This
exercise will again give students the opportunity to explore their surroundings, either in their
backyard, neighbourhood or local community. Students must rely on their keen observation to be
able to find a weathering site and gather weathered rock or sediments sample.

Weathering is defined as the breakdown of rocks into smaller particles. There are two (2)
types of weathering—mechanical and chemical weathering. Weathering is evident everywhere,
from a simple rock in your surroundings breaking into several pieces, or a large pile of boulders
crushed naturally or with aid of organisms. It could be rock with sharp edges turned into rounded
edges (spheroidal weathering), and so on. Products of weathering include smaller rock particles,
sediments and soil, respectively. Go and explore your world.

Objectives/Outcomes:

The student must be able to:

1. Develop keen observation in field survey in discovering evidence of weathering;

2. To examine by-product of weathering using solubility test;

3. Learn simple laboratory experiment using vinegar soak test; and

4. Describe mineral property changes (as simulation of chemical weathering).

Materials:
Cellphone (with geo-camera [GPS apps]); a ziplock or transparent plastic bag; spring force
balance (optional); weighing scale (measure five 50 g weathered rock samples); tap water (25 ml),
muriatic acid (25 ml), hydrogen peroxide (25 ml) for solubitility test; white vinegar (50 ml) for
soaking test; hammer, and cheese cloth (for hardness test); PPE (personal protective equipment,
laboratory goggle and/or face shield); a measuring cup (with calibration mark, 25 and 50 ml); four
(4) disposable plastic cups; a disposable fork or spoon; tissue paper or folded bond paper; and a 1ST SEMESTER, S.Y. 2021-2022
cardboard paper (cover).

Procedure:
Explore your current location, at home, your neighbourhood or local community. Find a site
where weathering has occurred. Once you have discovered your weathered site, do not grab any
weathered rock sample yet. Geo-tagged its natural surroundings and take a good picture. Describe
its site location where it is found. Also take a focus picture of your weathered rocks and
sediments, with GPS disabled.

Gather approximately 250 grams of weathered rock or sediments sample. You may use a
spring force balance to measure your sample weight. If not available, just make an estimate, but
make sure to be more than your needed 250 g sample. Gather say 300 g of weathered rock sample
and put in a ziplock or plastic bag.

ES 1: Fundamentals of Earth Science | Engr. Erwin C. Torio, Ph.D.

 Exercise No. 3 WEATHERING AND SOLUBILITY

Having your weathered rock or sediments sample, at hand, you are now ready to proceed to
solubility test and mineral properties test. 2
Water Solubility. Put approximately 50 g of weathered rock samples in a plastic container.
Pour 25 ml of water and observe solubility by adsorption and color changes in water solution.
Take a focus picture of your sample as evidence of conducting the experiment.

Muriatic Acid Solubility. Put approximately 50 g of weathered rock samples in a plastic

container. Pour (drop by drop) 25 ml of muriatic acid and observe solubility by adsorption and
color changes in muriatic acid solution. Take a focus picture of your sample as evidence of
conducting the experiment.

A big safety reminder to be extra careful in handling acid. Wear a goggle or face shield. We
do not know the chemical composition in your weathered rock or sediments sample, which may
cause violent and rapid chemical reaction.

Hydrogen Peroxide Solubility. Repeat similar procedure of muriatic acid solubility test.
Consider safety precaution in doing experiment.

The fourth (4th) and last weathered rock or sediments sample, about 50 g by weight, will be
used for vinegar soak test.

Vinegar Soak Test. Put approximately 50 g of weathered rock samples in a plastic container.
Measure about 50 ml of white vinegar. Take separate focus picture of your weathered rock or
sediments sample and white vinegar. Pour (drop by drop) the 50 ml white vinegar to the plastic
cup containing the sample. Add additional white vinegar until the weathered rock or sediments is
soaked and fully submerged. Observe initial changes in color, solubility and/or reactivity. Cover
with cardboard paper to avoid insects (vinegar is attractant) from entering. Let it stand for 24
hours.

After 24-hours duration, removed the weathered rock or sediment samples and put on top
of a tissue paper (or folded [to ¼ size] bond paper) using a disposable fork or spoon, until drain.
Observe and take a focus picture of the white vinegar solution (remained in the plastic cup).
Observe changes in color. Do the same for the weathered rock or sediment samples. 1ST SEMESTER, S.Y. 2021-2022

Hardness Hammer Test. We will determine the hardness of our weathered rock or
sediments sample by hammer test. Two samples will be used here. The vinegar soaked and non-
soaked sample. Put approximately 25 g of sample in cheese cloth. Cover it and strike with hammer
starting from low to increasing impact until samples is crushed. Repeat the process on the second
sample. Compare the size results. Which is easier to strike? Which has smaller sizes? Take a
picture on both samples. Caution should be made when performing hammer test experiment.

Additional Notes:
Gather about 250 g of weathered rock sample or sediments deposits with minimum sizes.
Remember that you are to test them independently for (3) solubility and (2) mineral properties.
Approximately you will be needing 50 g each. There are five (5) set of simple experiments, needing
four (4) separate plastic cups as containers.

ES 1: Fundamentals of Earth Science | Engr. Erwin C. Torio, Ph.D.

 Exercise No. 3 WEATHERING AND SOLUBILITY

3
Note that you could substitute your muriatic acid to a more acid friendly solution. You may
use a transparent softdrink (say “Sprite”, “Mountain Dew”, etc.). They are acidic in nature. I advise
you to make substitute to your muriatic acid to a softdrink (carbonic acid).

When doing this exercise, consider your safety in your working environment. Similarly, with
other people around you. Focus on your activity and avoid multi-tasking (doing two or more things
at the same time. You are not superman). Also, be reminded that after each experiments,
disposed off your sample properly. Safety is our concern at the highest standard.

1ST SEMESTER, S.Y. 2021-2022

ES 1: Fundamentals of Earth Science | Engr. Erwin C. Torio, Ph.D.