The process whereby certain minerals absorb the water, expand and chan

The process whereby certain minerals absorb the water, expand and change is called as

Hydration.
Oxidation.
Hydrolysis.
Carbonation.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2021
The correct answer is Hydration.
Hydration is a process of chemical weathering where certain minerals absorb water into their crystal structure. This absorption causes the minerals to swell and expand, leading to stress within the rock and eventual disintegration. Examples include the hydration of feldspars into clay minerals.
Oxidation is a process where minerals react with oxygen, often in the presence of water, leading to rust formation in iron-bearing minerals. Hydrolysis involves the chemical reaction of water with a mineral, breaking down the mineral by replacing ions with hydrogen or hydroxyl ions from water. Carbonation is the reaction of minerals with carbonic acid (formed when carbon dioxide dissolves in water), common in the weathering of limestone. While water is involved in all these processes, the specific process of mineral absorption of water leading to expansion and change is defined as hydration.
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