Chemical Weathering

Over the past two weeks, our young scientists have been diving into the fascinating world of chemical weathering in our science lessons. The students have been planning and carrying out an experiment to test how different rocks are affected by chemical weathering, an essential process that shapes our environment.

We started by learning about the causes of chemical weathering, focusing on acid rain. Acid rain occurs when pollution in the air makes rainwater more acidic, which can corrode various materials. This was a new and intriguing concept for the children, helping them understand the environmental impact of pollution.

Last week, we began planning an experiment to determine which types of rock would be best suited to make a plaque for outside our school. The students considered several variables for our experiment, such as the types of rocks to be used, the duration of observation for each rock, and ensuring that the test was fair and accurate.

This week, the excitement continued as we carried out our experiment. To simulate acid rain, we used white vinegar. Each student used pipettes to carefully drop some 'acid rain' onto their chosen rocks and observed the reactions. As we had predicted, some rocks like slate and marble did not react to the vinegar at all, indicating their durability and making them strong contenders for our plaque. On the other hand, weaker rocks like basalt and chalk absorbed the vinegar and even started to bubble and fizz as they corroded away.

Through this experiment, the children have not only learnt about chemical weathering but also about conducting scientific investigations—planning, predicting, observing, and concluding