Lab Report

The lab performed was to test how different types of chemicals would affect rocks of similar sizes to measure the amount of mass lost due to weathering. The chemicals used for this experiment were solutions such as 50% vinegar, 10% vinegar, soda water, and regular tap water, which were used as a control. Using these samples, this experiment was conducted to showcase how different chemicals weather soil and minerals, along with how this weathering affects the topography of our environment. In order to understand the effects of chemical weathering in this experiment, it should be known that it occurs when a chemical substance such as acetic acid is introduced into an environment, causing the accelerated deterioration of soil and minerals found within the layers of the earth.

This prediction was made because of the acidic properties of vinegar, which are called acetic acid, a highly acidic solution known for eating away at certain substances. Another assumption was that the soda water would show little to no weathering because of the pH indicated at the beginning of the experiment. This pH was an eight at the beginning of the experiment, which led to the assumption that it would have no effect because of the more essential qualities of the solution. Nonetheless, this experiment showed that the 50% vinegar solution had the most significant effect because the mass of the rock in this sample diminished by 0.6 grams. This rock sample went from a beginning mass of 11.2 grams to an ending mass of 10.6 grams, which indicates that chemical weathering occurred within this sample. This data then supports the prediction made at the start of the experiment, stating that a higher percentage of acetic acid or vinegar would have a significant role in the weathering of the rock sample