Which of the following types of chemical weathering is characterized by the direct absorption of water molecules into the crystal structure of a mineral, causing expansion and mechanical stress?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Hydration involves the direct chemical absorption of water molecules into the crystal lattice of minerals, causing volume expansion and subsequent rock breakdown. This process differs from solution or carbonation because water molecules attach without altering the chemical composition of the mineral. Such mineralogical swelling generates internal mechanical stress that weakens the overall rock structure.