Final answer:
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction where water reacts with a substance to decompose it. In geology, this leads to the formation of weak acids that dissolve minerals, contributing to geological features. Option B, water reacting with minerals in rock, best describes hydrolysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction involving water where a water molecule reacts with a substance to cause a decomposition reaction. In the context of geology and the dissolution of minerals like calcium carbonate (chalk), hydrolysis can be described as:
- CO₂ (gaseous) dissolves in water forming CO₂ (aqueous).
- Hydrolysis occurs when CO₂ (aqueous) reacts with H₂O (liquid) to form H₂CO₃ (carbonic acid).
- Ionization of carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) yields bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) and hydrogen ions (H+).
This results in the formation of weak acids like carbonic acid in water, which in turn can lead to the dissolution of minerals through acidic reactions, contributing to geological features such as caves through the formation of bicarbonate and carbonate ions.
Option B: 'water reacting chemically with minerals in rock' best describes hydrolysis within this context as it encapsulates the idea of a chemical reaction between water and the substance in question, which fits the hydrolysis process described above.