The swelling/shrinking tendency of some silicate clay minerals is due primarily to _____. A)the presence of cations attracted by the negative charges on the internal surfaces B)the movement of water molecules in and out of the interlayers of the crystal C)varying thickness of the film of water covering the external surface of the particles D)expansion in the width of the interlayers due to movement of larger ions such as K⁺ E)the high Mg²⁺ contents in the octahedral layers

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The swelling and shrinking of some silicate clay minerals are primarily due to the movement of water molecules in and out of the interlayers of the crystal structure. This process changes the volume of the clay particles.

The Swelling/shrinking Tendency of Some Silicate Clay Minerals Is Due