In physical geography and geology, which of the following processes is not commonly classified as a type of chemical weathering of rocks?

Introduction / Context:
This environmental science question concerns chemical weathering, which is the breakdown of rocks and minerals through chemical reactions with water, gases, and dissolved substances. Common types of chemical weathering include solution, oxidation, and carbonation. The term corrosion is frequently used in chemistry to describe the degradation of metals, especially iron, but it is not one of the standard categories used to describe weathering processes acting on rocks in geomorphology.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The processes listed are corrosion, solution, oxidation, and carbonation.
- The question asks which is not typically classified as a type of chemical weathering in the context of rocks and landforms.
- We assume standard physical geography terminology where solution, oxidation, and carbonation are key weathering processes.

Concept / Approach:
Chemical weathering of rocks is usually grouped into several main processes: solution (dissolving of soluble minerals), oxidation (reaction with oxygen, especially of metals such as iron), carbonation (reaction with carbonic acid formed from carbon dioxide and water), and sometimes hydrolysis. While the word corrosion can be used broadly to mean chemical degradation, in school geography and geology it is more commonly associated with the chemical decay of metals like iron in engineering, not as a distinct named category of rock weathering. Therefore, corrosion is the option that does not fit the standard list of chemical weathering types for rocks.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that solution is a type of chemical weathering in which water dissolves soluble minerals, such as halite or limestone, and carries the ions away.
Step 2: Oxidation is another well known chemical weathering process where minerals, especially those containing iron, react with oxygen to form oxides, often giving rocks a reddish colour.
Step 3: Carbonation involves the reaction of carbonic acid (formed when carbon dioxide dissolves in water) with minerals such as calcite in limestone, leading to dissolution and formation of karst landforms.
Step 4: Corrosion is a general term in chemistry for the deterioration of metals, particularly iron, by reactions with the environment. It is not typically used as a specific category in lists of rock weathering processes.
Step 5: Since solution, oxidation, and carbonation are all standard types of chemical weathering of rocks, and corrosion is not usually listed alongside them in geology, corrosion is the correct choice.

Verification / Alternative check:
Physical geography textbooks frequently present tables listing mechanical and chemical weathering processes. Under chemical weathering, they generally include solution, oxidation, carbonation, and sometimes hydrolysis and hydration. The term corrosion appears mainly in engineering contexts or in discussions of metal structures, not in those standard lists. Rock weathering diagrams emphasise dissolution, rusting of iron bearing minerals (oxidation), and carbonic acid reactions, all under specific names, supporting the idea that corrosion is not a main category for rocks.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Solution: This is a classical type of chemical weathering where water dissolves minerals, especially in limestone and rock salt, altering the rock.

Why Other Options Are Wrong (continued):
- Oxidation: This is a standard chemical weathering process where minerals react with oxygen, often weakening rocks and changing their colour and structure.
- Carbonation: This is also a standard process where carbonic acid in water reacts with minerals such as calcite, contributing to features like caves and sinkholes in limestone regions.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes use corrosion as a catch all term for any chemical deterioration, including rock weathering, because they hear about metal corrosion. While the underlying chemistry may be similar, the terminology used in physical geography is more specific. To avoid confusion, learners should remember that solution, oxidation, and carbonation are the named processes for chemical weathering of rocks, while corrosion is reserved mainly for metals in engineering contexts.

Final Answer:
Corrosion is not typically classified as a standard type of chemical weathering of rocks in physical geography.