Question

What is leaching? Explain the process.

Answer 1

Leaching is the technical term for the process when liquid passes through granular solids, such as when rain water passes through soil or sand. The process exposes various mineral and chemicals to the passing water on the way to its destination – a stream or an underground reservoir. Many such chemicals, both elemental (zinc, carbon, etc.) and compounds (sodium chloride, potassium hydrochloride, etc.) are acted upon by their immersion in water – they break up into simpler compounds or combine into more complex compounds, or simply are carried along with the water to its final destination.