In which process can rock minerals be removed as dissolved ions in water?

Correct answer: Solution and leaching

Solution and leaching are forms of chemical weathering and removal. In solution, minerals that can dissolve enter the water directly. In leaching, water moving through soil or broken rock carries dissolved ions downward or away from the original material. The solid rock may therefore lose some of its chemical constituents even when large pieces do not visibly break off. This is different from purely mechanical cracking.

Option A is correct because the key clue is the removal of minerals as ions dissolved in water. Thermal cracking breaks rock through heating and cooling but does not itself dissolve ions. Pressure release opens fractures by unloading, while root pressure can widen cracks through plant growth. These may be physical or biological actions, but they do not describe dissolved chemical removal. The exact ions depend on the minerals and water conditions.