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The breakdown of rock due to acid rain is classified as chemical weathering. This process involves the chemical alteration of minerals within the rock, often leading to the dissolution of certain components. Acid rain, which is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides combine with water vapor in the atmosphere, creates a more acidic environment that can interact with minerals like calcite in limestone or marble, effectively breaking them down and altering their structure.

Chemical weathering is significant because it not only leads to the loss of rock material but also impacts soil formation and nutrient cycling in ecosystems. In contrast, physical weathering would entail the mechanical breakdown of rocks without changing their chemical composition, such as through freeze-thaw cycles, while biological weathering involves the action of living organisms, like roots expanding in rock cracks. Thermal weathering concerns changes due to temperature fluctuations but also does not involve chemical changes caused by acidity. Thus, the impact of acid rain is best characterized by the processes of chemical weathering.