Limestone Flashcards
What is Limestone?
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which consists largely of calcium carbonate.
What are the types of limestone?
Coralline
Oolites
White limestone/chalk
Yellow Limestone
Describe the coralline limestone
It is made up of the remains of coral polyps.
Describe the Oolites limestone
Its a calcium precipitate which is formed from a solution in sea water
Describe the white limestone/chalk
It is made up of 95% calcium carbonate. Its soft and know as pure limestone. Its not suitable for settlements. (Its weak)
Describe the yellow limestone
It is made up on mud and other impurites. (strong limestone)
What are the characteristics of limestone?
Porous- The spaces in the sediments allow water to enter/ pass through
Previous- Joints, faults, bedding planes
Good aquifiers- 40% and 25% of Jamaica’s ground and surface water comes from the aquifier in Trelawny
Where is cockpit country?
Rugged areas of peaks, valleys and caves located in western Central Jamaica
In which parishes are cockpit countries found?
Trelawny, St. Ann, St James, St. Elizabeth and Manchester
What are some countries dominant in limestone?
Cuba
Jamaica
Puerto Rico
Belize
Trinidad
Bahamas
Barbados
What are some headwaters of major rivers in CC?
Martha Brae
Black River
Great River
Rio Bueno
What gives you calcium bicarbonate?
Carbonic acid and calcium carbonate
What gives you carbonic acid?
water and carbon dioxide
What gives you sulphuric acid?
water and sulphur dioxide
What are the 2 theories of the formation of cockpits?
Solution- Heavy rains washing through falted limestone, dissolving and eroding the faults. The debris washes through the sinkholes.
Collapse- The collapse of cave systems
What are poljes?
Poljes are a flat floored depression in a limestone area surronded by a steep side hill.
What are poljes used for?
Drainage basins
What are poljes caused by?
Carbonation in the joints or crack in the limestone
What are limestone pavements comprised of?
Large rectangular rocks called clints and large grooves that seperated them called grykes
What is a sinkhole?
Depression in the land surface
How are sinkholes formed?
They are formed by the dissolving of underlying limestones and the collapse of the surface material.
When does the river return to the surface?
At the resurgence point
What are Dry Valleys?
Steep sided valleys that no longer have water flowing over the surface.
What forms from below a dry valley?
Underground caves.
Caves may collapse to form a…
gorge
What is a doline?
A small depression when one caves collapse
When several dolines come together what do they form?
poljes or uvala
How are stalacites formed?
When water drips from the roof of the cave it leaves back calciuk carbonate which forms into stalacites?
How are stalagmites formed?
When the water drips of the caves ground surface it leaves back calcium carbonate which forms into stalagmites
How are flowstones and rimstones formed?
When water drips on the cave walls
How are deparies formed?
When water drip on the edges of the ledges
What is karst?
A limestone pavement characterized by sinkholes and caves
How are karsts formed?
When carbonic acid turns into calcium carbonate which then turns into calcium bicarbonate it results in the formation of karst above and beyond the earth surface
What are some economic value of karsts?
Agriculture- Some kasrts regions have rich and productive soil.
Industry- Limestone can be used in cement and steel making
Tourisms- Alot of people visit caves through out the year. This serves as a source of income for residents in karst areas.
What is the recreational value of karst?
Karst offers caving as a recreatinal activity which has become quite popular.
