Limestone and Building materials

Question 1

What is limestone and how do we get hold of it?

Answer 1

A fairly soft rock, mainly calcium carbonate (CaCO3)

Quarrying

Question 2

Describe the process of thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate

Answer 2

CaCO3 is heated, forming calcium oxide and carbon dioxide

Question 3

Which other metal carbonates decompose in a similar way to calcium carbonate?

Answer 3

Magnesium, copper, zinc, sodium

Not all group 1 metal carbonates decompose at Bunsen burner temperatures

Question 4

What is calcium hydroxide, how can it be used, and how is it formed in the limestone cycle?

Answer 4

Slaked lime, an alkali, Ca(OH)2
Neutralisation of acids
Calcium oxide (quicklime) reacts with water

Question 5

What is the final stage of the limestone cycle and how is this reaction useful?

Answer 5

Calcium hydroxide solution in water (limewater) reacts with carbon dioxide to reform calcium carbonate
Test for carbon dioxide presence - CO2 turns limewater cloudy

Question 6

What happens when carbonates react with acids? Why does this demonstrate one disadvantage of using limestone as a building material?

Answer 6

The reaction produce carbon dioxide, a salt, and water

Limestone is damaged by acid rain

Question 7

How is cement made?

Answer 7

Limestone is heated with clay

Question 8

How is mortar made?

Answer 8

Cement is mixed with sand

Question 9

How is concrete made?

Answer 9

Cement is mixed with sand and aggregate (normally gravel)

Question 10

Give a positive and negative environmental effect of using limestone

Answer 10

P: Limestone buildings look attractive, disused quarries can be used to dispose of rubbish or for storing water
N: Quarrying destroys habitats, decomposition of limestone releases CO2, causes alkaline soils and waters

Question 11

Give a positive and negative social effect of using limestone

Answer 11

P: Quarrying creates jobs, limestone is easy to build houses with, disused quarries can be used to dispose of rubbish or for storing water
N: Quarrying causes noise pollution,

Question 12

Give a positive and negative economic effect of using limestone

Answer 12

P: Limestone and its products can be sold, disused quarries can be turned into tourist attractions/adventure parks, quarrying creates jobs - residents have more money to spend
N: Ugly quarries may adversely affect tourism