Calcium carbonate

Limestone is mainly made up of the compound: Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
1. It is quarried and used as a building material
When heated, Calcium Carbonate thermally decomposes to make calcium oxide and carbon dioxide
1. Carbonates such as: magnesium, copper, zinc, Calcium and Sodium decompose in a similiar way by heating.
2. Calcium oxide reacts with water to produce Calcium hydroxide which can be used to nuetralise acids
  1. Used to neutralise acid soils
  2. A solution of calcium hydroxide in limewater reacts with CO2 in the air to produce Calcium carbonate.
    1. Limewater is used as a test for CO2. CO2 turns limewater cloudy
Carbonates react with acids to produce CO2, a salt and water
1. Limestone is damaged by acid rain
2. Other carbonates that react with acid are: magnesium, copper, zinc and sodium
3. the type of salt produced depends on the type of acid
Powdered limestone is heated with powdered clay to make cement
1. Cement can be mixed with sand and water to make a mortar. Mortar is what is used to stick bricks together
2. Cement can be mixed with aggregate (water and gravel) to make concrete

Resource summary

	Created by toby_brown over 11 years ago