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The Chemistry of Limestone
http://www.rsc.org/Education/Teachers/Resources/jesei/chemlim/home.htm
From DLESE Community Collection (DCC)
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In this activity, students heat limestone (mainly calcium carbonate) to form lime (calcium oxide) and note the differences between the reactions of limestone and lime with water, acids and carbon dioxide. Adding water to the lime produces slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) in an exothermic reaction. Some of the calcium hydroxide dissolves in the water, producing an alkaline solution called limewater. Students discover that on blowing into this solution through a straw, the calcium hydroxide solution reacts with the carbon dioxide in exhaled breath to form a cloudy precipitate of calcium carbonate (this is the basis of the limewater test for carbon dioxide). In effect, they have regenerated the original limestone. Continuing to blow through the straw for some time will result in the calcium carbonate precipitate re-dissolving as soluble calcium hydrogen carbonate. The site offers directions for students and teachers, a list of materials, information on the use and production of limestone in Great Britain, and a glossary.
Intended for grade levels:
  • Middle (6-8)
  • High (9-12)
Type of resource:
  • For the classroom:
    • Lab activity
  • Text:
    • Glossary
    • Ref. material
Subject:
  • Chemistry
  • Geological Sciences:
    • Mineralogy or petrology
Technical requirements:
No specific technical requirements, just a browser required
Cost / Copyright:
No cost
Copyright is waived for original material published on this site if the material is required for use within the laboratory or classroom. The copyright of material reproduced by permission of other publishers rests with the originating publisher.
DLESE Catalog ID: DLESE-000-000-006-564
Educational standards:
  • National Science Education Standards (NSES):
    • 5-8:
      • A - Science as inquiry:
        • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
      • B - Physical science:
        • Properties and changes of properties in matter
    • 9-12:
      • A - Science as inquiry:
        • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
      • B - Physical science:
        • Chemical reactions
      • D - Earth and space science:
        • Geochemical cycles
Resource contact / Creator / Publisher:
Publisher: Joint Earth Science Education Initiative (JESEI)