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Limestone - Uses of
Cement is mixed with sand and water to produce mortar.

Limestone - Uses of

Limestone is more than a rock, it is a useful chemical resource. This GCSE Chemistry quiz covers limestone uses in farming and industry, plus links to neutralisation and making building materials.

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Fascinating Fact:

Limestone can be used to neutralise acidic soils in agriculture. It raises soil pH, which can help crops grow better in acidic conditions.

In GCSE Chemistry, limestone (calcium carbonate) is studied as a versatile raw material. You learn how it is quarried and processed, how it is used in construction and manufacturing, and how it can neutralise acids because it is a carbonate.

Key Terms

  • Neutralisation: A reaction where an acid is balanced by a base, producing a salt and usually water.
  • Quarrying: Extracting rock from the ground, often using large machinery in open pits.
  • Calcium Carbonate: The compound in limestone, with the formula CaCO3, used as a raw material in many processes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main uses of limestone in GCSE Chemistry?

Limestone is used to make cement and glass, to produce lime for building, and to neutralise acidic soils and lakes. It is valued because it is cheap, widely available, and chemically useful.

How does limestone neutralise acidic soil?

Limestone contains calcium carbonate, which reacts with acids in soil. This reduces acidity, raises the pH, and can improve growing conditions for crops that do not tolerate acidic soils.

What is quicklime and how is it used?

Quicklime is calcium oxide made by heating limestone. It is used in building materials, treating acidic conditions, and making calcium hydroxide, which is used in mortar and in some water treatment processes.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .
Powdered limestone can be heated to very high temperatures with sand and sodium carbonate to make another building material. This is called...
concrete
cement
glass
mortar
Natural glass exists where sand has been heated to high temperatures, for example, where a meteorite has crashed into the surface of the Earth
2 .
Limestone is a fairly common rock in the UK. How was it formed?
By volcanoes
By heat and pressure under the ground
From the remains of dead sea creatures
From molten rock
In some places, you can see these remains as fossils
3 .
Pick the correct combination of negative aspects of quarrying for limestone.
Jobs for the local community; increased traffic in the area; destruction of habitats; dust on roads/in air
Noisy; destruction of habitats; dust on roads/in air; improved local transport links
Destruction of habitats; noisy; visual pollution; increased traffic in the area
Increased traffic in the area; improved local transport links; jobs for the local community; increase in local trade
Be prepared to give both advantages and disadvantages in an exam
4 .
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using limestone as a building material?
It is abundant
It is environmentally friendly
It is relatively easy to cut
It is a natural material
Quarrying of limestone is not particularly 'green' for a variety of reasons
5 .
Which of the following is NOT a direct use for limestone?
Making cement
Making concrete
Making glass
Making drainpipes
Drainpipes are usually made from the polymer PVC, or metals such as zinc and galvanised steel
6 .
Limestone is sometimes spread on fields and lakes. Why?
To improve the water/soil aeration
To help fish breathe
To make the soil better
To neutralise acidic soil or water
Limestone is mainly calcium carbonate which reacts with acids in the soil or water
7 .
Which of the following is NOT an advantage that concrete has over raw limestone as a building material?
It can be reinforced using steel rods to make it stronger
It can be mixed on site
It is easy to cut into blocks
It is less prone to chemical weathering
It is hard to cut concrete so it is usually moulded into the shape required
8 .
What type of rock is limestone?
Metamorphic
Sedimentary
Igneous
Metamentary
It is formed on the sea bed by layers of sediment that contain high levels of calcium carbonate
9 .
Limestone is made into cement by heating with powdered clay. Cement can be mixed with water, sand and crushed rock. What building material does this produce?
Concrete
Cement
Glass
Mortar
This material is strong and can be moulded into almost any shape
10 .
Cement is mixed with sand and water to produce...
concrete
cement
glass
mortar
Mortar is used to 'glue' bricks and building stones together
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Limestone [GCSE Chemistry only]

Author:  Kate Gardiner (Chemistry Educator & GCSE Quiz Writer)
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