Concrete stalactites

By Peter Borrows2007-09-01T00:00:00

A concrete stalactite formed on the concrete outside a car park

Peter Borrows takes us on another excursion into local chemistry. In this issue: concrete stalactites

Have you ever seen a concrete stalactite, ie a stalactite that has formed spontaneously on concrete, rather than on limestone rock? Look up as you walk under a concrete bridge or flyover. Very likely you will spot stalactites hanging down from the roof. These are formed by much the same chemistry as makes lime water go milky in the familiar school experiment so it is easy to relate concrete stalactites to ideas that pupils will know.

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