Skip to main content
Skip to navigation

Joint Earth Science Education Initiative - limestone chemistry

This activity is most appropriate for students aged 14-16 to illustrate chemical reactions and useful materials made from rocks.

Some of the simple chemical reactions of limestone (calcium carbonate, CaCO₃) and lime (calcium oxide, CaO).

Websites

Limestone chemistry

Level

14-16 years

Use

Category

Specification

Wales
- GCSE
  - WJEC Chemistry
    - Unit 1: CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES, REACTIONS and ESSENTIAL RESOURCES
      - 1.6 LIMESTONE
        [b] calcium carbonate, calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide as the chemical names for limestone quicklime and slaked lime respectively
        [c] the cycle of reactions involving limestone and products made from it, including the exothermic reaction of quicklime with water and the reaction oflimewater with carbon dioxide
        (d) the uses of limestone in the production of iron and steel, in road-building, to neutralise soil acidity and to make cement
Northern Ireland
- A/AS level
  - CCEA Chemistry
    - Unit AS 2: Further Physical and inorganic Chemistry and an Introdution to Organic Chemistry
      - 2.11 Group II elements and their compounds
        2.11.7 recall the use of calcium carbonate to make calcium oxide [quick lime] and calcium hydroxide [slaked lime] and their use in producing cement and concrete;

Related articles

Resource
Combustion of ethanol | Johnstone’s triangle | 14–16 years

By Helen Harden

Introduce Johnstone’s triangle as a method of understanding the combustion of ethanol and the different respresentation of alcohols
Resource
The reaction between zinc powder and sulfur

A spectacular practical demonstration to show the differences between elements, mixtures and compounds
Resource
C, O and Co | Johnstone’s triangle | 11–14 years

By Helen Harden

Develop your learners’ understanding of symbols and formulas at different conceptual levels by comparing the symbolic representations of carbon monoxide and cobalt

More Resources

Resource
Bondio ïonig | Datblygu dealltwriaeth | 14–16 oed

By Helen Harden and Neil Goalby

Datblygu dealltwriaeth y dysgwyr o ddellt ïonig drwy gymharu cynrychioliadau 2D a 3D
Resource
Swm y sylwedd mewn molau | Stribed strwythur | 14–16

By Kirstie Urquhart

Defnyddiwch yr awgrymiadau sydd wedi’u sgaffaldio i helpu’r dysgwyr i ysgrifennu am swm y sylwedd mewn molau
Resource
Hafaliadau cemegol cytbwys a thanwydd | Mewn cyd-destun | 14–16

By Sarah Binns

Rhoi cydbwyso hafaliadau cemegol mewn cyd-destun gyda chwestiynau am danwydd