Why is limestone used in cement/concrete?
Limestone is a very strong rock and is often cut into large blocks and used in the construction of buildings and skyscrapers. Crushed limestone is also used to make cement, plaster and chalk.Limestone fizzes in vinegar, which means that it reacts to acids. This also means that the outsides of many of our buildings and monuments are being affected by acid rain. Acid rain occurs when large companies pollute the air by releasing chemicals like sulphur into the atmosphere. The sulphur combines with hydrogen and oxygen in the air to form sulphuric acid! Chalk is also a type of Limestone.When Limestone goes into metamorphism, it turns to marble. Limestone is crushed up with clay (or shale) and heated in large rotating kilns, a little calcium sulfate powder is added to the cement to stop it setting as soon as water is mixed in. Cement powder is mixed with sand and small stones to make concrete (the most widely used building material in the world). When mixed with water, the concrete sets to f
