Unit 4: Rocks and Minerals

HKDSE Chemistry
Topic 1: Planet Earth
Unit 4: Rocks and Minerals

Name: __________________________ Class: F. _________ (______)

Rocks and Minerals: Metals in the Earth’s Crust
Rock — A Mixture of Minerals
⚫ The Earth’s crust is made up of rocks and soils.
◼ Soils mainly come from the breakdown of rocks.
⚫ Rock is usually a mixture of minerals.
◼ In other words, the Earth’s crust is a source of minerals.
⚫ Minerals are naturally occurring substances that have a specific chemical composition.
◼ The primary source of the salts in oceans is dissolved minerals brought by rivers and streams.
◼ Minerals may be elements, like gold and carbon (in the form of diamond), which are found free
in rocks.
◆ Gold is found free in rock.
◆ The photo shows a piece of natural gold nugget.
◼ More commonly, minerals are compounds of different elements.
◼ Silicon and oxygen are two elements that form the major types of minerals in the Earth’s crust.
⚫ Granite
◼ Granite contains three kinds of minerals.
◆ The rock granite is a mixture of mainly three kinds of minerals.
◼ They are quartz, mica and feldspar.
◼ Each of them is a compound.
◆ Quartz is a compound of silicon
and oxygen.
◆ Feldspar and mica are compounds
formed from silicon, oxygen and
other elements.
Metals
⚫ Metals find extensive uses in your daily life.

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⚫ Sources of Metals
◼ From the sea
◼ From the Earth’s crust — the Earth’s hard outer layer
 most metals are found here.
⚫ Metals have different reactivities 活潑性.
◼ Some unreactive metals
◆ A few do not react with other elements. They are found naturally in their
free state (as uncombined elements).
Examples:
◆ Gold
◆ Platinum
◼ Most other metals
◆ Most metals are too reactive to exist on their own in the ground.
◆ They exist combined with other elements as compounds.
◆ These compounds are called minerals 礦物.
◆ Compounds found in minerals:
➢ Carbonates
➢ Oxides
➢ Sulphides
➢ Selenides (less common)
➢ Tellurides (less common)
⚫ The rocks are materials that make up the Earth’s crust.
◼ It is in rocks that you find minerals.
Common Ores
⚫ Ores 礦石 are rocks containing minerals in concentrations that are high enough for
economical extraction 提取.
◼ An ore is the type of rock that contains useful minerals, from which a metal can be extracted.
◼ This means the value of the metal extracted is more than the cost of extracting it.
⚫ Most of the metals used in daily life are extracted from their ores.
⚫ Different compounds of metals are found in different ores.

bauxite 鋁土礦
cinnabar 硃砂
haematite 赤鐵礦
malachite 孔雀石

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Extraction of Metals from Their Ores

⚫ Since metals are useful in our daily life and most metals occurred naturally in compounds in the ores,
different extraction methods have been used to extract the metal to use.
⚫ The underlying principle of using which extraction methods depends on the
metal’s reactivity .
⚫ The availability and the price of a metal depends mainly on the following factors:
◼ the abundance of the metal in the Earth’s crust
◼ the ease of mining its ore and the cost
◼ the ease of extracting the metal from its ore and the cost
Some Ores and the Metals that Can Be Extracted from Them
Ore Major Element or Compound in the Ore Metal Extracted
Bauxite Aluminium Oxide Aluminium
Copper Pyrite Copper Iron Sulphide Copper
Haematite Iron(III) Oxide Iron
Galena Lead(II) Sulphide Lead
Rock Salt Sodium Chloride Sodium
Gold Ore Gold Gold
⚫ Metals can be extracted from their ores by physical methods or
chemical methods .

Physical Methods Used to Extract Metals from Their Ores

⚫ A few very unreactive metals, such as gold, platinum and palladium, occur as
free uncombined elements in their ores existed in the Earth’s crust.
⚫ They can be extracted by physical methods like mechanical separation.
◼ Separate the metal from the impurities by physical methods can extract the metals.
⚫ It does not involve chemical reactions .  This is a physical change.
Example: Panning for Gold 淘金
⚫ Gold can be extracted by panning.
◼ A process in which the rock or soil which mixed with the metal is placed
in a shallow tray and then swirled in water.
◼ The less dense material floats away and the denser metal remains in the
tray.
◼ In gold panning, since gold has a high density, it will sink to the bottom
of the pan.
◼ But other materials such as sand and mud will be shaken out of the pan.

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Chemical Methods Used to Extract Metals from Their Ores

⚫ Metals that occur in nature in the form of compounds can be extracted from their ores by using
chemical methods.
⚫ For metal ores in the form of oxides, three chemical methods are commonly employed to extract the
metals from these oxides.
Heating the Metal Ore alone
⚫ Some less reactive (quite unreactive) metals can be extracted by just heating the ore
alone.
◼ Unreactive metals such as mercury and silver can be extracted by heating
their ores alone.
Examples
⚫ Mercury formed from heating cinnabar (containing a sulphide of mercury) in air
Note: Mercury forms a few sulphides.

Silver from silver oxide ore Note: Silver forms a type of oxide.

Heating the Metal Ore (Oxide of Metal) with Carbon

⚫ Most ores of moderately reactive metals, when heated (in the air), are converted
to the oxides of the metals.
⚫ The more reactive metals, such as zinc, iron and lead, can be extracted by heating their ores with
carbon.
If the metal ore is already an oxide ore, this step is skipped.
heat in air
metal sulphide + oxygen → metal oxide + sulphur dioxide

heat
metal carbonate → metal oxide + carbon dioxide

⚫ Carbon , in the form of coke (made from coal), then can be used
to extract these metals from their oxide.
⚫ The metal oxide and coke are heated to very high temperatures in a
furnace . Metal is formed when they react.
heat
metal oxide + carbon → metal + carbon dioxide
Examples
⚫ Iron
heat
oxide of iron + carbon → iron + carbon dioxide
⚫ Lead
◼ Lead can be extracted from lead(II) oxide by heating it with carbon strongly.
heat in air
lead(II) sulphide + oxygen → lead(II) oxide + sulphur dioxide

heat
lead(II) oxide + carbon → lead + carbon dioxide

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⚫ Copper
heat
carbonate of copper → oxide of copper + carbon dioxide

heat
oxide of copper + carbon → copper + carbon dioxide

Remark:
⚫ This method produces air pollutants like sulphur dioxide, which cause acid rain.
Electrolysis of Molten Metal Ores
⚫ The most reactive metals, such as sodium, calcium, aluminium and magnesium, can be
extracted by electrolysis of their molten 熔融 ores.
⚫ This is a very costly process because it uses a lot of electrical energy.
Aluminium is extracted from molten aluminium oxide by passing electricity through it.

Conservation of Metals
⚫ There is only a limited supply of metal ores in the Earth.
⚫ They cannot be replaced if humans use them all up.
⚫ Items made from metals are often thrown away after use. This leads to huge waste dumps.
⚫ Extracting metals from their ores requires a lot of energy .
⚫ Energy resources are also limited and you need to conserve these as well.
Practice 1
1. Write a word equation for each of the following extraction processes of metals.
(a) Extraction of mercury by heating mercury(II) oxide
mercury(II) oxide → mercury + oxygen

(b) Extraction of zinc by heating zinc oxide with carbon

zinc oxide + carbon → zinc + carbon dioxide

(c) Extraction of magnseium by electrolysis of magnesium chloride

electrolysis
magnesium chloride → magnesium + chlorine

2. Bismuth is a metal commonly used in medicine, cosmetics and soldering meterials. It commonly exists
in nature as sulphide ore.
(a) Extraction of the metal from the ore involves 2 steps. Write the word equation for each of the
step.
(i) Step 1: bismuth(III) sulphide is turned into bismuth(III) oxide.
heat in air
bismuth(III) sulphide + oxygen → bismuth(III) oxide + sulphur dioxide

(ii) Step 2: bismuth(III) oxide is heated with carbon to extract the metal.
heat
bismuth(III) oxide + carbon → bismuth + carbon dioxide

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(b) Electrolysis of bismuth ore can also produce the metal. Suggest one reason why electrolysis is
NOT used commercially to produce the metal.
Electrolysis uses lots of energy and is a costly process.

(c) There is only a limited supply of bismuth metal on Earth. Suggest a way how we can conserve
the metal.
Any one of the following:
⚫ Reduce the use of cosmetics.
⚫ Recycle used soldered materials.
⚫ Replace the use of the metal with alternatives, e.g. using cosmetics and medicines without
bismuth.

Rocks Containing Calcium Carbonate

Limestone, Chalk and Marble
⚫ Limestone, chalk and marble are rocks which contain mainly the mineral calcite.
⚫ Calcite is a natural form of calcium carbonate.
Limestone Cave in Guangxi Province, China Chalk Cliffs in Colorado, United States Marble Gorge in Taroko, Taiwan

Limestone
⚫ Limestone 石灰石 is one of the most common types of rock found on the surface of the
Earth.
⚫ Limestone is a rock composed largely of the mineral calcite 方解石.
⚫ Calcite is composed of calcium carbonate ,
a compound of the metal calcium, carbon and oxygen.
⚫ Calcium is a reactive metal and can be extracted using
electrolysis .
⚫ Over 500 million tonnes of limestone are quarried worldwide every year.
⚫ Limestone and its related compounds, quicklime 生石灰
and slaked lime 熟石灰, have a variety of uses.

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Uses of Limestone and Its Related Compounds

⚫ Limestone blocks can be used to construct buildings and roads.
⚫ Limestone has other uses as well.
◼ They are used to make cement, make glass, build sculptures, and to neutralize acidic soil.

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Formation of Chalk, Limestone and Marble

⚫ Calcium carbonate occurs naturally in three main forms.

⚫ The skeletons and shells of sea animals are made up of calcium carbonate.
⚫ When sea animals die, they sink to the bottom of the oceans and are covered by mud and sand.
⚫ Over millions of years, due to high temperatures, high pressures and earth movements, the calcium
carbonate changes to chalk, limestone and marble.
Formation of Chalk
⚫ Many sea creatures have shells , teeth or other parts made
from calcium carbonate.
◼ Oyster shells are mainly made up of calcium carbonate.
⚫ When they die, their remains settle to the sea bed.
⚫ Over millions of years, sediment builds up on top of the layers
of remains.
⚫ The bottom layers are subjected to pressure and heat, and changed into chalk.
⚫ Earth movements may lift the chalk out of the sea.

Formation of Limestone and Marble

⚫ Earth movements may also cause the chalk to sink further.
⚫ Higher pressure and heat cause the chalk to turn into much harder limestone .

⚫ Buried limestone that is caught in an active part of the Earth’s crust can suffer huge increases in
pressure and temperature.
⚫ These can turn the limestone into a very hard rock — marble .
Comparing Hardness of Chalk, Limestone and Marble
⚫ Marble is very hard.
⚫ Limestone is hard while chalk is slightly softer.
softest chalk < limestone < marble hardest

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Action of Heat, Water and Acids on Calcium Carbonate

⚫ The reactions involved in producing calcium oxide (quicklime) and calcium hydroxide (slaked lime)
can be imitated in the laboratory.
Producing Quicklime and Slaked Lime from Limestone
Making Calcium Oxide (Quicklime) from Action of Heat on Calcium Carbonate
⚫ Calcium carbonate is a white solid.
⚫ It decomposes to calcium oxide and carbon dioxide when it is heated strongly.
◼ This type of reaction is called thermal decomposition.
◼ When heated strongly, calcium carbonate decomposes (breaks down).
heat
calcium carbonate → calcium oxide + carbon dioxide

limestone quicklime
⚫ Heating limestone to produce quicklime is an important industrial process.
⚫ It takes place in a lime kiln .
⚫ Over 60 million tonnes of quicklime are produced worldwide every year.
⚫ Remark:
◼ Limestone can be used as fireproofing additive because of the following reasons.
◆ The decomposition of calcium carbonate is an endothermic process, absorbing
heat for the process to proceed.  That’s why we need to heat to decompose limestone.
◆ The carbon dioxide evolved can extinguish fire.

Making Calcium Hydroxide (Slaked Lime) and Limewater from Calcium Oxide (Quicklime)
⚫ Every year, large amounts of quicklime are converted industrially into slaked lime, which is
calcium hydroxide .
⚫ This process can be shown in the laboratory by adding a few drops of water to calcium
oxide.
⚫ The solid flakes and expands and eventually crumbles into calcium hydroxide.

calcium oxide + water → calcium hydroxide

◼ The calcium oxide formed is a white solid and is commonly known as
quicklime .
◼ When water is added to calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide
( slaked lime ) forms and a lot of heat is given off.

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⚫ If more water is added, the calcium hydroxide solid formed will dissolve in water,
forming limewater , a dilute solution of calcium
hydroxide.
◼ Calcium hydroxide is only slightly soluble in water.
◼ When water is added to calcium hydroxide, a saturated solution
with white suspension forms.
◼ After the suspension is filtered, a colourless solution is obtained.
◆ The filtrate is limewater.
◼ Difference between Filtrate and Residue
◆ In filtration, the liquid that passes through a filter paper and being collected
is called the filtrate .
◆ The insoluble solid that remains on the filter paper is called the
residue .
Action of Water on Calcium Carbonate
⚫ When calcium carbonate is added to water, there is no observable change.
⚫ Calcium carbonate is insoluble in water (does not dissolve in water).
Test for Carbon Dioxide
⚫ Carbon dioxide is a colourless and odourless gas.
⚫ Limewater is used for testing carbon dioxide gas, as limewater turns
milky when carbon dioxide is bubbled into it.
◼ Limewater is a saturated solution of calcium hydroxide.
◆ It is colourless.
◼ When carbon dioxide is bubbled into limewater for a few seconds, a white precipitate of
calcium carbonate forms.
◼ The milkiness is due the formation of white insoluble limestone.
calcium hydroxide + carbon dioxide → calcium carbonate + water
colourless solution white precipitate
◼ Therefore, carbon dioxide turns limewater milky.
◼ This is a simple test for carbon dioxide.
⚫ When excess carbon dioxide is continuously bubbled into limewater, the milky solution
turns colourless .
◼ If carbon dioxide gas is bubbled for longer, the white calcium carbonate dissolves and
a solution of calcium hydrogencarbonate is produced.
◼ This is because the insoluble calcium carbonate reacts with the excess carbon dioxide and water
to form soluble calcium hydrogencarbonate.
calcium carbonate + carbon dioxide + water → calcium hydrogencarbonate
white precipitate colourless solution

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⚫ Test for carbon dioxide using limewater.
⚫ The milky limewater becomes colourless when excess carbon dioxide is bubbled into it.

Remarks:
⚫ Air contains a low percentage of carbon dioxide.
◼ There would be a similar observation if air is passed into limewater in a sufficiently long period
of time.
◼ The limewater used for testing carbon dioxide should be freshly prepared to avoid false test result.
⚫ Distinguishing between Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

⚫ Some other gases like sulphur dioxide can also turn limewater milky. Further test is needed for
identifying sulphur dioxide gas.
Summary of Some Chemical Changes Involving Calcium Carbonate

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Action of Dilute Hydrochloric Acid on Calcium Carbonate

⚫ Unlike water, acids can dissolve calcium carbonate.
⚫ When dilute hydrochloric acid is added to calcium carbonate, effervescence 泡騰
(bubbling or fizzing) occurs.
◼ When dilute hydrochloric acid is added to calcium carbonate, they react.
◼ During the reaction, calcium chloride, carbon dioxide and water are produced.
◼ As carbon dioxide is produced, effervescence occurs.
◼ The gas given off turns limewater milky.

calcium carbonate + dilute hydrochloric acid → calcium chloride + water + carbon dioxide

◼ Calcium carbonate reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to give calcium chloride which is
soluble in water.
Carbon dioxide evolves when calcium carbonate reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid.

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Example: Investigating the Actions of Acids and Water on Calcium Carbonate

In an experiment, a student added some dilute hydrochloric acid to a test tube containing calcium carbonate powder.
(a) What would the student observe in the test tube?
The calcium carbonate powder dissolved. Colourless gas bubbles evolved or effervescence occurred.
(b) Write a word equation for the reaction between calcium carbonate and dilute hydrochloric acid.
calcium carbonate + dilute hydrochloric acid → calcium chloride + carbon dioxide + water
(c) What will the student observe if he/she uses water instead of dilute hydrochloric acid?
The calcium carbonate does not dissolve in water. A white suspension forms.
Practice 2
1. The flow chart below outlines the stages involved in the preparation of limewater from limestone.

(a) Write word equations for reactions taking place in Stages 1 and 2.

(b) Describe what would be observed when water is added dropwise to a lump of cold quicklime.
The solid flakes and expands and eventually crumbles.

(c) Describe how slaked lime is converted into limewater in Stage 3.

Adding more water

2. Refer to the following reactions.

(a) Write a word equation for each of the reaction that occurs when:
(i) Calcium carbonate is heated strongly.
calcium carbonate → calcium oxide + carbon dioxide

(ii) Water is added to calcium oxide.

calcium oxide + water → calcium hydroxide

(b) State any heat change in each of the above processes.

(i) Calcium carbonate is heated strongly.
Heat is absorbed when calcium carbonate is heated strongly.

(ii) Water is added to calcium oxide.

Heat is released when water is added to calcium oxide.

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3. In an experiment, excess dilute hydrochloric acid was added to a test tube with a small piece of chalk
in it.
(a) State the major compound present in chalk.
Calcium carbonate

(b) State TWO expected observations in this experiment.

⚫ The small piece of chalk dissolved.
⚫ Colourless gas bubbles evolved/ effervescence occurred.

(c) Was the change involved a physical or chemical change? Explain your answer.
The change involved a chemical change as new substances (carbon dioxide, calcium chloride
and water) were produced.

4. Refer to the following flow chart.

(a) What are substances P and Q?

P is calcium oxide and Q is carbon dioxide.

(b) What would be observed when Q is added to calcium hydroxide solution?

The calcium hydroxide solution turns milky.

(c) Write a word equation for the reaction involved in (b).

carbon dioxide + calcium hydroxide → calcium carbonate + water

Test for the Presence of Calcium in a Sample

⚫ The presence of calcium in a sample can be shown by the flame test.
◼ Refer to Chapter 3 for the procedure of a flame test.
⚫ Calcium compounds give a brick-red flame when it is heated strongly in
a non-luminous flame in the flame test
Test for the Presence of Carbonate in a Sample (Using Limewater Test)
⚫ When carbonates react with dilute hydrochloric acid, carbon dioxide is given off.
⚫ To test for the presence of carbonate in a sample, dilute hydrochloric acid is added to the sample.
⚫ If a colourless and odourless gas evolves and is passed into limewater and it turns limewater milky,
carbonate is present in the sample.

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⚫ This is why a lump of calcium carbonate appears to dissolve if you add dilute hydrochloric
acid to it.
⚫ Geologists test rocks with dilute hydrochloric acid to see if they contain carbonates.
⚫ Effervescence occurs for rocks containing carbonates.

Summary
⚫ Limestone, chalk and marble all give a brick-red flame in the flame test .
⚫ Besides, upon addition of dilute hydrochloric acid to their samples, all of them
produce a colourless gas which turns limewater milky .
Distinguishing Limestone Powder and Table Salt
⚫ A sample of limestone powder can be distinguished from a sample of table salt (sodium chloride) by
the following methods:
Observations
Adding dilute
Adding water Performing a flame test
hydrochloric acid

calcium carbonate Insoluble Give a brick-red flame. Effervescence occurs.

Give a golden yellow

sodium chloride Soluble No observable change
flame.

Practice 3
1. Two tests are carried out on a sample of white solid and the results are shown below.
Test Result
Flame Test A brick-red flame is observed.
Addition of Dilute Hydrochloric Acid Colourless gas bubbles of carbon dioxide evolve.
(a) What can be concluded from the results of the tests?
The white solid sample may contain calcium and carbonate.

(b) How can you show that the colourless gas bubbles evolved after the addition of dilute hydrochloric
acid are carbon dioxide?
⚫ Pass the gas into a test tube of limewater.
⚫ If the limewater turns milky, the gas is carbon dioxide.

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(c) From the results of the tests, can you conclude that the sample is calcium carbonate? Explain your
answer.
⚫ No.
⚫ This is because these tests can only show that the white solid contains calcium and
carbonate.
⚫ They cannot be used to show the presence of other substances/species in the solid.

2. A student investigates the composition of eggshells and suspects that eggshells contain calcium
carbonate. Suggest tests the student may use to show that eggshell contain calcium carbonate.
⚫ Carry out a flame test on eggshells.
⚫ A brick-red flame is observed, showing that eggshells contain calcium.
⚫ Add dilute hydrochloric acid to eggshells.
⚫ Effervescence occurs, showing that eggshells contain carbonate.

3. A reagent bottle containing limewater was left in the air for a long time. A white solid formed around
the mouth of the bottle. Explain the observation with the aid of a word equation.
⚫ Limewater reacted with carbon dioxide in the air to give calcium carbonate.
calcium hydroxide + carbon dioxide → calcium carbonate + water

4. A student has made the marble (mainly calcium carbonate) table at home dirty and he cleans the table
with an acidic cleaner. Explain why he should not do this.
⚫ Acids like dilute hydrochloric acid reacts with calcium carbonate in the marble.
⚫ This destroys the marble table.

5. Dolomite is a rock. It is similar to limestone, but contains a mixture of magnesium carbonate and
calcium carbonate instead of calcium carbonate alone. What would be observed when dilute
hydrochloric acid is added to the rock?
⚫ The rock dissolves and colourless gas bubbles evolve.
⚫ Magnesium carbonate can also react with dilute hydrochloric acid.
⚫ Carbon dioxide is produced in the reaction.

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Weather and Erosion

⚫ Weathering 風化 is the process where
rock is dissolved, worn away or broken down into smaller
and smaller pieces.
◼ Weathering of rocks is a slow process (usually
taking place over thousands of years).
⚫ In weathering, exposed rocks are broken down into
smaller pieces or changed into other substances.
◼ Temperature change and action of chemicals in the environment (e.g. carbonic acid in rainwater)
are causes of weathering.
◼ The weathered rock pieces are carried away by gravity, wind and water.
◼ They act like sandpaper, wearing away other rocks.
⚫ Once the rock has been weakened and broken up by weathering, it is ready for erosion 侵
蝕.
◼ Erosion happens when weathered rock materials are moved to another place by ice, water, wind
or gravity 重力.
◼ This process is called erosion.
Rocks in deserts get hot in the daytime and cool down Rocks on the sea are always hit by the sea waves.
quickly at night. The force of sea waves causes the rocks to break off.
They are badly weathered. They are badly eroded.

Types of Weathering
Physical Weathering
⚫ A physical change that rock gets broken into fragments but it is not chemically
changed.
⚫ This can happen in several ways.
◼ Plant roots grow into cracks in rock and slowly
prise the rock apart.
◼ In the winter, water in the cracks expands as it freezes ,
forcing the cracks wider. Eventually the rock breaks up .
◼ In some places, the temperature drops below freezing point at night
and rises during the day.
◼ So water in the cracks freezes and thaws cycle after cycle. The rock
breaks up over time.

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Chemical Weathering: Weathering of Limestone by Acidic Substances

⚫ Rock gets broken into fragments and it is chemically changed.
⚫ An example of chemical weathering is the formation of limestone caves .
◼ A limestone cave is a natural cavity that is formed underneath the Earth’s surface.
◼ Rainwater is slightly acidic because carbon dioxide in air dissolves slightly in it, forming carbonic
acid.
◆ When rain falls, rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide in the air to form carbonic acid 碳酸.
water + carbon dioxide → carbonic acid acidic
◆ The corresponding chemical equation:
CO2(g) + H2O(l) ⇌ H2CO3(aq) CO2(g) + H2O(l) ⇌ HCO3–(aq) + H+(aq)
CO2(g) + H2O(l) ⇌ CO32–(aq) + 2 H+(aq)
◼ The carbonic acid formed reacts with calcium carbonate in limestone.
◆ The acid in rainwater reacts with the calcium carbonate in the limestone to produce calcium
hydrogencarbonate solution, and thus dissolves the limestone.
calcium carbonate + carbonic acid → calcium hydrogencarbonate solution
◆ Calcium hydrogencarbonate is soluble in water and thus the limestone is slowly worn away.
◼ Rainwater slowly dissolves the limestone along the cracks in the rock. Over millions of years,
underground limestone caves are formed.
⚫ This natural weathering process causes damage to limestone statues.
◼ This limestone statue has been weathered by rainwater.
⚫ Remarks:
◼ Carbon dioxide is not the only acidic gas present in the air that causes this
chemical weathering.
◼ Other acidic gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide ,
produced by natural processes (e.g. volcanic eruption and lightning), will weather chemically.
◼ The chemistry of the formation of limestone caves is the same as the chemistry of why milky
limewater turning back to clear again.

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Example: Classifying Some Processes as Physical Changes or Chemical Changes

Explain whether each of the following changes is a physical change or a chemical change.
(a) Heating silver oxide
⚫ Chemical change.
⚫ New substances (silver and oxygen) are produced during the heating of silver oxide.
(b) Heating a piece of gold
⚫ Physical change.
⚫ Gold has no reaction with air even on strong heating.
⚫ No new substance is produced.
(c) Dissolving carbon dioxide in water
⚫ Chemical change.
⚫ A new substance (carbonic acid) is produced when carbon dioxide dissolves in water.
(d) Dissolving oxygen in water
⚫ Physical change.
⚫ Oxygen has no reaction with water.
⚫ No new substance is produced.

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Practice 3
1. A student heated anhydrous calcium hydrogencarbonate in a test tube. The reaction below occurred.
calcium hydrogencarbonate → calcium carbonate + water + carbon dioxide
(a) The carbon dioxide gas produced was tested with limewater.
(i) Complete the set-up below for the limewater test of the gaseous product.

(ii) Carbon dioxide gas turned the limewater milky. Write a word equation for the reaction
involved.
carbon dioxide + calcium hydroxide → calcium carbonate + water

(b) Describe a test for water. State the expected observation.

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2. Read the following article and answer the questions.

Calcium Carbonate
Calcium carbonate comprises more than 4% of the Earth’s crust and is a material widely used by
humans since the Stone Age. Its most common natural forms are chalk, limestone and marble, which
are all white in colour. Calcium carbonate is widely used in various industries including
construction, metallurgy, waste treatment and paper manufacturing.

Marble, the hardest form of calcium carbonate, has long been used in
architecture. Many famous buildings and sculptures are made of
marble. The Taj Mahal in India is largely made of marble, which is
mainly calcium carbonate.

Limestone is commonly used in making cement and in metallurgy, e.g. in the extraction of iron from
its ores (see Chapter 10). Both the cement-making industry and metallurgy involve the
decomposition of calcium carbonate at very high temperatures (about 1500°C) to calcium oxide and
carbon dioxide.
This decomposition can be represented by the following word equation:
heat
calcium carbonate → calcium oxide + carbon dioxide

(a) What are the elements that made up calcium carbonate?

Calcium, carbon and oxygen

(b) Buildings and sculptures made of marble undergo slow weathering when exposed to the
environment. Suggest one physical process and one chemical process that cause the weathering.
Any one of the following physical processes:
⚫ Change in temperature (in day time and at night/in summer and in winter) can cause
cracking of marble.
⚫ Rainwater can fill cracks in marble.
◼ When the temperature drops to below 0°C, the water freezes and expands to form
ice. This forces the marble to break apart.

Chemical process:
⚫ Rainwater is slightly acidic, which may be due to the dissolution of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere or acidic gases, such as sulphur dioxide, emitted from industrial plants.
⚫ Calcium carbonate in marble reacts with the acidic rainwater to form soluble calcium
salts/calcium hydrogencarbonate.

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 Unit 4: Rocks and Minerals

(c) With reference to the above information, explain why both the cement industry and metallurgy
are considered as environmentally unfriendly.
⚫ Both the cement industry and metallurgy involve strong heating of calcium carbonate and
a lot of fossil fuels are burnt.
⚫ Both the burning of fossil fuels and the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate
produce carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas.

(d) Suggest one application of calcium carbonate in waste treatment.

Calcium carbonate is used in the treatment of flue gas produced in coal-fired power plants as
the flue gas contains sulphur dioxide, which is acidic.

(e) Finely divided calcium carbonate particles, about 2 μm (μm = micrometre; 1 μm = 10–6 m) in
diameter, are often added during the production of paper. Why is this so?
⚫ Calcium carbonate is a white substance and is chemically stable under ambient conditions.
⚫ Adding calcium carbonate particles to paper can increase its whiteness and its bulk mass
(i.e. as a filler.)

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