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What happens when acid reacts with limestone?What happens in scientific terms in a reaction between acid rain and limestone? Joyce |
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Limestone is mostly made up of the mineral calcium carbonate ( CaCO 3 ) this is not very soluble so the rocks don't dissolve very quickly. If you add an acid however you add Hydrogen Ions ( H+ ) which will react with the carbonate to form hydrogen carbonate HCO3- ions which are very soluble in water, and the limestone will dissolve. Or if there is more acid about the two Hydrogen ions will react with a carbonate to form H2CO3 which will decompose to form carbon dioxide CO2 and water H2O. The acid can come from a variety of sources sulphur and nitrogen oxides released by burning fuels will form sulphuric and nitric acids, can carbon-dioxide can dissolve in water to form carbonic acid.
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June 2008 |
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Joyce asked the Naked Scientists:
What happens, in scientific terms, when acid rain lands on limestone?
What do you think?
- Joyce - 11th May 08
Limestone is CaCO3. An acid (H+) reacts with it giving water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2): CaCO3 + 2H+ --> Ca++ + H2O + CO2 - lightarrow - 11th May 08
uh... i tink that this is one of the more confusing tingys
See the whole discussion | Make a comment- SCIENCE NERD12123 - 19th Jan 11
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