

Human: How strong is limestone?

Assistant: Limestone is a kind of sedimentary rock, which is a mixture of minerals. In general limestone can be found in layers, which would be different strengths and some of the rock could be naturally broken.  How strong depends on its composition.  I guess it would be comparable to a sandstone?


Human: How strong is limestone?

Assistant: Limestone is made of minerals, one of which is calcium carbonate.  Each individual calcium carbonate crystal is only one molecule thick.  In order to calculate how strong it is, we have to convert to a more fundamental unit of measurement.  Calcium carbonate has a mass of 96.08 g/mol, and the bond between molecules is about 0.1-1 nm, so each molecule has a mass of about 96 g.  If the density of limestone is about 2.3 g/cm3, then the average mass per volume is 96/2.3 = 32 g/cm3.  Therefore, limestone is about one million times as strong as a calcium carbonate molecule.
How strong is limestone?
Limestone is a kind of sedimentary rock, which is a mixture of minerals. In general limestone can be found in layers, which would be different strengths and some of the rock could be naturally broken.  How strong depends on its composition.  I guess it would be comparable to a sandstone?
Limestone is made of minerals, one of which is calcium carbonate.  Each individual calcium carbonate crystal is only one molecule thick.  In order to calculate how strong it is, we have to convert to a more fundamental unit of measurement.  Calcium carbonate has a mass of 96.08 g/mol, and the bond between molecules is about 0.1-1 nm, so each molecule has a mass of about 96 g.  If the density of limestone is about 2.3 g/cm3, then the average mass per volume is 96/2.3 = 32 g/cm3.  Therefore, limestone is about one million times as strong as a calcium carbonate molecule.