How can you check if a rock is calcite?

Answer 1

Calcite reacts to acid. The best thing to do to determine if a mineral is calcite is to place a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid on a sample. If the mineral fizzes and carbon dioxide bubbles are produced, the mineral is calcite. Place a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid on the mineral. If it fizzes and carbon dioxide bubbles are produced, the mineral is calcite.

Answer 2

One way to check if a rock is made of calcite is to perform an acid test. Calcite will react with a weak acid, such as vinegar, producing bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. This effervescence is a characteristic property of calcite. Additionally, calcite typically has a white or light color, and may exhibit a rhombohedral cleavage.

Answer 3

The mineral calcite will fizz when a drop of strong vinegar is placed on it. The hardness, streak, and crystal formation would also be characteristics that could be examined to verify the identification as calcite.

Answer 4

1) Pour HCl acid on it. If your rock fizzes then it is calcite (This is due to the reaction of carbonate and acid). If your rock does not fizz then it is quartz.

2) Scratch your rock with a penny. If the penny scratches the rock then it is calcite. It has a much lower hardness than quartz. If the rock does not scratch then you have quartz.

3) Look at the crystal structure. I suggest you try 1) and 2). Crystal structure can vary a lot among minerals and may be hard to see to the untrained eye.

Answer 5

Calcite is a calcium carbonate mineral while quartz is a silicon dioxide crystal. Visually, you cannot tell the difference in the mineral composition, but you can perform a test to determine if the crystal you have is calcite. Calcium carbonate reacts with an acid to produce bubbles on the surface of the crystal. To test your sample, drop dilute hydrochloric acid, lemon juice or vinegar onto the sample and watch for bubbles. Quartz does not react to a dilute acid.

Answer 6

Calcite has a special property called Fluorescence. Calcite and fluorite glow under ultraviolet light.

Answer 7

Calcite is difference from Quartz because one is harder than other the other on dissolves when in contact with acid. this is my answer

Answer 8

Place a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid from a dropper bottle onto a freshly broken mineral surface.

Answer 9

A steel knife will scratch calcite, which has a hardness of 3 on the Mhos scale, but will not scratch quartz, which has a hardness of 7.

Answer 10

place a drop of acid on the mineral