Q. Cement is formed by strongly heating a mixture of:
Answer: limestone and clay
Notes: Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of other materials (such as clay) to 1450 degree C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination, whereby a molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated from the calcium carbonate to form calcium oxide, or quicklime, which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the mix. The resulting hard substance, called ‘clinker’, is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make ‘Ordinary Portland Cement’, the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC).

This question is part of 40000+ General Studies MCQ Series Course on GKToday Android app. Question Number: 62 in Chemistry-4-Compounds in above course in App.