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- 2078 Kartik · 3+4 marks
Properties of marble, slate, granite
Short answer
Marble (metamorphic, calcite) has hardness 3-4, strength 70-140 MPa, is acid-soluble, and is used for decoration. Slate (metamorphic, mica) shows slaty cleavage, strength 70-200 MPa, low absorption, and serves for roofing. Granite (igneous, quartz-feldspar) has hardness 6-7, strength 100-250 MPa, very low porosity, excellent durability, and is used for foundations and aggregate.
Write down the physical and engineering properties of marble, slate and granite.
Marble (metamorphic, from limestone), slate (metamorphic, from shale) and granite (igneous, plutonic) are common building stones. The values below are typical textbook ranges.
Physical properties
| Property | Marble | Slate | Granite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Metamorphism of limestone/dolomite | Low-grade metamorphism of shale | Slow cooling of acidic magma at depth |
| Colour | White, pink, green, black (veined) | Grey, black, green, purple | Pink, grey, white with dark specks |
| Texture | Granoblastic, crystalline, granular | Very fine grained, dense | Holocrystalline, medium to coarse, granular |
| Structure | Massive, non-foliated | Slaty cleavage (splits into thin sheets) | Massive, uniform |
| Main minerals | Calcite (dolomite) | Mica (sericite), chlorite, quartz | Quartz, orthoclase feldspar, mica/hornblende |
| Specific gravity | 2.6 - 2.8 | 2.7 - 2.8 | 2.6 - 2.8 |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 3 - 4 | 3 - 4 | 6 - 7 |
| Lustre | Vitreous to sugary, takes high polish | Dull to silky | Vitreous, takes polish |
Engineering properties
| Property | Marble | Slate | Granite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compressive strength | 70 - 140 MPa | 70 - 200 MPa (higher perpendicular to cleavage) | 100 - 250 MPa |
| Water absorption | Very low (<1 %) | Very low (<1 %) | Very low (<0.5 %) |
| Porosity | Low | Low | Very low |
| Weathering resistance | Poor in acidic/polluted air (calcite dissolves) | Good | Excellent |
| Workability | Easy to cut, carve and polish | Easy to split into thin slabs | Hard to dress; takes a good polish |
- Marble: flooring, facing, steps, monuments; unsuitable for exposed outdoor use where there is acid rain.
- Slate: roofing sheets, flooring, damp-proof courses, paving; weak along cleavage.
- Granite: heavy foundations, bridge piers, retaining walls, dam facing, road aggregate, ballast and kerb stones; durable, and fire resistant up to about 600 °C.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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