What is lime?

What Does lime Mean

Called lime to a substance of grayish or whitish hue consists of calcium oxide . The term has its etymological origin in the Latin word calx .

Lime is produced when a calcareous mineral is completely burned, with which the fire removes the carbonic acid from its composition. This process is known as calcining .
When lime comes into contact with water , it can be quenched (hydrated). In this framework there is a release of heat .
Types of lime
Calcium oxide itself is called quicklime . This substance is caustic: it burns the tissues of people and animals. That is why it must be handled with great care.

Lime is used in masonry.
The slaked lime , slaked lime or hydrated lime , as it arises when quicklime is treated with water . In this case, the most important component of the product is calcium hydroxide . The hydration of quicklime can be carried out with a limited level of water (resulting in a dry powder), with a medium amount (producing a paste) or with a lot of water (generating a suspension).
The hydraulic lime , on the other hand, arises the stones those calcining limestone having about 20% of clay in the composition . After calcination and pulverization, it can be mixed with water to set like cement.
Uses and applications
The human being fail lime since ancient times. One of its most frequent uses is to create mortar , a conglomerate made up of lime, water and sand that is used in masonry.
The mortar is part of the set of mortars , which are the masses made with water, sand and a binder. Lime, in this framework, is the binder (the material used to join the components).
To build bricks made with lime can be used.
Thanks to the mortar, it is possible to join bricks or stones in construction . This mortar made with lime has good durability, can be adapted to different structures and is inexpensive, although it offers less resistance than mortars with cement.

Lime is also used to paint facades and walls . The usual thing is that it is applied in houses built with adobe . In the Mediterranean area , many villages are characterized by their white houses, which acquire this tone when they are painted with lime to reflect the sunlight and minimize the entry of heat.
Lime in agriculture and gastronomy
In agricultural work, lime can be used as a fertilizer and as a biocide and to optimize soil characteristics. This is due to the fact that it supplies calcium to the crops and raises the pH of the land, to mention two of its contributions.
Lime is even used for cooking. One way to prepare squash in syrup , for example, is to dip cubes of this food in a solution of water and lime. In this way, the squash acquires a crunchy coating . Of course, the pieces of the fruit must then be rinsed well so that there are no traces of lime.

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