Chalk Under a Microscope

Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
Just saw this pic online of chalk under a microscope. Probably not billiards chalk (missing the "sand"?), but pretty close I imagine.

Maybe Dr. Dave has a pic of billiards chalk under a microscope?

pj
chgo

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garczar said:
That's exactly what it is. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalk
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Holy moses, but not billiards chalk, guys! It's ~90% silicium (silica?) dioxide - quartz sand, plus some abrasives, such as Corund.

The "natural chalk" is calcium carbonate or CaCO3, but the one used on chalk boards (don't know the exact word) to draw on in schools is calcium sulfate or magnesium oxide (or both).

Cheers,
M
 
M.G. said:
Holy moses, but not billiards chalk, guys! It's ~90% silicium (silica?) dioxide - quartz sand, plus some abrasives, such as Corund.

The "natural chalk" is calcium carbonate or CaCO3, but the one used on chalk boards (don't know the exact word) to draw on in schools is calcium sulfate or magnesium oxide (or both).

Cheers,
M
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Very cool. Know we know.
 
M.G. said:
Holy moses, but not billiards chalk, guys! It's ~90% silicium (silica?) dioxide - quartz sand, plus some abrasives, such as Corund.

The "natural chalk" is calcium carbonate or CaCO3, but the one used on chalk boards (don't know the exact word) to draw on in schools is calcium sulfate or magnesium oxide (or both).

Cheers,
M
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Very cool. Thanks!

I always thought billiards chalk was mostly chalk with a smaller amount of silica sand...?

pj
chgo
 
I remember one of these chalk guys having slides of magnified chalk in a post somewhere.
 
M.G. said:
Holy moses, but not billiards chalk, guys! It's ~90% silicium (silica?) dioxide - quartz sand, plus some abrasives, such as Corund.

The "natural chalk" is calcium carbonate or CaCO3, but the one used on chalk boards (don't know the exact word) to draw on in schools is calcium sulfate or magnesium oxide (or both).

Cheers,
M
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Here's what Wikipedia says:

Cue tip chalk (invented in its modern form by straight rail billiard pro William A. Spinks and chemist William Hoskins in 1897)[13][14] is made by crushing silica and the abrasive substance corundum or aloxite[14] (aluminium oxide)[15][16], into a powder.[14] It is combined with dye (originally and most commonly green or blue-green, like traditional billiard cloth, but available today, like the cloth, in many colours) and a binder (glue).[14] Each manufacturer's brand has different qualities, which can significantly affect play. High humidity can also impair the effectiveness of chalk. Harder, drier compounds are generally considered superior by most players.

So unless the "binder (glue)" is chalk, there isn't any.

pj <- cool pic though
chgo
 
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Patrick Johnson said:
Here's what Wikipedia says:

Cue tip chalk (invented in its modern form by straight rail billiard pro William A. Spinks and chemist William Hoskins in 1897)[13][14] is made by crushing silica and the abrasive substance corundum or aloxite[14] (aluminium oxide)[15][16], into a powder.[14] It is combined with dye (originally and most commonly green or blue-green, like traditional billiard cloth, but available today, like the cloth, in many colours) and a binder (glue).[14] Each manufacturer's brand has different qualities, which can significantly affect play. High humidity can also impair the effectiveness of chalk. Harder, drier compounds are generally considered superior by most players.

So unless the "binder (glue)" is chalk, there isn't any.

pj <- cool pic though
chgo
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Good quote. Billiard chalk is nothing like naturally-occurring "chalk" (although they do look a little similar and seem to have a similar density).

Regards,
Dave
 
dr_dave said:
Good quote. Billiard chalk is nothing like naturally-occurring "chalk" (although they do look a little similar and seem to have a similar density).

Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...

So - exactly what I said :grin-square:

Always not sure about your words for the element silicium (which is silicon for you?) - element SI 14!
 
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