If chalk is such a dense rock why is it so soft/weak?

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For example iron is really dense and it’s density seems to be the reason it’s such a strong material, why is the same not true for chalk?

I looked at a chart and chalk is much more dense than so many other types of rock, all of which are much stronger than chalk and could be used practically as building materials etc. But chalk is so soft? Is it because of the porosity? Or structure? Idk

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Density/structure. You hit the nail on the head.

Hardness is a combination of a lot of different things, weight and hardness are not related. Gold is heavy and soft, plutonium is heavy and hard. Carbon is light, and can be charcoal, which you can crush with your hand, or it can be a diamond, the hardest substance on earth!

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