Real marble is mainly calcium carbonate. Marble is limestone or dolomite that has been metamorphosed with heat and pressure. Pure calcite marble is white, but impurities produce a wide variety of colouring and patterns. The marble can not withstand sudden changes in temperature (it's colder than the environment), humidity, presence sulphurous gas in the atmosphere. To test if it's a real marble do a test in a small, hidden area: apply one drop of weak acid with eyedropper. Acid will fizz on contact with real marble.

CaCO2 + HCl = CaCl2 + H2O + CO2

The test produces the characteristic fizz from the release of carbon dioxide only on calcium based stone, i.e., marble. The acid will not fizz on quartz or silicate-base (granite) stone, nor on synthetic material.

Cultured marble is a mixture of resin and ground marble. It is less expensive alternative to natural marble.

Fake marble or faux marble is a painting technique, it means the painting of painting surfaces so as to imitate the appearance of polished marble. It is typically used in buildings where the cost or weight of genuine marble would be prohibitive.

Scagliola is a technique for producing plasterwork columns, sculptures, and other architectural elements that resemble marble.

Artificial marble contains a polymer / monomer, mica flakes, glass flakes, resin and other components, it is used for kitchen worktops because it is heat and scratch proof and chemically resistive. Marbelite is a synthetic, mouldable, artificial marble. Marbelite is made by heating potassium alum in water then added 10% heavy spar and marble dust. Synthetic materials may have lower initial costs but lose their gloss quickly and must be restored with waxes or finishes which give an artificial look.

In the construction trade, the term "marble" is used for any massive, crystalline calcitic or non-calcitic rock useful as building stone.

Real ARTIFICIAL Marble Artificial Marble
(indoors) Colder to the touch than the surrounding air
Turn it over, drop any acid, it will fizz if it hits the stone.
Some stones may have a fiberglass backing for solidity.
Turn it over it will be as smooth as the surface but unpolished.

Man-made stone
Same temperature as surroundings
Feels plastic to the touch
Turn it over drop acid, nothing happens
Turn it over, the back can resemble a plastic mold that dried



If you take a piece of the material in question and rub it against your tooth, it will feel gritty (even a polished piece of the rock). Artificial marble will feel smooth. This is the same test for real or artificial pearls. The acid test for marble may not always work, because if the marble is composed of the mineral "dolomite", it will not react with acid unless you take a piece of the marble and pulverize it.