Table of Contents
What is Calcium Hydroxide?
Calcium Hydroxide – Explanation: Calcium hydroxide is a chemical compound with the formula Ca(OH)2. It is a white solid that is soluble in water. It is produced when calcium oxide is mixed with water.
Calcium Hydroxide Explained
- Calcium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ca(OH)2. It is a white solid that is soluble in water. It is produced when calcium oxide (lime) is mixed with water.
- Calcium hydroxide is used in many applications. It is used as a building material, as a soil amendment, and as a flocculant. It is also used in the production of mortar, concrete, and plaster.
Properties of Calcium Hydroxide
- Calcium hydroxide is a white, powdery solid which is soluble in water.
- It is a basic substance which reacts with acids to form salts and water.
- It is used in the manufacture of plaster of Paris, in the treatment of burns and as a flux in welding.
Physical Properties
The physical properties of a substance are a measure of how it behaves on a molecular level. This includes its density, boiling point, and melting point.
Chemical Properties
- Chemical properties are the physical and chemical changes a substance undergoes.
- Physical properties are the characteristics of a substance that can be observed without changing the chemical composition of the substance. These include color, odor, melting point, boiling point, and density.
- Chemical properties are the changes in a substance that occur when the chemical composition of the substance is changed. These include the formation of a new substance, the release of energy, or the change in the electrical charge of the substance.
Why is Calcium Hydroxide less Soluble in Water?
- The solubility of a substance is determined by the strength of the attractions between the molecules of the substance and the molecules of the solvent. In general, substances that are held together by strong forces are less soluble in a solvent than those that are held together by weak forces.
- The attractions between calcium ions and hydroxide ions are very strong, so calcium hydroxide is less soluble in water than many other substances.
Uses of Calcium Hydroxide
Some common uses of calcium hydroxide include:
- As a building material in mortar and plaster
- As a flux in welding and metalworking
- In the manufacture of glass
- As a desiccant
- In the production of soap
- As a chemical intermediate
