CARBONATES

Carbonates
 Carbonates may be considered as salts formed from carbonic acid, H2CO3.
Carbonic acid is formed when carbon dioxide is dissolved in water.

Carbon dioxide + Water  Carbonic acid

 

CO2 + H2O  H2CO3

The important properties of the common carbonates are
summarized in the table given below:
 Thermal decomposition of metal carbonates.

When metal carbonates are heated they break

down into metal oxides and carbon
dioxide. This is thermal decomposition.

metal carbonate → metal oxide + carbon dioxide

We can see that thermal decomposition is

taking place if the limewater turns
cloudy, demonstrating the presence of
CO2
EQUATIONS:
Ends in ‘ate’ so must contain the metal, carbon, and oxygen.
Carbonate is a polyatomic ion (Polyatomic ions are ions that
General equation: contain more than one atom) with the formula CO32-.
metal carbonate → metal oxide + carbon dioxide

Examples:
CaCO3(s) → CaO(s) + CO2(g)

ZnCO3(s) → ZnO(s) + CO2(g)

MgCO3(s) → MgO(s) + CO2(g)

 PRACTICAL: Reacting metal carbonates and acids

All metal carbonates react with all acids.

Acid Metal carbonate Observations pH before pH after
Hydrochloric acid Calcium carbonate Effervescence 1 7
Sulfuric acid Zinc carbonate Effervescence 1 7
Nitric acid Magnesium carbonate Effervescence 1 7
Hydrochloric acid Sodium carbonate Effervescence 1 7

The metal carbonate reacts to form a neutral salt, water and carbon dioxide. The
solution is neutral after the reaction as long as enough metal carbonate is added for
all the acid to be used up.
EQUATIONS:

General equation:

metal carbonate + acid → salt + water + carbon dioxide

Work out the names of the salts from the names of the metal carbonate and the acid.

• Hydrochloric acid → chloride

• Sulfuric acid → sulfate
• Nitric acid → nitrate
EQUATIONS:

Examples:

calcium carbonate + hydrochloric acid → calcium chloride + water + carbon dioxide

zinc carbonate + sulfuric acid → zinc sulfate + water + carbon dioxide

magnesium carbonate + nitric acid → magnesium nitrate + water + carbon dioxide

sodium carbonate + hydrochloric acid → sodium chloride + water + carbon dioxide

 Rocks and acid rain

Rock Observations
Limestone Effervescence
Granite No visible change
Chalk Effervescence
Basalt No visible change

Limestone and chalk are mainly made of calcium carbonate and react
with rainwater, which is slightly acidic. This causes limestone
blocks and statues to gradually weather away.
 Limestone

- How is it formed?
Limestone is formed from material from animal shells and skeletons that sink to the
bottom of the sea and are crushed by the pressure of the sediment collecting on top. It is
mainly calcium carbonate, CaCO3.

- How is it obtained?
By quarrying.

- What is it used for?

It is used as a building material, or for making other building materials like mortar,
cement, concrete, and glass. It can also be used to neutralise acid in soil or lakes.
Limestone cycle video

[Link]
 CALCIUM OXIDE: [LIME OR QUICK LIME]

When lime stone is heated strongly it splits to give lime or quick lime
and carbon dioxide.

Calcium carbonate  Calcium oxide + Carbon dioxide

CaCO3  CaO + CO2

Both calcium oxide and carbon dioxide are industrially important chemicals.
Limestone is heated in special towers called rotary lime kiln. In a
rotary lime kiln we feed the lumps of limestone from the top along
with coke.
The current of air which flows through the kiln serves two purposes:

 It provides oxygen for coke to burn.

 It removes the carbon dioxide formed inside the lime kiln (carbon dioxide is an
acidic gas and calcium oxide is a base).
 The decomposition of calcium carbonate is a reversible reaction.

The above reaction can proceed either in the forward direction

or reverse depending on pressure and temperature.
Uses of calcium oxide [ Lime or Quick lime ]

It is used on building sites, to make mortar.

Quick lime is used in larger quantities to reduce the acidity of

soil.

Calcium oxide being a base neutralizes the acids present in the

soil.

It is also used to neutralize the acidic industrial waste products.

Calcium oxide reacts with the acids present in the industrial

wastes and neutralizes them. This avoids pollution due to the
high acidity of industrial wastes.
 SLAKED LIME Ca(OH)2
Slaked lime is a white powder formed by the reaction of lime with
water. This is an exothermic reaction.

Calcium oxide + water  Calcium hydroxide

 
CaO + H2O  Ca (OH)2
 

Uses:
Make mortar on building sites
Reduce the acidity of soil
Neutralise the acidic industrial wastes.
 Mortar is used to hold bricks
together. It is a mixture of
slaked lime and water. As this
mixture is exposed to air it
gradually hardens as it reacts
with carbon dioxide in the air
to form calcium carbonate.

Calcium hydroxide + Carbon dioxide  Calcium carbonate + Water

 
Ca(OH)2 + CO2  CaCO3 + H2O
 
MILK OF LIME: Ca(OH)2

Milk of lime is a suspension of calcium hydroxide in water. It is formed by

the reaction of quick lime with excess of water.
Calcium hydroxide is not very soluble in water. Hence we say solubility of
Ca(OH)2 is very less. But if we stir slaked lime in excess of water, it will form
a suspension of calcium hydroxide in water. This is called Milk of lime.

CaO + H2O  Ca(OH)2 ( suspension)

 

Uses:
Used in building sites.
To neutralize the acidity of soil.
LIME WATER: Ca(OH)2

Lime water is a solution of calcium hydroxide in water.

Milk of lime when kept for a long time without any disturbance, undissolved
Ca(OH)2 will settle down.
The clear liquid thus obtained is a solution of calcium hydroxide and is called
as lime water.
Uses: lime water is used to test for carbon dioxide gas.
Calcium hydroxide + Carbon dioxide  Calcium carbonate +
Water
 
Ca (OH)2 + CO2  CaCO3 + H2 O
 
Calcium hydroxide + Carbon dioxide  Calcium carbonate + Water
 
Ca (OH)2 + CO2  CaCO3 + H2O
 

Calcium carbonate formed in the reaction is insoluble in water. So it

appears as a white precipitate.

If the carbon dioxide gas is passed through the above solution for some time
the solution will become clear again. This is due to the formation of calcium
hydrogen carbonate by the reaction of calcium carbonate and carbon dioxide.
It is soluble in water.

CaCO3 + H2O + CO2  Ca (HCO3)2 (soluble in water)

CEMENT:
Lime stone(CaCO3) and clay (contains largely SiO2 and Al2O3 ) are the main raw
materials for cement. They are crushed, powdered , mixed together and heated in
rotating kilns. The product obtained after heating is ground with calcium sulphate
(gypsum) to make cement.
Gypsum is added to prevent cement from setting quickly after water is added.
 CONCRETE
Concrete is a mixture of sand, gravel and cement.
When water is added to the mixture, of calcium and aluminium silicates form
large crystals. These crystals grow and interlock with the surfaces of sand
and gravel, binding the mass together. This is called concrete.
 Water of crystallization

 
Water of crystallisation is
defined as the amount of
water, which is present as a
part of the crystal structure.
Eg. Copper sulphate,
CuSO4.5H2O
DESULFURISATION
When coal or petroleum fractions containing sulphur impurities are burned in power
stations or to heat furnaces, sulphur dioxide is formed. This causes acid rain. Sulphur
dioxide can be removed by passing it through a spray or slurry of calcium carbonate,
or calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. This process is called flue gas desulfurisation.

CaO(s)+ SO2(g)→ CaSO3(s)

The calcium sulphite formed is reacted with air and water to form calcium sulphate
 
2CaSO3 +O2 +H2O → 2CaSO4.2H2O
The calcium sulphate can be used to make plasterboard or to provide sulphur for making
sulphuric acid. But it is often just dumped in the ground because transporting it is too
expensive.