In this brief article, we will answer the question, “What is the molar mass of Calcium hydroxide?” and provide information on how to calculate the molar mass of calcium hydroxide, its structure, its chemical properties, its uses as well as what has to be kept in mind while using them.
What is the molar mass of Calcium hydroxide?
The molar mass of calcium hydroxide is 74.09. Chemically, Calcium hydroxide can be denoted as Ca (OH)₂
Molar mass is denoted by grams/mole (g/mol). Molar mass is the mass of all atoms that can be found in one mole.
For singular molecules, the molar mass and atomic mass are the same. For instance, Helium has both atomic and molar mass of 4.
How to calculate the molar mass of Calcium hydroxide?
Molar mass can be calculated by multiplying an element’s atomic mass with the number of atoms present in the subscript. The periodic table can help in giving the mass of each element which can then be added up to know the atomic mass of the molecule.
The atomic mass of Calcium is 40.08 g/mol. The atomic mass of Oxygen is 16 g/mol whereas that of Hydrogen is 1.0 g/mol.
Molar mass= 40.08 + (2 x 16) +( 2 x 1.0) (wherein 2 is the number of atoms present in subscript)
= 40.08 + 32 + 2.01
The molar mass of Calcium hydroxide= 74.09 g/mol
What is the structure of Calcium hydroxide?
Calcium hydroxide can look white in its powder form. However, it can be colorless when it is crystalline. Calcium is held by two hydroxyl ions (OH). Structure-wise, it is hexagonal in shape.
Calcium hydroxide is not very soluble in water. An increase in water temperature can further reduce its solubility.
What can be some chemical properties of calcium hydroxide?
Calcium hydroxide can easily dissolve in glycerol and acids but it is not much soluble in water. It has the capacity to dissolve metals. Calcium hydroxide can react with carbon dioxide and form calcium carbonate.
What are some uses of calcium hydroxide?
Calcium hydroxide is commonly used for sewage treatment, the construction of paper, and for preparing foods. It can also be used for medical and dental treatment. For instance, root canal fillings contain a portion of calcium hydroxide particles.
There are various names associated with calcium hydroxide. Some commonly used names include slack lime, slaked lime, food-grade lime, calcium hydrate, lime, and pickling lime.
The pickling process primarily makes use of cucumbers or other veggies. Calcium hydroxide is added during pickling which can bond with the pectin present in these veggies which can make them firmer.
However, many industries have reduced the use of pickling lime. This is because there have been rare instances of them leading to botulism which can result in paralysis in rare cases. As a result, you might not see many companies using calcium hydroxide.
Calcium hydroxide is also used to prepare corn-based products. The corn is added to the water and calcium hydroxide is added. This can make the solution thicker and make it easier to prepare corn flour.
Corn-based products like Tortillas, Tamales, and Sope can contain calcium hydroxide. Calcium hydroxide can be used in sugar processing too.
The refining process used for sugar can be termed carbonation. When carbonation occurs, calcium hydroxide is added to remove debris from the sugar solution.
In fortified fruit juices or other products, calcium hydroxide is added for increasing the nutritional value of products.
What needs to be kept in mind while using calcium hydroxide?
Before adding calcium hydroxide, make sure to rinse the veggies properly. Canned pickles are safe compared to the other ones as they are soaked in acid which kills pathogenic microbes.
The pickles can also be rinsed with an acidic solution before canning them. This can kill pathogenic microbes.
What are some problems associated with consuming excess calcium hydroxide?
Excess consumption of calcium hydroxide can cause problems. Food-grade calcium hydroxide is fine and does not cause any issues. However, industrial-grade ones are harmful.
Symptoms associated with calcium hydroxide poisoning are blindness, pain in the throat, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, bloody stools, reduced blood pressure, skin issues, and reduced acidity. The burning sensation can be observed around the lips, tongue, nose, ears, or eyes.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “What is the molar mass of Calcium hydroxide?” and provided information on how to calculate the molar mass of calcium hydroxide, its structure, its chemical properties, its uses as well as what has to be kept in mind while using them.
Reference
https://byjus.com/question-answer/what-is-the-molar-mass-of-calcium-hydroxide/
https://study.com/learn/lesson/what-is-molar-mass-calculation-formula.html
