This article will explain the Calcium chloride or Calcium dichloride or Calcium chloride anhydrous. This inorganic compound is easily available in a white powder or white colored crystalline solid form. It is an ionic compound comprising of two ions calcium and chlorine. There exist one calcium cation and two chlorine anion in its structure. The student will learn the Calcium Chloride formula with examples. Let us begin it!
Calcium Chloride Formula
What is Calcium Chloride?
Calcium chloride is a common calcium salt that has many household and industrial applications. Calcium chloride is hygroscopic, deliquescent, and dissolves in water exothermically. It is useful as brine for refrigeration plants, to replenish calcium levels and as an acid-producing diuretic.
At room temperature, it exists as a solid salt and it acts as an ionic halide. One may get it naturally from the sinjarite and antarcticite in its hydrated form. It is found in brine from salt deposits and salt lakes. Commercially it can be produced directly from the limestone and a large amount is also generated as a by-product of the Solvay process.
The Formula of Calcium Chloride:
The chemical formula of calcium chloride is:
\(CaCl_2\)
It is an ionic compound consisting of the calcium cation \(Ca^{2+}\) and two chlorine anions \(Cl^{-1}\). The bivalent calcium metal is forming an ionic bond with two chlorine atoms.
Calcium chloride is an ionic compound. It is made of ions. As we know that ions can positive or negative charge, but the key idea is that the overall charge of an ionic compound has to balance to get neutral.
Calcium is in the group of 2 with 2+ charge, and Chlorine is in group 7 with -1 charge. As the overall charge is 0 for neutral the charges must balance. Therefore, one needs two chlorine ions to balance out the calcium ion charge as 2−2=0
Calcium chloride is mainly produced by reacting limestone \((CaCO_3)\) with hydrochloric acid (HCl). The chemical equation is:
\(CaCO_3 + 2 HCl \rightarrow CaCl_2 + CO_2 + H_2O (aq)\)
It is also produced as a major by-product during the manufacture of soda ash \(Na_2CO_3\) by the Solvay process, in which limestone is reacted with NaCl solution.
Properties:
It is an odorless white powder in the form of granules or flakes. Its density is 2.15 gram per mL, the melting point of 782 degrees C and a high boiling point over 1600 degree C. It is highly water-soluble, hygroscopic and deliquescent. It absorbs enough water to turn into liquid. Also, it dissolves in water in a very exothermic manner with the release of a large amount of heat. It can fully dissociate in water to give both ions.
Uses:
Calcium chloride has many uses. It is useful as a food additive, food preservative, for de-icing roads in winter, and as brine in refrigeration plants. It is also useful as a swimming pool chemical, in water treatment plants. Calcium chloride has many applications in metallurgy, oil-well drilling, and rubber, paper, dye and paint industries.
Solved Examples on Calcium Chloride Formula
Q.1: Calculate the molar mass of Calcium Chloride.
Solution: Its formula is:
\(CaCl_2\)
As the molar mass of Calcium is 40.08 grams and the molar mass of Chlorine is 35.45 grams. So the molar mass of Calcium Chloride will be:
\(40.08 + 2 \times35.45 \)
=110.98 gram per mole.
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