MERRYLAND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

GRADE VII CHEMISTRY

TOPIC: CARBONATES

Carbonates may be considered as salts formed from carbonic acid, H 2CO3.

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:

K Carbonates of these
metals are soluble Carbonates of these
in water metals do not
decompose on heating
Na

Ca

Any carbonate
Mg with any acid
liberates CO2

Al Carbonates of these metals

are in soluble in water

Zn
Carbonates of these metals
decompose on heating to
Pb form oxide of the metal.
[Al does not form carbonate]

Cu

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LIME STONE:
Lime stone is a sedimentary rock formed from the sedimentation of shells
of dead sea animals. Lime stone is mainly calcium carbonate. The shells of
sea animals contain calcium carbonate, CaCO3.

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.

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 In a rotary lime kiln we feed the lumps of limestone from the top
along with coke. It is then heated by hot air stream from the bottom. The
rotation of lime kiln helps mixing of hot air and lumps of the lime stone. At
higher temperature, which is produced from the burning of coke, calcium
carbonate decomposes in to calcium oxide and CO [Link] powdered CaO
moves to the bottom. Carbon dioxide formed will move up along with hot
air. The quick lime is removed from the bottom.
Note: The current of air which flows through the kiln serves two purposes:
i) It provides oxygen for coke to burn.
ii) 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.

Calcium carbonate calcium oxide + carbon dioxide

CaCO3 CaO + CO2

The above reaction can proceed either in the forward direction or reverse
depending on pressure and temperature.

Uses of calcium oxide:

1. It is used on building sites, to make mortar.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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SLAKED LIME: Ca(OH)2
Slaked lime is a white powder formed by the reaction of lime with water.

Calcium oxide + water  Calcium hydroxide

CaO + H 2O  Ca (OH)2

This is an exothermic reaction.

Uses:

1. Make mortar on building sites

2. Reduce the acidity of soil

3. Neutralise the acidic industrial wastes.

Uses of mortar on the building sites:

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

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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:
1. Used in building sites.

2. 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.

TEST FOR CARBON DIOXIDE GAS:

When gas is passed through lime water it will turn milky if the gas contains
carbon dioxide. The reaction is:

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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)

Most of carbonates dissociate when heated

to form
Some the metal of
reactions oxide and carbon dioxide.
carbonates are summarized below:
(eg. Limestone). The carbonates of group 1
metals eg. Na2CO3 and K2CO3 do not
dissociate

Calcium carbonate (lime stone,

marble and chalk) is used in the
Heat manufacture of cement, concrete,
glass and iron

Carbonates
eg.Na2CO3, CaCO3

Acid, eg. HCl(aq) Sodium carbonate is sold as

washing soda, Na2CO3.10H2O,
and is used in the manufacture of
glass

Most of carbonates reacts with acids to give

a salt of metal.(eg. CaCl2, NaCl) + CO2 +
H2O. This reaction is used in the laboratory
preparation of carbon dioxide and also as6a
TEST for a carbonates.
HYDROGEN CARBONATES:

Carbonic acid is a dibasic acid. So it forms two types of salts –

carbonates and hydrogen carbonates.

Sodium hydroxide + Carbonic acid Sodium hydrogen carbonate

+water

NaOH + H2CO3  NaHCO3 + H2O

When carbonic acid reacts with excess of sodium hydroxide, sodium

carbonate is formed.

Sodium hydroxide + Carbonic acid  Sodium carbonate + water

2NaOH + H2CO3  Na2CO3 + 2H2O

SODIUM HYDROGEN CARBONATE

Sodium hydrogen carbonate decomposes when heated to give the

carbonate, water and carbon dioxide.

Sodium hydrogen carbonate sodium carbonate + water + carbon

dioxide

2NaHCO3  Sodium carbonate + H2O + CO2

This is why sodium hydrogen carbonate is used in baking powder. The

carbon dioxide produced by heating makes bread and cakes rise in the
oven.

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BLEACHING POWDER:
Bleaching powder is prepared by passing chlorine for a long time over
solid calcium hydroxide.

Ca(OH)2 + Cl2  CaOCl2 + H2O

Bleaching powder is used in dye works and laundries for

bleaching.
CEMENT:
Lime stone and clay are the main raw materials for cement. They are
crushed, powdered and mixed together. This mixture is heated in rotating
kilns. Coal or oil is used as fuel. 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.

Lime stone contains CaCO3 and clay contains largely SiO 2 and Al2O3.
Cement is obtained by the reactions between limestone and clay and
contains mainly of calcium silicate, aluminium silicate and calcium
aluminate. A little amount of calcium sulphate is added to slow down the
rate at which concrete sets.

CONCRETE:

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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.
When concrete sets, it does not dry out, the water becomes the part of the
silicate crystals as water of crystallization. When the crystallization is slow
the crystals will be big and the concrete will be strong. That is why
concrete is kept moist at least for one week for setting. Concrete sets even
under water.

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, CuSO 4.5H2O

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. The 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 desulfurization

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.

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