PET 2026 · Science

Common salts: formula and transformation

Keep calcium and sodium compounds straight by formula and water of crystallisation

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MINDMAPS FOR UPSCPET 2026 · VISUAL REVISION

Common salts: formula and transformation

Keep calcium and sodium compounds straight by formula and water of crystallisation

Concept map
Household and industrial compounds
The lime cycleCaCO₃LimestoneCaOQuicklimeCa(OH)₂Slaked limeHeat−CO₂+H₂OAdd CO₂ → CaCO₃ + H₂O
The lime cycleSwipe sideways to explore the diagram.

The lime transformations

  • Quicklime is calcium oxide (CaO), made by heating limestone (CaCO₃ → CaO + CO₂).
  • Adding water slakes CaO exothermically to slaked lime: CaO + H₂O → Ca(OH)₂.
  • Whitewash Ca(OH)₂ reacts slowly with air's CO₂ to form a shiny CaCO₃ layer.

Baking soda and washing soda

  • Baking soda is sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO₃), a mild non-corrosive base.
  • Heating NaHCO₃ releases CO₂ gas (2NaHCO₃ → Na₂CO₃ + H₂O + CO₂), leavening dough.
  • Washing soda is hydrated sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃·10H₂O), used to soften hard water.

Gypsum and plaster of Paris

  • Gypsum is calcium sulphate dihydrate (CaSO₄·2H₂O).
  • Controlled heating near 373 K converts gypsum to plaster of Paris by removing 1½ H₂O.
  • Plaster of Paris is calcium sulphate hemihydrate (CaSO₄·½H₂O).

Water of crystallisation

  • Water of crystallisation is the fixed number of H₂O molecules in one formula unit.
  • Adding water to plaster of Paris reforms gypsum and produces a hard set mass.
  • Two CaSO₄ units share one H₂O molecule in CaSO₄·½H₂O; store it in moisture-proof bags.
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Practise this concept · संबंधित प्रश्न

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Sources & study notes · स्रोत

Independent revision material, linked to the paper’s concepts. The question papers and answer-key status are available on OpenPYQ.