sodium sulfate
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Definition
Noun: 1. A chemical compound: Sodium sulfate is an inorganic salt with the chemical formula Na₂SO₄. It is a white, crystalline solid that is often found in its decahydrate form (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O), known as Glauber's salt. 2. A bitter-tasting salt: It is characterized by a distinctly bitter taste. 3. An industrial material: It is produced as a byproduct or manufactured for use in various industrial processes.
Usage Examples
- General Use:
- The laboratory ordered a new shipment of sodium sulfate for the experiments.
- Sodium sulfate is highly soluble in water.
- Industrial Context:
- This plant uses sodium sulfate in the production of detergents.
- The paper's brightness is improved by adding sodium sulfate during the pulping process.
Advanced Usage
- "Anhydrous sodium sulfate": Refers specifically to the dry, water-free form (Na₂SO₄), commonly used as a drying agent in organic chemistry laboratories to remove traces of water from solutions.
- After the reaction, the organic layer was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate.
- "Sodium sulfate decahydrate": Refers to the hydrated form containing ten water molecules (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O), which is Glauber's salt.
- Historically, sodium sulfate decahydrate was used as a laxative.
Variants and Related Words
- Disodium sulfate: An alternative systematic name.
- Sulfate of soda: A traditional name used in some industrial contexts.
- Thenardite (n): The mineral name for the anhydrous (water-free) natural form of sodium sulfate.
- Mirabilite (n): The mineral name for the decahydrate (Glauber's salt) natural form.
Synonyms
- Glauber's salt (specifically for the decahydrate form, Na₂SO₄·10H₂O).
Related Phrases / Technical Terms
- Byproduct of:
- Sodium sulfate is often a byproduct of hydrochloric acid production.
- Used in the manufacture of:
- Sodium sulfate is used in the manufacture of glass, textiles, and paper.
Noun
- a solid white bitter salt used in manufacturing glass and paper and dyes and pharmaceuticals