water of crystallisation
Definition
- Noun:
- The water present in hydrated compounds: "Water of crystallisation" refers to water molecules that are chemically bonded within the crystalline structure of a compound. This water is essential for maintaining the crystal's shape and form.
Usage
- The term "water of crystallisation" is used specifically in chemistry to describe the water contained in crystals of certain salts and other compounds.
- It is a mass noun and is typically used in a singular form, even when referring to the water in multiple crystals.
Examples
- Noun:
- Copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate contains five molecules of water of crystallisation per formula unit.
- Heating the blue crystals drove off the water of crystallisation, leaving a white anhydrous powder.
- The mass loss upon heating corresponds to the water of crystallisation.
Advanced Usage
- "To lose one's water of crystallisation": This phrase describes the process where a hydrated compound loses its water molecules, usually upon heating, becoming anhydrous.
- When gypsum is heated, it loses its water of crystallisation to form plaster of Paris.
Variants and Related Words
- Water of hydration (n): A synonym often used interchangeably with "water of crystallisation," though it can have a slightly broader application to any water in a hydrate.
- Hydrate (n): A compound that contains water of crystallisation.
- Anhydrous (adj): Describing a substance from which the water of crystallisation has been removed.
Synonyms
- Water of hydration: The water molecules associated with a hydrated compound.
- Crystal water: A less common term with the same meaning.
Related Phrases
- "Bound water": This is a more general term that can include water of crystallisation but also refers to water held in other ways within a material's structure.
Noun
-
the water present in hydrated compounds
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