NEET UG » NEET UG Study Material » Chemistry » Calcium Nitrate

Calcium Nitrate

In this article we learn about calcium nitrate, its preparation and the use of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate.

Calcium Nitrate is a good calcium and nitrate source. You can choose from a variety of grades and formulas depending on the application. Calcium nitrate is made by saturating limestone with nitric acid and then adding ammonia. It’s regarded as a double salt since it’s made up of two sodium-rich minerals found in fertilisers. The final product also has a salt-like crystallisation. It’s not organic, and it’s a synthetic fertiliser additive.

Calcium nitrate is made by saturating limestone with nitric acid and then adding ammonia. It’s regarded as a double salt since it’s made up of two sodium-rich minerals found in fertilisers. The final product also has a salt-like crystallisation.

Uses of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate

Calcium Nitrate Tetrahydrate comes in two monoclinic crystalline forms: clear crystals and white crystals (alpha, specific gravity 1.9 and beta, specific gravity 1.82). It’s made by mixing calcium carbonate with nitric acid to neutralize it.

The anhydrous material, a white deliquescent chemical that is very soluble in water, is formed by heating the hydrate, but it decomposes under extreme heat to produce oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and oxygen. Calcium nitrate is employed as a nitrogen fertilizer, a corrosive inhibitor in diesel fuels, and an explosive component. It’s mostly utilised in rubber latex and refrigerants as a flocculant. It’s also used in oil exploration wells and sewage treatment, among other things. It is utilised in agriculture as a soilless culture and a fast-acting acid soil fertiliser. It can also be used in the light industry to make pyrotechnics and incandescent lamp chimneys, in the national military sector to make explosives, and in the electron instrument industry to paint the negative pole. It’s also used as a starting point for the production of other nitrates.

Physical Properties of calcium nitrate

Some of the prominent properties of calcium nitrate are:

  • Odourless

  • White deliquescent granules

  • Soluble in acetone and alcohol, but insoluble in concentrated nitric acid.

  • Absorbs moisture from air and is usually found as tetrahydrate

Preparation of calcium nitrate

Calcium nitrate is a fertiliser that is both simple and sophisticated. This basic salt contains two nutrients: calcium and nitrogen.

One of the following procedures produces calcium nitrate:

  • When calcium carbonate (usually as limestone) reacts with nitric acid, calcium nitrate is formed: 

CaCO3 + 2HNO3

Ca(NO3)2 + CO2 + H2

  • Calcium nitrate is formed a by-product of the extraction of calcium phosphate: 

Ca3(PO4)2 + 6HNO3 + 12H2O      

2H3PO4 + 3Ca(NO3)2 + 12H2

  • The reaction of ammonium nitrate solution and calcium hydroxide results in the formation of calcium nitrate: 

2NH4NO3 + Ca(OH)2                     

Ca(NO3)2 + 2NH4OH

Calcium nitrate uses

Calcium nitrate is used in wastewater pre-conditioning for smell pollution management. The formation of anoxic life in the wastewater system is the goal of wastewater pre-conditioning. In the presence of nitrate, sulphate metabolism stops, preventing the generation of hydrogen sulphide. Furthermore, simple degradable organic matter is consumed, which can otherwise result in anaerobic conditions and smell pollution downstream. The definition also applies to surplus sludge treatment.

Calcium nitrate is a frequent coagulant in the manufacturing of latex, particularly in dipping operations. Dissolved calcium nitrate is frequently present in the dipping bath solution. The warm former is frequently dipped in the coagulation liquid, leaving a thin film of the dipping liquid on it.

One of the main reasons that many gardeners use calcium nitrate fertiliser on their plants is to prevent them from disease. Calcium nitrate fertiliser can be used to prevent or treat blossom end rot, cork spot, and bitter pits in apples.

Calcium nitrate as a fertilizer

Calcium nitrate fertiliser is a water-soluble chemical solution that delivers calcium and nitrogen to plants. The physiological building blocks underlying strong, disease-resistant plants are these ingredients.

Calcium nitrate is created by combining inorganic calcium and nitrogen. It does not occur naturally. Limestone and nitric acid are mixed together, then ammonia is added. Farmers frequently employ calcium nitrate fertilisers to increase crop yield. However, this does not rule out the possibility of using calcium nitrate in the home garden for fruits, vegetables, and houseplants.

Conclusion

Calcium nitrate has the chemical formula Ca(NO3)2 and is an inorganic substance. Norges Saltpeter is another name for calcium nitrate. It was first synthesised in the 1900s at Notodden, Norway, using the Birkeland–Eyde technique. It is a calcium nitrate salt that contains calcium, nitrogen, and oxygen. Calcium nitrate is a granular solid that is white or whitish-grey in colour and absorbs moisture from the air. It is commonly found as the tetrahydrate complex Ca(NO3)2.4H2O.

The presence of Nitrogen in Nitrate form is an advantage of Calcium Nitrate (N-NO3). Plants prefer Nitrate to Ammonium (N-NH4) or Urea (N-NH2). Calcium stabilises cells early in fruit development, preventing them from collapsing and triggering blossom end rot. The nitrogen, on the other hand, is promoting plant development. If you’re a gardener who grows organically,

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the NEET UG Examination Preparation.

Why do farmers use calcium nitrate?

Ans: One of the main reasons that many gardeners use calcium nitrate fertiliser on their plants is to prevent them f...Read full

State one of the methods for preparing calcium nitrate.

Ans: One of the method is: The reaction ...Read full

What is the other name of calcium nitrate?

Ans: . Norgessalpeter is the other name for calcium nitrate.

 

Mention some of the physical properties of calcium nitrate.

Ans: Some of the physical properties of calcium nitrate are: odourless,...Read full

What are some of the uses of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate?

Ans: Some of the uses of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate are: It is employ...Read full