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A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid, H 2 CO 3, [2] characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula CO 2− 3. The word "carbonate" may also refer to a carbonate ester , an organic compound containing the carbonate group O=C(−O−) 2 .
Infobox references. Sodium carbonate (also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2CO3 and its various hydrates. All forms are white, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield alkaline solutions in water. Historically, it was extracted from the ashes of plants grown in sodium-rich soils ...
Infobox references. Potassium carbonate is the inorganic compound with the formula K 2 CO 3. It is a white salt, which is soluble in water and forms a strongly alkaline solution. It is deliquescent, often appearing as a damp or wet solid. Potassium carbonate is mainly used in the production of soap and glass. [3]
The modern definition is similar, although equipped with the molecular knowledge of carbonate's structure and reassignment of the meaning of carbonic acid from CO 2 to the H 2 CO 3 molecule, "Carbonates are the salts of carbonic acids. They form when a positively charged metal ion comes into contact with the oxygen atoms of the carbonate ion."
The carbonate-silicate cycle is the primary control on carbon dioxide levels over long timescales. [ 3 ] It can be seen as a branch of the carbon cycle, which also includes the organic carbon cycle, in which biological processes convert carbon dioxide and water into organic matter and oxygen via photosynthesis. [ 5 ]
Calcium carbonate is used in the production of calcium oxide as well as toothpaste and has seen a resurgence as a food preservative and color retainer, when used in or with products such as organic apples. [58] Calcium carbonate is used therapeutically as phosphate binder in patients on maintenance haemodialysis. It is the most common form of ...
Lithium carbonate is an important industrial chemical. Its main use is as a precursor to compounds used in lithium-ion batteries. Glasses derived from lithium carbonate are useful in ovenware. Lithium carbonate is a common ingredient in both low-fire and high-fire ceramic glaze. It forms low-melting fluxes with silica and other materials.
Azurite was known in the pre-classical ancient world. It was used in ancient Egypt as a pigment, obtained from mines in Sinai. Ancient Mesopotamian writers report the use of a special mortar and pestle for grinding it. It was also used in ancient Greece, for example on the Acropolis in Athens.