Hydrated copper sulfate, also known as copper sulfate pentahydrate, is a chemical compound with the formula CuSO4·5H2O. It is a blue crystalline solid that is often used in a variety of applications, including as a laboratory reagent and as a pesticide.
The chemical equation for the formation of hydrated copper sulfate is as follows:
CuSO4 + 5H2O → CuSO4·5H2O
In this equation, copper sulfate (CuSO4) reacts with water (H2O) to form hydrated copper sulfate (CuSO4·5H2O). The "·5H2O" part of the formula indicates that the compound contains five molecules of water for every molecule of copper sulfate.
Hydrated copper sulfate can be prepared by simply dissolving copper sulfate in water. The amount of water needed will depend on the desired concentration of the final solution. For example, if you want to prepare a 0.1 M solution of hydrated copper sulfate, you would need to dissolve 0.1 moles of copper sulfate in enough water to make 1 liter of solution.
In addition to being used as a laboratory reagent, hydrated copper sulfate has a number of other practical uses. It is often used as a herbicide to kill weeds, and it can also be used to kill snails and slugs in gardens. It is also used as a mordant in dyeing, a catalyst in the production of ethylene, and a coagulant in the purification of drinking water.
Despite its many uses, hydrated copper sulfate can be harmful if ingested or inhaled in large amounts. It is important to handle this chemical with caution and to follow proper safety protocols when working with it.
Overall, hydrated copper sulfate is a useful and versatile chemical compound that has a wide range of applications in a variety of fields. Its chemical equation, CuSO4 + 5H2O → CuSO4·5H2O, describes the reaction between copper sulfate and water to form the hydrated compound.