Chemists use symbols when writing chemical equations and formulas. Explain the difference between the following representation of the same chemical CuSO 4(s), CuSO 4 •5H2O (s), CuSO4 (aq)
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The difference between the representations CuSO 4(s), CuSO 4 •5H2O (s), and CuSO4 (aq) lies in the state of the chemical compound and its physical form.
1. CuSO 4(s): This representation indicates that copper sulfate is in a solid state at room temperature and pressure. The compound exists as individual solid particles.
2. CuSO 4 •5H2O (s): This representation indicates that copper sulfate is in a hydrated form, meaning it has water molecules incorporated into its crystal structure. The "•5H2O" indicates that there are five water molecules associated with each copper sulfate unit. This form of copper sulfate is commonly known as "copper sulfate pentahydrate."
3. CuSO4 (aq): This representation indicates that CuSO4 is dissolved in water, forming an aqueous solution. In this form, the copper sulfate ions (Cu2+ and SO4 2-) are separated and surrounded by water molecules, indicating that it is completely dissolved in water.
To summarize, CuSO 4(s) represents copper sulfate in its solid, anhydrous form, CuSO 4 •5H2O (s) represents copper sulfate in its hydrated form with five water molecules, and CuSO4 (aq) represents copper sulfate dissolved in water as an aqueous solution.
The representations you mentioned are different ways of representing the same chemical compound, which in this case is copper(II) sulfate.
CuSO4(s) indicates that copper(II) sulfate exists in a solid state. In this form, the compound is in a solid-state and does not contain any water molecules.
CuSO4•5H2O(s) or CuSO4 · 5H2O(s) is a representation of copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate. The dot (·) in the formula indicates that there are water molecules associated with the compound. In this case, there are five water molecules (H2O) attached to each unit of copper(II) sulfate.
CuSO4(aq) indicates that copper(II) sulfate is dissolved in water, forming an aqueous solution. The (aq) abbreviation stands for "aqueous," meaning the compound is dissolved in water.
To summarize:
- CuSO4(s) represents copper(II) sulfate in its solid-state.
- CuSO4•5H2O(s) or CuSO4 · 5H2O(s) represents copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate, a solid compound with five water molecules attached per unit.
- CuSO4(aq) represents copper(II) sulfate dissolved in water, forming an aqueous solution.
The representation "CuSO4 (s)" indicates that the chemical CuSO4 is in a solid state. This means that the CuSO4 particles are closely packed together and have a fixed shape and volume.
On the other hand, "CuSO4 •5H2O (s)" represents a hydrated compound. The "•5H2O" indicates that there are five water molecules attached to each CuSO4 particle in the solid state. These water molecules are called water of hydration or water of crystallization. Hydrated compounds have a specific number of water molecules attached to each particle, and the water molecules are considered an integral part of the compound's structure.
Lastly, "CuSO4 (aq)" denotes that the CuSO4 is dissolved in water, forming an aqueous solution. The "(aq)" stands for "aqueous," meaning that the substance is in the form of a solution in water. In this case, the CuSO4 particles have dissociated into ions (Cu2+ and SO42-) and are dispersed throughout the water, forming a homogeneous mixture.
To understand these representations, it's important to know that chemists use symbols and notations to convey specific information about the physical state, composition, or behavior of chemicals. By using these representations, chemists can accurately describe and communicate different aspects of chemical compounds.