TERSULPHATE Meaning and
Definition
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Tersulphate can refer to two different chemical compounds: potassium tersulphate and sodium tersulphate. This definition will cover both compounds.
Tersulphate is a chemical compound that belongs to the family of sulphates. It is composed of the elements potassium or sodium, combined with three sulphate ions. The chemical formula for potassium tersulphate is K2S3O8, while sodium tersulphate is Na2S3O8.
Both potassium and sodium tersulphate are white crystalline solids that are highly soluble in water. They are commonly used in various industrial and laboratory applications. Tersulphates are often employed as strong oxidizing agents, capable of promoting chemical reactions that involve the transfer of oxygen or electrons from one substance to another. Additionally, they can act as disinfectants and bleaching agents due to their powerful oxidizing properties.
In laboratory settings, tersulphates are frequently utilized in analytical chemistry and as reagents in organic synthesis. Their oxidizing nature makes them valuable for introducing specific functional groups into molecules or breaking down complex compounds. Tersulphates can also be found in some cleaning products and in hair dye formulations.
It is important to handle tersulphates with care due to their oxidizing properties, which can cause skin irritation and eye damage. Additionally, the release of toxic gases is possible if tersulphates come into contact with certain incompatible substances. Therefore, appropriate safety precautions should be taken when working with or storing tersulphate compounds.
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A sulphate containing three molecules of sulphuric acid, of which two are still capable of combining with the base.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for TERSULPHATE
- Tersulphade
- Tersulphite
- tersulphure
- fersulphate
- gersulphate
- yersulphate
- 6ersulphate
- 5ersulphate
- twrsulphate
- tsrsulphate
- tdrsulphate
- trrsulphate
- t4rsulphate
- t3rsulphate
- teesulphate
- tedsulphate
- tefsulphate
- tetsulphate
- te5sulphate
- te4sulphate
Etymology of TERSULPHATE
The word "tersulphate" is derived from the combination of two roots: "ter" and "sulphate".
- The prefix "ter-" comes from the Latin word "tertius", meaning "third". In chemical terminology, "ter-" indicates the presence of three atoms or groups of a particular element.
- "Sulphate" refers to a compound containing the sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻). The term "sulphate" itself comes from the Latin word "sulfur", meaning "sulfur", combined with the suffix "-ate", denoting the presence of oxygen in the anion.
When combined, "tersulphate" denotes a compound with three sulfate groups present.
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