Calcium nitrate

Calcium nitrate ;
Names:	calcium nitrate; lime nitrate; norwegian saltpeter; kalksalpeter;
Formula:	Ca(NO3)2 (anhydrous); Ca(NO3)2 · 4H2O (tetrahydrate);
Molar mass:	164.086 g/mol (anhydrous); 236.146 g/mol (tetrahydrate);
Density:	2.504 g/cm3 (anhydrous); 1.896 g/cm3 (tetrahydrate);
Crystal system:	cubic (anhydrous); a=7.6 Å, b=7.6 Å, c=7.6 Åα=90°, β=90°, γ=90°; monoclinic (tetrahydrate); a=6.2777 Å, b=9.1579 Å, c=14.4841 Åα=90°, β=98.62°, γ=90°;
Shapes:	https://en.crystalls.info/w/uploads/media/3/36/Oblique_rhombic_prism.json Oblique rhombic prism https://en.crystalls.info/w/uploads/media/9/97/Truncated_oblique_rhombic_prism.json Truncated oblique rhombic prism https://en.crystalls.info/w/uploads/media/1/12/Trapezoidal_flat_prism.json Trapezoidal flat prism ;
Color:	colorless; white;
Melting point:	561 °C834.15 K <br />1,041.8 °F <br />1,501.47 °R <br /> (anhydrous); 42.7 °C315.85 K <br />108.86 °F <br />568.53 °R <br /> (tetrahydrate);
Boiling point:	132 °C405.15 K <br />269.6 °F <br />729.27 °R <br /> (tetrahydrate);
Magnetic properties:	diamagnetic;
Stability:	stable (tetrahydrate); highly hygroscopic (anhydrous);
Hardness:	relatively strong; (2 on Moh's scale);
Toxicity:	moderately toxic; LD50=302mg/kg

Description

Inorganic compound, salt of alkaline earth metal calcium and inorganic nitric acid. From water solutions crystallizes as tetrahydrate.

Minerals

Occurs in nature as nitrocalcite mineral.

Where to buy

Can be bought in fertilizers store (as "Calcium nitrate") and pharmacy (as "heating pad").

Precursors

Reaction between calcium hydroxide or carbonate and nitric acid

Chemical equation:

2HNO₃ + Ca(OH)₂ = Ca(NO₃)₂ + 2H₂O

2HNO₃ + CaCO₃ = Ca(NO₃)₂ + H₂O + CO₂↑

For preparation of 100.00g of calcium nitrate

tetrahydratetetrahydrate
anhydrous

а 31.38g of calcium hydroxide or 42.38g of carbonate and 82.10g of 65%65% acid is required.

Add acid to the flask, then add small parts of calcium compound with stirring until it will totally dissolve or, if you use carbonate, until carbon dioxide emission will stop. After reaction will stop, filter the solution and use it for crystal growing.

Reaction between calcium hydroxide or carbonate and ammonium nitrate

Chemical equation:

2NH₄NO₃ + Ca(OH)₂ = Ca(NO₃)₂ + 2H₂O + 2NH₃↑

2NH₄NO₃ + CaCO₃ = Ca(NO₃)₂ + H₂O + 2NH₃↑ + CO₂↑

For preparation of 100.00g of calcium nitrate

tetrahydratetetrahydrate
anhydrous

а 31.38g of calcium hydroxide or 42.38g of carbonate and 67.79g of ammonium nitrate is required.

Add to the flask suspended in water calcium compounds and then add small parts of hot nitrate ammonium solution with heating and stirring. Emission of large amount of ammonia will begin.Attention, exuding ammonia irritates eyes and lungs! The synthesis should be carried out only in a fume hood or outdoors!

Notes

Dissolving is endothermic, solution cools much, so use hot water or using heat.
The solution absorbs moisture from the air, so growth is hard enough.

Storage conditions

Keep in its original form or under several layers of varnish at average humidity and room temperature. Do not keep crystals near heaters.

Solubility

TableGraph

Temperature	g/`100,00` g water		g/`100,00` g ethanol	g/`100,00` g methanol	g/`100,00` g acetone	g/`100,00` g DMSO	g/`100,00` g pyridine	g/`100,00` g methyl acetate	g/`100,00` g nitric acid	g/`100,00` g acetic acid	g/`100,00` g propanol	g/`100,00` g isopropanol	g/`100,00` g isobutanol	g/`100,00` g ammonia	g/`100,00` g dimethylformamide	g/`100,00` g amyl alcohol
Temperature	(anhydrous)	(tetrahydrate)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(tetrahydrate)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(anhydrous)	(tetrahydrate)	(anhydrous)
0°C273.15 K <br />32 °F <br />491.67 °R <br />		`102.0`												`82.8`
10°C283.15 K <br />50 °F <br />509.67 °R <br />				`134`
15°C288.15 K <br />59 °F <br />518.67 °R <br />														`89.2`
20°C293.15 K <br />68 °F <br />527.67 °R <br />	`121.2`	`127.3`	`51.4`		`1.68`			`69.5`
25°C298.15 K <br />77 °F <br />536.67 °R <br />		`138.1`				`27`	`5.75`		`0.01`		`57.5`	`2.67`	`33.3`		`20`	`6.9`
30°C303.15 K <br />86 °F <br />545.67 °R <br />		`154.5`								`23.33`
40°C313.15 K <br />104 °F <br />563.67 °R <br />	`271`	`230.0`	`62.9`	`144`
60°C333.15 K <br />140 °F <br />599.67 °R <br />	`354`			`158`
70°C343.15 K <br />158 °F <br />617.67 °R <br />	`356`
80°C353.15 K <br />176 °F <br />635.67 °R <br />	`358`
90°C363.15 K <br />194 °F <br />653.67 °R <br />	`361`
100°C373.15 K <br />212 °F <br />671.67 °R <br />	`363`

Soluble in methylamine. Insoluble in dimethylamine and trimethylamine.

Gallery

Growing in room with relative humidity about 20%Calcium nitrate, Il`ya Balyaev, VKontakteIl`ya BalyaevVKontakte
Growing in room with relative humidity about 20%Calcium nitrate, Il`ya Balyaev, VKontakteIl`ya BalyaevVKontakte
Growing in room with relative humidity about 20%Calcium nitrate, Il`ya Balyaev, VKontakteIl`ya BalyaevVKontakte
Supposedly was grown by solution cooling methodCalcium nitrate, Denis Oleynikov, VKontakteDenis OleynikovVKontakte
Supposedly was grown by solution cooling methodCalcium nitrate, Denis Oleynikov, VKontakteDenis OleynikovVKontakte

Sources

Navigation

Nitrates
Salts	Ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) • Barium nitrate (Ba(NO₃)₂) • Bismuth(III) nitrate (BI(NO₃)₃) • Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO₃)₂) • Cesium nitrate (CsNO₃) • Cobalt(II) nitrate (Co(NO₃)₂) • Copper(II) nitrate (Cu(NO₃)₂) • Iron(II) nitrate (Fe(NO₃)₂) • Lead(II) nitrate (Pb(NO₃)₂) • Neodymium nitrate (Nd(NO₃)₃) • Nickel nitrate (Ni(NO₃)₂) • Potassium nitrate (KNO₃) • Silver(I) nitrate (AgNO₃) • Sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) • Strontium nitrate (Sr(NO₃)₂) • Uranyl nitrate (UO₂(NO₃)₂) • Zirconyl nitrate (ZrO(NO₃)₂)
Double salts	Calcium-ammonium nitrate (5Ca(NO₃)₂ · NH₄NO₃) • Cerium(IV)-ammomium nitrate (2NH₄NO₃ · Ce(NO₃)₄) • Cerium(III)-cobalt nitrate (3Co(NO₃)₂ · 2Ce(NO₃)₃) • Cerium(III)-cobalt-manganese nitrate (3(Co,Mn)(NO₃)₂ · 2Ce(NO₃)₃) • Cerium(III)-manganese nitrate (3Mn(NO₃)₂ · 2Ce(NO₃)₃)
Complexes	Bis-thetramethylethylenediaminecopper(II) nitrate ([Cu((H₃CNCH₃)₂C₄H₈)](NO₃)₂) • Nitratopentakis-karbamatbismuth(III) nitrate ([Bi(NO₃)(CO(NH₂)₂)₅](NO₃)₂) • Nitratopentakis-tiokarbamatbismuth(III) nitrate ([Bi(NO₃)(CS(NH₂)₂)₅](NO₃)₂)

Template:Calcium сompounds

Calcium nitrate
Names:	calcium nitrate lime nitrate norwegian saltpeter kalksalpeter
Formula:	Ca(NO₃)₂ (anhydrous) Ca(NO₃)₂ · 4H₂O (tetrahydrate)
Molar mass:	164.086 g/mol (anhydrous) 236.146 g/mol (tetrahydrate)
Density:	2.504 g/cm³ (anhydrous) 1.896 g/cm³ (tetrahydrate)
Crystal system:	cubic (anhydrous) a=7.6 Å, b=7.6 Å, c=7.6 Åα=90°, β=90°, γ=90° monoclinic (tetrahydrate) a=6.2777 Å, b=9.1579 Å, c=14.4841 Åα=90°, β=98.62°, γ=90°
Shapes:	Oblique rhombic prism Truncated oblique rhombic prism Trapezoidal flat prism
Color:	colorless white
Melting point:	561 °C834.15 K <br />1,041.8 °F <br />1,501.47 °R <br /> (anhydrous) 42.7 °C315.85 K <br />108.86 °F <br />568.53 °R <br /> (tetrahydrate)
Boiling point:	132 °C405.15 K <br />269.6 °F <br />729.27 °R <br /> (tetrahydrate)
Magnetic properties:	diamagnetic
Stability:	stable (tetrahydrate) highly hygroscopic (anhydrous)
Hardness:	relatively strong (2 on Moh's scale)
Toxicity:	moderately toxic LD₅₀=302mg/kg