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- Pure Calcium Carbide is an odorless and colorless solid.
- However, the technical-grade calcium carbide compound pieces are either grey or brown.
- It comprises around 80 to 85% of CaC2, Ca3N2 (Calcium Nitride), Ca3P2 (calcium phosphide), Sic (Silicon Carbide), Cas (Calcium Sulfide), and more.
- For human consumption, this calcium is harmful.
- Calcium carbide is used for the production of acetylene gas, acetylene in carbide lamps, fertilizer chemicals, and steel.
| Table of Content |
Key Terms: Calcium carbide, Chemical formula, Melting and Boiling point, CaC2, Calcium, Carbon, Acetylene gas, Crystalline solid, Calcium cyanamide
What is Calcium Carbide?
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Calcium Carbide is an industrial chemical made up of the elements calcium and carbon is a chemical compound salt.
- It is also known as calcium acetylide, phenyl glyceryl ether diacetate, and glycerol phenyl ether diacetate.
- It appears as a colorless crystalline solid with a rock-like structure at room temperature.
- Commercial calcium carbide, on the other hand, can come in a variety of colors based on the impurities present.
- The chemical formula of calcium carbide is CaC2.
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Structure of Calcium Carbide
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The structure of Calcium carbide is shown as
Production of Calcium Carbide
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Calcium Carbide is manufactured in the industry in an electric arc furnace approximately at a temperature range of 2200°C (3900°F) with a mixture of lime and coke. It is an endothermic reaction that requires a high temperature to cause carbon monoxide at 110 Kilocalories per mole.
CaO + 3C→ CaC2 + CO
By traditional combustion, the high temperature required for this reaction is not practically achievable.
- Therefore, this reaction is executed by using graphite electrodes in an electric arc furnace.
- The produced carbide product by weight will consist of about 80% of the calcium carbide.
- Carbide is mashed to bring out tiny lumps that may range up to a maximum of 50 mm, and in the finer fractions, the impurities are concentrated.
- CaC2 is evaluated by measuring the acetylene amount on hydrolysis produced.
- The impurities of carbide consist of phosphide, which produces phosphine when hydrolyzed.
Production of Calcium Cyanamide
Calcium carbide compounds react with nitrogen at higher temperatures to produce calcium cyanamide. It is represented by the following equation.CaC2 + N2 → CaCN2 + C
Nitrolime, also known as calcium cyanamide, can be used as a fertilizer. It is also hydrolyzed to cyanamide (H2NCN).Properties of Calcium Carbide
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The following are the properties of Calcium Carbide
| Calcium Carbide | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Formula | CaC2 | |
| Molecular Mass/Molecular weight | 64.099 g/mol | |
| Melting Point | 2160 ∘C | |
| Boiling Point | 2300 ∘C | |
| Density | 2.22 g/cm3 | |
| Appearance | White powder to grey/black crystals | |
| Solubility in water | Reacts to produce Acetylene | |
Uses of Calcium Carbide
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Calcium Carbide is used in many ways. Some of the uses are:
- Calcium Carbide is used in the production of acetylene and calcium hydroxide.
- To produce calcium cyanamide, Calcium Carbide is used.
- To remove sulfur from iron, it is used. Removing sulfur from any material is known as desulphurization.
- Calcium Carbide is used in carbide lamps. It was used as automobile headlights in the early days.
- Calcium Carbide is used to produce polyvinyl chloride as acetylene.
- It is used as a ripening agent like ethylene.
- In big-bang cannons as well as bamboo cannons, Calcium Carbide is used.
- Calcium Carbide is also used as a deoxidizer i.e., during the manufacturing of steel, it helps to remove oxygen.
Things to Remember
- Calcium Carbide is an industrial chemical made up of the elements calcium and carbon is a chemical compound salt.
- The chemical formula of calcium carbide is CaC2.
- It appears as a colorless crystalline solid.
- Calcium carbide compounds react with nitrogen at higher temperatures to produce calcium cyanamide.
- Pure Calcium Carbide is an odorless and colorless solid.
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Sample Questions
Ques. What is the other name of calcium carbide? (1 Mark)
Ans. Calcium carbide is also known as calcium acetylide, phenyl glyceryl ether diacetate, and glycerol phenyl ether diacetate.
Ques. What is the source of calcium carbide? (1 Mark)
Ans.
Calcium carbide is produced industrially from calcium oxide (lime), CaO, and carbon in the form of coke at around 2,200 °C (4,000 °F).Ques. What is the Colour of calcium carbide? (1 Mark)
Ans.
Commercial calcium carbide's color ranges from steel-grey to reddish brown, depending on impurities and manufacturing procedure.Ques. Is calcium carbide soluble in water? (1 Mark)
Ans.
Calcium carbide is not volatile or soluble in any known solvent; it reacts with water to produce acetylene gas and calcium hydroxide.Ques. How is Calcium Cyanamide produced? (2 Marks)
Ans. At high temperatures, the Calcium Carbide compound reacts with nitrogen to produce Calcium Cyanamide. It can be expressed by:
CaC2 + N2 → CaCN2 + C
Calcium Cyanamide, commonly known as nitrolime is hydrolyzed to cyanamide, H2NCN, and also can be used as a fertilizer.
Ques. Discuss the role played by Calcium Carbide in Carbide Lamps. (2 Marks)
Ans. Calcium Carbide plays an important role in Carbide Lamps. When water drops on the carbide it produces acetylene gas, which burns and releases light. In early bicycles, motorcycles, cars, and headlights, these Carbide lamps were still used commonly but now were replaced eventually by electric lamps.
Ques. What will happen if Calcium Carbide is mixed with water? (1 Mark)
Ans. In any known solvent, Calcium Carbide is not soluble and volatile. It produces acetylene gas when it is mixed with water. The reaction of calcium carbide with water produces calcium hydroxide and acetylene.
Que. What is the primary use of Calcium Carbide? (1 Marks)
Ans. The primary use of Calcium Carbide includes the generation of acetylene in carbide lamps, acetylene gas manufacturing, chemical manufacturing for steel making, and also in fertilizer.
Ques. Is Calcium Carbide dangerous? (2 Marks)
Ans. The acetylene gas is generated from calcium carbide, which starts the process of ripening. Calcium carbide treatments for food are very dangerous, however, commercial calcium carbide consists of impurities of phosphorus hydride and arsenic. Both phosphorus hydride and arsenic are injurious to human health.
Ques. With what Calcium Carbide reacts? (2 Marks)
Ans. Calcium Carbide reacts with moisture and water to form flammable acetylene gas and Lime. The heat of the reaction can burn the Acetylene. Calcium Carbide reacts with Silver, Copper, Brass, and Mercury to produce explosive compounds like Metal Acetylides.
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