Important Properties and Applications of Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Phosphate

Calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate are both ionic salts that contain the calcium cation. The former contains the carbonate anion whereas the latter contains the phosphate anion. A brief introduction to the properties and applications of calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate is provided in this article.

Calcium Carbonate

Calcium carbonate is an ionic compound with the chemical formula CaCO₃. This compound is commonly found naturally in rocks such as limestone. It can be noted that the empirical formula of calcium carbonate is the same as its molecular formula. The primary medicinal application of calcium carbonate is as a calcium supplement. It can also be used as an antacid. Some important properties and applications of calcium carbonate are listed in this subsection.

Properties of Calcium Carbonate

• The molar mass of calcium carbonate is roughly equal to 100.08 grams per mole.
• Under standard conditions for temperature and pressure (often abbreviated to STP), calcium carbonate exists as a fine, white, powdery substance that has a taste that is similar to chalk powder. This compound does not have any characteristic odour.
• The density of calcium carbonate in its calcite form is roughly equal to 2.711 grams per cubic centimetre.
• The density of calcium carbonate in its aragonite form is roughly equal to 2.83 grams per cubic centimetre.
• The pKa of calcium carbonate is approximately equal to 9.

Applications of Calcium Carbonate

• Calcium carbonate is a very important chemical compound in the construction industry, where it is used as a building material.
• This compound is added to drilling fluids since it has the ability to serve as a formation-bridging agent.
• This compound can also be used in microporous films.

Calcium Phosphate

Calcium phosphate refers to a family of ionic salts of calcium that contain calcium cations and phosphate anions. These salts can also contain oxides and hydroxides as well. It is important to note that calcium phosphate is considered to have high nutritional value and is known to naturally occur in many living organisms. A common member of the calcium phosphate family is dicalcium phosphate, also known as calcium pyrophosphate. The chemical formula of this compound can be written as Ca₂P₂O₇. Some important properties and uses of calcium pyrophosphate are listed below.

• The molar mass of calcium pyrophosphate is approximately equal to 254.05 grams per mole.
• Under standard conditions for temperature and pressure (often abbreviated to STP), calcium pyrophosphate commonly exists as a white, powdery solid. This compound usually does not have any characteristic odour.
• Under standard conditions, the density of this chemical compound of calcium is usually 3.09 grams per cubic centimetre.
• The melting point of calcium pyrophosphate is approximately equal to 1353 degrees Celsius, which is equal to 1626 on the Kelvin scale.
• It is important to note that this compound is insoluble in water.
• The primary application of calcium pyrophosphate is as an abrasive agent in toothpaste.
• It is a good abrasive agent owing to its insolubility in water and its low reactivity towards fluorides.