Barium Chloride
Barium Chloride Formula is also called Barium dichloride formula. This soluble salt of barium arises from the direct reaction of barium and chlorine. The molecular formula or chemical formula for Barium Chloride is given as BaCl2.
About Barium Chloride
Barium Chloride is a white-colored solid and it contains no odour. It is soluble in water and hygroscopic. It crystallizes in two polymorphs (or forms) viz orthorhombic cotunnite (PbCl2) structure and cubic fluorite (CaF2) structure.
It can be widely used in industries, laboratories to test sulfate ions, purifying brine solution in the manufacturing of pigments, including other barium salts. It is toxic, inexpensive, and yields a yellow-green colour flame.
Structural Formula of Barium Chloride (Barium Dichloride)
In general, BaCl2 crystallizes in two forms (or polymorphs). One form contains the cubic fluorite (CaF2) structure and the other holds the orthorhombic cotunnite (PbCl2) structure. Both the polymorphs accommodate the preference of the large Ba2+ ion for the coordination numbers, which are greater than six. In the cotunnite structure, Ba2+ has a coordination of 9 whereas in the fluorite structure, it has a coordination of 8.
When the BaCl2 cotunnite structure is subjected to the pressures of 7–10 GPa, it transforms to a third structure, which is a monoclinic post-cotunnite phase. Also, the Ba2+ coordination number increases from 9 to 10.
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Properties of Barium Chloride (Barium dichloride)
Physical Properties
Chemical Properties
The barium chloride contains a similar behavior or a few other binary salts of chlorine. In water, it decomposes to produce:
BaCl2 → Ba2+ + 2Cl–
Also, this reaction is the same as other binary Cl salts as the NaCl and does not affect the solutions’ pH level.
Toxicity
When ingested, inhaled, or in contact with the skin, the Barium Chloride irritates the upper respiratory system, eyes and causes gastroenteritis, slow pulse, skin burns, hypokalemia, and extrasystoles.
FAQs on Barium Chloride Formula
1. Give the Uses of Barium Chloride?
Answer: Although Barium Chloride is inexpensive, it finds limited applications in the industry and laboratory. In industry, it is primarily used in the purification of brine solution in the caustic chlorine plants and in the case of hardening of steel and manufacture of heat treatment salts as well. The toxicity of this compound limits its applicability.
2. Identify the Role of BaCl When Ph Ranges from 8.3 to 3.7 in Estimating Soil Microbial Respiration With the Use of the Sir Method?
Answer: BaCl2 compound helps in separating the reacted NaOH from unreacted NaOH via precipitation process. At the time of titration, HCl reacts with the unreacted NaOH and so as to quantify what amount of CO2 was trapped by the hydroxide because the molarity and initial volume of NaOH are there. The titration process’ endpoint, it means, from pink to colorless, marks the depletion of unreacted NaOH.
3. What Barium Chloride Should be Acidified?
Answer: It needs to be acidified if it’s being used for the test for sulphate because both sulfates and sulfites produce a white precipitate with BaCi. Whereas for sulfites, the ppt dissolves in acids; thus, to avoid confusion in results, acid is added to the Baci before its testing use.
4. Give the pH of Barium Chloride?
Answer: Barium chloride (BaCl2) dissolves in water and ionizes to produce Ba2+ (aqueous) ions and Cl- ions. Since Cl- and Ba2+ are the anion and cation of a strong acid and strong base, they do not hydrolyze (or react with water). Thus, there are no additional OH- or H+ produced, and the solution is neutral (with a pH of 7).
