CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

crucible    →   lončić za žarenje

Crucible is used for heating small amounts of solid in an oven to very high temperatures. Crucibles are usually made out of porcelain, platinum, nickel or iron.

clay triangle    →   trokut za žarenje

Clay triangle is a piece of laboratory equipment used in the process of heating substances by a Bunsen burner (e.g. to support a crucible when it’s being heated).

Solvay’s process    →   Solvayev postupak

Solvay ’s process is an industrial process for producing sodium carbonate from sodium chloride and ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioixide is produced by the thermal decomposition of limestone, CaCO₃(s).

Quicklime, formed as a by-product of the thermal decomposition of limestone, is treated with water to form calcium hydroxide.

Calcium hydroxide is heated with ammonium chloride to form ammonia and calcium chloride (by product).

Carbon dioxide reacts with ammonia to form ammonium carbonate.

Ammonium carbonate further reacts with carbon dioxide to form ammonium bicarbonate.

Ammonium bicarbonate then react with sodium chloride to form sodium bicarbonate.

Dry sodium bicarbonate is heated in rotary furnace to give anhydrous sodium carbonate or soda ash.

The carbon dioxide produced is recycled back into the process.