Calcium carbide
Calcium Carbide[edit]
Calcium carbide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CaC2. It is a colorless solid at room temperature, although technical-grade samples can be gray or brown. Calcium carbide is primarily used in the production of acetylene and calcium cyanamide.
Production[edit]
Calcium carbide is produced industrially in an electric arc furnace from a mixture of lime and coke at approximately 2,200 °C (3,990 °F). This process was discovered by Thomas L. Willson in 1892 and is known as the Willson process.
Applications[edit]
The primary use of calcium carbide is in the production of acetylene gas. When calcium carbide is treated with water, acetylene gas is released:
- CaC2 + 2H2O → C2H2 + Ca(OH)2
This reaction is the basis of the industrial production of acetylene, which is used as a fuel and a chemical building block. Calcium carbide is also used in the manufacture of calcium cyanamide, which is used as a fertilizer and in the production of other chemicals.
Historical Uses[edit]
Calcium carbide was once used in carbide lamps, which were widely used in mining and caving. These lamps produce a bright, white light by burning acetylene gas generated from the reaction of calcium carbide with water.
Safety and Handling[edit]
Calcium carbide reacts violently with water, releasing flammable acetylene gas. Therefore, it must be handled with care, stored in a dry environment, and kept away from moisture.
Related pages[edit]
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Content may be inaccurate or outdated and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical decisions. Verify information with trusted sources such as CDC.gov and NIH.gov. By using this site, you agree that WikiMD is not liable for any outcomes related to its content. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
