Purchase Solution

Pressures for Stable Phases

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Calcium carbonate, CaCO_3, has two common crystalline forms, calcite and aragonite.
Calcite, unlike aragonite, is stable at earth's surface. Calculate the pressure (at room temperature) at which the other phase should become stable.

Purchase this Solution

Solution Summary

315 words show how to find the pressure at which uncommon phases of calcium carbonate become stable.

Solution Preview

At roomtemperature and ambient pressure, aragonite is a metastable polymorph of calcium carbonate CaCO3 whose crystallization occurs frequently in nature (shells,corals, mineral sediments, etc.). It transforms into calcite that is the stable polymorphof calcium carbonate when heated. Aragonite is thermodynamically unstable at standard temperature and pressure, and tends to alter to calcite on scales of 107 to 108 years.

Aragonite's more compact structure is composed of triangular carbonate ion groups (CO3), with ...

Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
Variables in Science Experiments

How well do you understand variables? Test your knowledge of independent (manipulated), dependent (responding), and controlled variables with this 10 question quiz.

The Moon

Test your knowledge of moon phases and movement.

Classical Mechanics

This quiz is designed to test and improve your knowledge on Classical Mechanics.

Introduction to Nanotechnology/Nanomaterials

This quiz is for any area of science. Test yourself to see what knowledge of nanotechnology you have. This content will also make you familiar with basic concepts of nanotechnology.

Intro to the Physics Waves

Some short-answer questions involving the basic vocabulary of string, sound, and water waves.