Calcium carbonate shares the typical properties of other carbonates.

Notably:
it reacts with strong acids, releasing carbon dioxide:
CaCO
3(s)
+ 2 HCl
(aq)
CaCl
2(aq)
+ CO
2(g)
+ H
2
O
(l)

it releases carbon dioxide on heating, called a thermal decomposition reaction,
orcalcination, (to above 840 C in the case of CaCO
3
), to form calcium oxide,
commonly called quicklime, with reaction enthalpy 178 kJ / mole:
CaCO
3(s)
CaO
(s)
+ CO
2(g)

Calcium carbonate will react with water that is saturated with carbon dioxide to form
the soluble calcium bicarbonate.
CaCO
3
+ CO
2
+ H
2
O Ca(HCO
3
)
2

This reaction is important in the erosion of carbonate rocks, forming caverns,
and leads tohard water in many regions.
Carbonate compensation depth[edit]
The carbonate compensation depth (CCD) is the point in the ocean where the rate of
precipitation of calcium carbonate is balanced by the rate of dissolution due to the conditions
present. Deep in the ocean, the temperature drops and pressure increases. Calcium
carbonate is unusual in that its solubility increases with decreasing temperature. Increasing
pressure also increases the solubility of calcium carbonate. The CCD can range from 4
6 km below sea level.






Solubility[edit]
With varying CO
2
pressure[edit]


Travertine calcium carbonate deposits from a hot spring
Calcium carbonate is poorly soluble in pure water (47 mg/L at normal atmospheric
CO
2
partial pressure as shown below).
The equilibrium of its solution is given by the equation (with dissolved calcium carbonate on
the right):
CaCO
3
Ca
2+
+ CO
3
2
K
sp
= 3.710
9
to 8.710
9
at 25 C
where the solubility product for [Ca
2+
][CO
3
2
] is given as anywhere from K
sp
=
3.710
9
to K
sp
= 8.710
9
at 25 C, depending upon the data source.
[34][35]
What the
equation means is that the product of molar concentration of calcium ions (moles of
dissolved Ca
2+
per liter of solution) with the molar concentration of dissolved CO
3
2
cannot exceed the value of K
sp
. This seemingly simple solubility equation, however,
must be taken along with the more complicated equilibrium of carbon
dioxide with water (see carbonic acid). Some of the CO
3
2
combines with H
+
in the
solution according to:
HCO
3

H
+
+ CO
3
2
K
a2
= 5.6110
11
at 25 C
HCO
3

is known as the bicarbonate ion. Calcium bicarbonate is many times more

soluble in water than calcium carbonateindeed it exists only in solution.
Some of the HCO
3

combines with H
+
in solution according to:
H
2
CO
3
H
+
+ HCO
3

K
a1
= 2.510
4
at 25 C
Some of the H
2
CO
3
breaks up into water and dissolved carbon dioxide according
to:
H
2
O + CO
2
(dissolved) H
2
CO
3
K
h
= 1.7010
3
at 25 C
And dissolved carbon dioxide is in equilibrium with atmospheric carbon
dioxide according to:

where k
H
= 29.76 atm/(mol/L) at 25 C (Henry
constant), being the CO
2
partial
pressure.
For ambient air, is around 3.510
4
atmospheres (or equivalently
35 Pa). The last equation above fixes the concentration of dissolved
CO
2
as a function of , independent of the concentration of dissolved
CaCO
3
. At atmospheric partial pressure of CO
2
, dissolved
CO
2
concentration is 1.210
5
moles/liter. The equation before that fixes
the concentration of H
2
CO
3
as a function of [CO
2
]. For [CO
2
]=1.210
5
, it
results in [H
2
CO
3
]=2.010
8
moles per liter. When [H
2
CO
3
] is known, the
remaining three equations together with
































Making up 1000 ppm solutions

1. From the pure metal : weigh out accurately 1.000g of metal,
dissolve in 1 : 1 conc. nitric or hydrochloric acid, and make up to
the mark in 1 liter volume deionised water.

2. From a salt of the metal :
e.g. Make a 1000 ppm standard of Na using the salt NaCl.

FW of salt = 58.44g.
At. wt. of Na = 23
1g Na in relation to FW of salt = 58.44 / 23 = 2.542g.
Hence, weigh out 2.542g NaCl and dissolve in 1 liter volume to
make a 1000 ppm Na standard.

3. From an acidic radical of the salt :
e.g. Make a 1000 ppm phosphate standard using the salt KH
2
PO
4


FW of salt = 136.09
FW of radical PO
4
= 95
1g PO
4
in relation to FW of salt = 136.09 / 95 = 1.432g.
Hence, weigh out 1.432g KH
2
PO
4
and dissolve in 1 liter volume to
make a 1000 ppm PO
4
standard.


Ppm (parts per million) to % (parts per hundred)


Example:


1 ppm = 1/1,000,000 = 0.000001 = 0.0001%
10 ppm = 10/1,000,000 = 0.00001 = 0.001%
100 ppm = 100/1,000,000 = 0.0001 = 0.01%
200 ppn = 200/1,000,000 = 0.0002 = 0.02%
5000 ppm = 5000/1,000,000 = 0.005 = 0.5%
10,000 ppm = 10000/1,000,000 = 0.01 = 1.0%
20,000 ppm = 20000/1,000,000 = 0.02 = 2.0%