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Glite Dictionary
water of hydration

water of hydration

6.9
Water held inside a crystal as part of its structure
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtər əv haɪˈdreɪʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : agua de hidratación
  • Heating the sample drives off the water of hydration and leaves the anhydrous salt behind.

Examples

  • Copper sulfate pentahydrate contains five molecules of water of hydration per formula unit.

  • The water of hydration is essential for the stability of the crystal.

  • The blue color of the crystal is due to its water of hydration.

  • Many minerals contain water of hydration in their structure.

  • Copper sulfate pentahydrate contains five molecules of water of hydration that contribute to its crystal structure.

  • The process of heating can remove the water of hydration from certain compounds, resulting in a dry crystalline substance.

  • In many hydrated minerals, the presence of water of hydration is crucial for maintaining their physical properties.

Synonyms

water of crystallization
vswater of hydration
  • Specialized
7.6

A small amount of water that stays inside a crystal and changes its color

is the same idea expressed using an alternative technical term

Surface Forms

water of hydration singular
waters of hydration plural

Morphology

water + of + hydration

The phrase literally combines 'water' with 'hydration' in a possessive 'of' structure, so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to water associated with the process or state of hydration. However, the precise technical sense (water chemically bound in a crystal lattice) requires specialized chemical knowledge beyond simple compositional inference, so the transparency is partial.

Etymology

Water of hydration comes from the idea that some solids keep tiny amounts of water trapped inside their crystals, so the solid has hydration from that trapped water. That's why the term means 'water chemically bound inside a compound'.