barium dioxide
- noun
- /ˈbɛəriəm daɪˈɒksaɪd/
- Specialized
- Industrially, barium dioxide is used to prepare hydrogen peroxide.
Examples
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Always handle barium dioxide with care, as it is highly toxic.
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The laboratory stored barium dioxide in tightly sealed containers.
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The chemist used barium dioxide in the experiment.
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Is barium dioxide safe to handle?
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Always handle barium dioxide with care, as it is highly toxic.
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Industrially, barium dioxide is used to prepare hydrogen peroxide.
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The laboratory stored barium dioxide in tightly sealed containers.
Synonyms
A white poisonous powder once used to bleach cloth and make hydrogen peroxide
Surface Forms
Morphology
The term is directly compositional: 'barium' (the element) plus 'dioxide' (an oxide containing two oxygen atoms) yields a compound of barium with two oxygens, which a learner who knows both constituents can infer. Specific properties like its color, toxicity, or use as an oxidizing agent are domain-specific and not predictable from the words, but the basic chemical identity is transparent.
Etymology
Barium dioxide gets its name from the metal barium and the parts di- and oxide. Barium comes from a Greek word meaning 'heavy', and di- plus oxide literally say 'two' 'oxygen', so the name tells you it is a heavy element joined to two oxygen atoms, a clear image that helps you remember this oxygen-rich, toxic white powder.