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potassium sodium tartrate

potassium sodium tartrate

6.5
A white powder used to help with mild constipation in some medicines
  • noun
  • /pəˈtæsiəm ˈsoʊdiəm ˈtɑːrtreɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tartrato de potasio y sodio
  • The doctor prescribed potassium sodium tartrate as a gentle laxative for occasional constipation.

Examples

  • Seidlitz powders often contain potassium sodium tartrate as their main active ingredient.

  • Potassium sodium tartrate is commonly used in analytical chemistry for preparing certain reagents.

  • The doctor recommended potassium sodium tartrate for digestive issues.

  • Many health supplements contain potassium sodium tartrate as an ingredient.

  • The doctor prescribed potassium sodium tartrate as a gentle laxative for occasional constipation.

  • Seidlitz powders often contain potassium sodium tartrate as their main active ingredient.

  • Potassium sodium tartrate is commonly used in analytical chemistry for preparing certain reagents.

Synonyms

Rochelle salt
vspotassium sodium tartrate
  • Specialized
7.2

A white crystal used as a mild laxative and in early electrical devices

is the formal chemical name for that compound
Rochelle salts
vspotassium sodium tartrate
  • Specialized
8.3

A substance that helps relieve constipation and is used in some lab work

is the formal chemical name rather than the common plural form

Surface Forms

Morphology

potassium + sodium + tartrate

This is a literal chemical name whose meaning is compositionally built from its constituents: potassium + sodium + tartrate denotes a compound containing those ions. Chemical naming conventions are largely transparent and cross-linguistically similar, so a learner who knows the three words can infer it is a salt/compound made from potassium, sodium, and tartrate even if they lack specialised chemical knowledge.

Etymology

Potassium sodium tartrate simply tells you what it is: a 'double salt' made from the metals potassium and sodium and an acid part called tartrate. The word 'tartrate' comes from 'tartar', the crust left in old wine barrels, and that full name helps explain why the compound is the mild 'laxative' found in some powders.