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Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate has the chemical formula Na2HPO4 and is an inorganic and hygroscopic substance. This inorganic molecule is water-soluble but insoluble in alcohol. The elements, sodium, hydrogen, phosphorus, and oxygen make up sodium hydrogen phosphate. Sodium is a silvery-white alkali metal that is soft and extremely reactive. The pH of the sodium hydrogen phosphate water solution ranges from 8.0 to 11.0, indicating that it is mildly basic. The sodium hydrogen phosphate formula is also referred to as the Disodium phosphate formula or Sodium phosphate dibasic formula.
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Key Terms: Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate, Sodium, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Atoms, Phosphate, Alkali Metal, Crystalline Solid, Sodium Hydroxide
What is Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate?
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The sodium hydrogen phosphate formula is commonly known as the sodium phosphate dibasic formula or the disodium phosphate formula. It's one of many sodium phosphates available. It has the chemical formula Na2HPO4 and is an inorganic and hygroscopic substance. It appears as a white, odourless powder in its anhydrous form. It has a salty flavour and is hygroscopic. It appears as a white crystalline solid with no odour when hydrated. It is water-soluble but insoluble in alcohol.
Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate
Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate: Formula and Structure
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Sodium hydrogen phosphate has the molecular formula Na2HPO4. It has two atoms of sodium, one atom of hydrogen, one atom of phosphate and 4 atoms of oxygen. Its structure is shown in the below image.
Structure of Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate
Components of Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate
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Sodium, Hydrogen, Phosphorus, and Oxygen creates sodium hydrogen phosphate.
- Sodium is a silvery-white alkali metal that is soft and extremely reactive. It is found in Periodic Table Group-1. It has the atomic number Eleven and is denoted by the notation Na.
- Hydrogen is the lightest, translucent, tasteless, and most volatile gas. It has 1 atom and is denoted by the symbol H.
- Phosphorus is a highly reactive metalloid occurring in Periodic Table Group 15. It has the atomic value 15 and is denoted by the symbol P.
- Oxygen is a highly reactive metalloid found in the chalcogen group, specifically group-16. It has an atomic number of 8 and is denoted by the notation O.
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Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate: Preparation
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Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) is neutralised with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to produce sodium hydrogen phosphate.
H3PO4 + 2NaOH → Na2HPO4 + 2H2O
Industrially, it is done in two steps which are as follows:
- Step 1: Combine Dicalcium phosphate (CaHPO4) with sodium bisulfate (NaHSO4) to give precipitated calcium sulfate (CaSO4).
CaHPO4 + NaHSO4 → NaH2PO4 + CaSO4
- Step 2: The resultant monosodium phosphate solution is slightly neutralised in the second stage.
NaH2PO4 + NaOH → Na2HPO4 + H2O
Properties of Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate
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The physical and chemical properties of Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate are listed below:
Physical Properties
- The molecular mass of Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate is 141.96 g/mol.
- It manifests as a crystalline solid.
- Sodium hydrogen phosphate has a melting temperature of 250°C.
- Sodium hydrogen phosphate has a density of 1.7 g/cm3.
- It is odourless.
Chemical Properties
- Na2HPO4 is the chemical formula for sodium hydrogen phosphate
- When sodium hydrogen phosphate is heated, it produces a valuable inorganic chemical known as tetrasodium pyrophosphate, a white, inorganic, water-soluble solid.
- It is non-flammable.
Uses of Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate
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- Sodium hydrogen phosphate is used to soften food and liquids.
- It is used as a saline laxative to treat diarrhoea (or) to clear the gut before a colonoscopy.
- Its use avoids coagulation during the condensed milk manufacturing process.
- It is also utilised as an anti-caking agent in powdery goods.
- It is used to shorten the cooking time of desserts and puddings, such as Cream of Wheat and Jell-O Instant Pudding.
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| Related Links | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oxoacids of Phosphorus | Sodium Bicarbonate | Sodium Hexametaphosphate |
| Sulphates | Sodium Metabisulfite | Calcium Acetate |
| Sodium Iodide | Calcium Chloride | Pyrophosphoric Acid |
Things to Remember
- Sodium hydrogen phosphate is an inorganic and hygroscopic compound and has the chemical formula Na2HPO4.
- It is soluble in water and insoluble in ethanol, methanol, and n-octanol.
- It is non-flammable and appears as a white, odourless powder.
- It prevents the production of calcium scale in water treatment plants.
- It is used in detergents, cleaning agents, textiles, leather auxiliary materials, fertilizer, and galvanoplastic.
Previous Year Questions
- The element with the atomic number 118 is regarded as… [NEET 1996]
- What is the correct order of 1st ionisation potential (IP) among elements Be, B, C, N, O… [NEET 2001]
- The decreasing order of basic character of K2O, BaO, CaO, and MgO… [JIPMER 2015]
- What is the value of electron gain enthalpy of Na+ if IE1 of Na = 5.1 eV?.. [NEET 2011]
- The IUPAC symbol for the element with atomic number 119 would be… [JEE Main 2019]
- p-orbitals in a given shell can accommodate upto…
- The basic character of hydrides of the 15 group elements decreases in the order...[NEET 1996]
- The element with the highest first ionization potential is:
- The correct order of the oxidation states of nitrogen in NO,N2O,NO2NO,N2O,NO2 and N2O3N2O3 is :..[JEE Main 2019]
- An organic compound ′A′′A′ is oxidized with Na2O2Na2O2 followed by boiling with HNO3HNO3. The resultant solution is then treated with ammonium molybdate to yield a yellow precipitate. Based on above observation, the element present in the given compound is :...[JEE Main 2019]
- Yellow phosphorus is kept in:
- When lead nitrate is heated, it gives:…
- The catalyst used in Ostwalds method nitric acid preparation, is:…..
- Sulphur in + 3 oxidation state is present in
- Deep sea divers used to respirate a mixture of...[VITEEE 2019]
- N2N2 and O2O2 are converted into mono anions, N−2N2− and O−2O2− respectively. Which of the following statements is wrong ?..[BITSAT 2014]
- Mn2O7Mn2O7 dissolves in water to give an acid. The colour of the acid is….[VITEEE 2011]
- Lead pipes are not suitable for drinking water because:...[JIPMER 2000]
- PbO2PbO2 is:...[JIPMER 2000]
- Which of the following oxide is of acidic nature….[UPSEE 2018]
Sample Questions
Ques. How Sodium hydrogen phosphate is prepared? (3 Marks)
Ans. The following steps are included in the preparation method:
By gradually adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to phosphoric acid (H3PO4) solutions, neutralising the reaction, regulating the reaction temperature to 80-100 DEG C for 2 hours, maintaining the pH value to 8.7-9.2, and then naturally cooling it.
H3PO4 + 2NaOH → Na2HPO4 + 2H2O
Ques. What happens when Sodium hydrogen phosphate is heated? (3 Marks)
Ans. When sodium hydrogen phosphate is heated, it first generates sodium pyrophosphate, which is then heated further to form sodium metaphosphate. On heating, the Sodium hydrogen phosphate gives a useful inorganic compound called tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Na4P2O7)
2Na2HPO4 → Na4P2O7 + H2O
Ques. How is Sodium hydrogen phosphate health-hazardous? (3 Marks)
Ans. The health hazard related to sodium hydrogen phosphate are
- If inhaled, it may be hazardous. Irritation to the respiratory tract is possible.
- If absorbed through the skin, it may be harmful. Skin inflammation is possible.
- It causes irritation to the eyes.
- If consumed, it may be hazardous.
Ques. Which elements produce sodium hydrogen phosphate? (3 Marks)
Ans. Sodium hydrogen phosphate has the following elements.
- Sodium is a chemical substance with the atomic value11 and the symbol Na. It is a fragile, silvery metal with high reactivity. Sodium is an alkaline metal.
- Hydrogen is a chemical element with the abbreviation H and the atomic value 1. The lightest element is hydrogen.
- Phosphorus is a chemical element with the atomic number 15 and the symbol P. Although phosphorus occurs in two primary forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, it is never found as a free element on Earth due to its extreme reactivity.
- Oxygen is a chemical substance with the abbreviation O and the atomic value 8. It is a highly reactive metalloid that belongs to the periodic table's chalcogen group.
Ques. Does Sodium hydrogen phosphate an ionic or covalent compound? (3 Marks)
Ans. Ionic compounds include sodium hydrogen phosphate. In this case, sodium is a metal with a positive charge on each sodium atom, whereas hydrogen phosphate is a metalloid with a negative charge. We already know that an ionic compound is generated when two oppositely charged ions come together. As a result, it is an ionic compound.
Ques. What are some of the properties of sodium hydrogen phosphate? (3 Marks)
Ans. Some properties of sodium hydrogen phosphate are
- Sodium hydrogen phosphate has a molecular mass of 1496 g/mol.
- Sodium hydrogen phosphate has a melting temperature of 250°C.
- Sodium hydrogen phosphate has a density of 1.7 g/cm
- It is non-flammable.
- When sodium hydrogen phosphate is heated, it produces a valuable inorganic chemical known as tetrasodium pyrophosphate, a white, inorganic, water-soluble solid.
Ques. What are the various uses of sodium hydrogen phosphate? (3 Marks)
Ans. Various uses of sodium hydrogen phosphate are
- Its use avoids coagulation during the condensed milk manufacturing process.
- It is also utilised as an anti-caking agent in powdery goods.
- It prevents the production of calcium scale in water treatment plants.
- It is used in detergents, cleaning agents, textiles, leather auxiliary materials, fertilizer, and galvanoplastic.
- It is used as a saline laxative to treat diarrhoea (or) to clear the gut before a colonoscopy.
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