Electrolysis of brine (the chlor-alkali process) gives NaOH, Cl₂ and H₂.
How it is made
From sea water by evaporation, or mined as rock salt
Uses
Food, the raw material for NaOH, Cl₂, baking soda and washing soda.
What it is made of
| Element | Atoms | % by mass |
|---|---|---|
| Na | 1 | 39.3% |
| Cl | 1 | 60.7% |
Molar mass = 58.44 g/mol (full working).
Common names and formulas
| Common name | Formula |
|---|---|
| Baking sodasodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate) | NaHCO3 |
| Washing sodasodium carbonate decahydrate | Na2CO3·10H2O |
| Soda ashanhydrous sodium carbonate | Na2CO3 |
| Bleaching powdercalcium oxychloride (calcium hypochlorite chloride) | CaOCl2 |
| Plaster of Pariscalcium sulphate hemihydrate | CaSO4·½H2O |
| Gypsumcalcium sulphate dihydrate | CaSO4·2H2O |
| Quicklimecalcium oxide | CaO |
| Slaked limecalcium hydroxide | Ca(OH)2 |
| Limestone (chalk, marble)calcium carbonate | CaCO3 |
| Common saltsodium chloride | NaCl |
| Caustic sodasodium hydroxide | NaOH |
| Caustic potashpotassium hydroxide | KOH |
| Blue vitriolcopper(II) sulphate pentahydrate | CuSO4·5H2O |
| Green vitrioliron(II) sulphate heptahydrate | FeSO4·7H2O |
| White vitriolzinc sulphate heptahydrate | ZnSO4·7H2O |
| Epsom saltmagnesium sulphate heptahydrate | MgSO4·7H2O |
| Glauber's saltsodium sulphate decahydrate | Na2SO4·10H2O |
| Potash alumpotassium aluminium sulphate dodecahydrate | K2SO4·Al2(SO4)3·24H2O |
| Boraxsodium tetraborate decahydrate | Na2B4O7·10H2O |
| Mohr's saltferrous ammonium sulphate hexahydrate | FeSO4·(NH4)2SO4·6H2O |
| Hyposodium thiosulphate pentahydrate | Na2S2O3·5H2O |
| Laughing gasnitrous oxide (dinitrogen monoxide) | N2O |
| Dry icesolid carbon dioxide | CO2 |
| Marsh gasmethane | CH4 |
| Muriatic acidhydrochloric acid | HCl |
| Oil of vitriolsulphuric acid | H2SO4 |
| Sal ammoniacammonium chloride | NH4Cl |
| Lunar causticsilver nitrate | AgNO3 |
| Chile saltpetresodium nitrate | NaNO3 |
| Saltpetre (Indian saltpetre)potassium nitrate | KNO3 |
| Calomelmercury(I) chloride | Hg2Cl2 |
| Corrosive sublimatemercury(II) chloride | HgCl2 |
| Philosopher's woolzinc oxide | ZnO |
| Red lead (sindhur)triplumbic tetroxide (lead(II,IV) oxide) | Pb3O4 |
| Liquid bleachsodium hypochlorite | NaOCl |
| Vinegarethanoic acid (acetic acid), 5–8% in water | CH3COOH |
| Table sugarsucrose | C12H22O11 |
| Spirit (grain alcohol)ethanol | C2H5OH |
| Wood spiritmethanol (methyl alcohol) | CH3OH |
| Chloroformtrichloromethane | CHCl3 |
| Carbamideurea | CO(NH2)2 |
Questions students ask
What is the chemical formula of common salt?
NaCl. Its chemical name is sodium chloride.
What is the chemical name of common salt?
Sodium chloride, NaCl.
What is the molar mass of common salt?
58.44 g/mol (about 58.5 g/mol with exam atomic masses).
How is common salt made?
From sea water by evaporation, or mined as rock salt.
What are the uses of common salt?
Food, the raw material for NaOH, Cl₂, baking soda and washing soda.