decahidrato

Decahidrato is a term used in chemistry to describe a hydrate that contains ten molecules of water of crystallization per molecule of the anhydrous compound. This means that for every molecule of the specific salt or compound, there are ten water molecules bound within its crystal structure. These water molecules are not simply absorbed water but are incorporated into the crystal lattice in a fixed stoichiometric ratio. When a decahydrate is heated, it can lose its water molecules, becoming an anhydrous salt. The presence of water of crystallization can significantly affect the physical properties of a compound, such as its solubility, melting point, and crystal form. A common example of a decahydrate is sodium carbonate decahydrate, also known as washing soda, which has the chemical formula Na2CO3·10H2O. Other examples include calcium sulfate decahydrate (gypsum), although gypsum is more commonly known by its dihydrate form (CaSO4·2H2O), and magnesium sulfate decahydrate (Epsom salt), which is MgSO4·10H2O. The prefix "deca-" signifies the number ten, and "hydrate" refers to water.