Niter

Niter
Niter
General
Category Nitrates
Chemical formula KNO3
Strunz classification 05.NA.10
Dana classification 18.1.2.1
Crystal symmetry 2/m 2/m 2/m
Identification
Color white
Crystal habit druse or acicular
Crystal system orthorhombic
Cleavage very good on {001}; good on {010}
Fracture brittle
Mohs scale hardness 2
Luster vitreous
Streak white
Diaphaneity transparent
Specific gravity 2.10 (calc.)
Refractive index nα = 1.332
nβ = 1.504
nγ = 1.504
Solubility soluble
References [1][2][3]

Niter (AmE) or nitre (BrE) is the mineral form of potassium nitrate, KNO3, also known as saltpeter (AmE) or saltpetre (BrE). Historically, the term "niter" – cognate with "natrium", a Latin word for sodium – has been very vaguely defined, and it has been applied to a variety of other minerals and chemical compounds, including sodium nitrate (also "soda niter", "cubic niter", or nitratite), sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate.

Because of its ready solubility in water, niter is most often found in arid environments. A major source of sodium (not potassium) nitrate mineral is the Atacama desert in Chile. Potassium and other nitrates are of great importance for use in fertilizers, and, historically, gunpowder. Much of the world's demand is now met by synthetically produced nitrates, though the natural mineral is still mined and is still of significant commercial value.

Contents

Description

Niter is a colorless to white mineral crystallizing in the orthorhombic crystal system. It usually is found as massive encrustations and effervescent growths on cavern walls and ceilings where solutions containing alkali potassium and nitrate seep into the openings. It occasionally occurs as prismatic acicular crystal groups, and individual crystals commonly show twinning.

History

Niter as a term has been known since ancient times, although there is much historical confusion with natron (an impure sodium carbonate/bicarbonate) and not all of the ancient salts known by this name or similar names in the ancient world, contained nitrate. The name is from the Greek νιτρων nitron from Ancient Egyptian netjeri, related to the Hebrew néter, for salt-derived ashes (their interrelationship is not clear).

The Hebrew néter may have been used as, or in conjunction with soap, as implied by Jeremiah 2:22, "For though thou wash me with nitre, and take thee much sope…" However, it is not certain which substance (or substances) the Biblical "neter" refers to, with some suggesting sodium carbonate. Indeed, the Neo Latin word for sodium natrium is derived from this same class of desert minerals called natron (French) from Spanish natrón through Greek νιτρων (nitron), derived from Ancient Egyptian netjeri, referring to the carbonate sodium salts occurring in the deserts of Egypt, not the nitrated sodium salts typically occurring in the deserts of Chile (classically known as "Chilean saltpeter" and variants of this term).

A term (ἀφρόνιτρον) which translates as "foam of niter" was a regular purchase in a fourth-century AD series of financial accounts, and since it was expressed as being "for the baths" was probably used as soap.[4]

Niter was used to refer specifically to nitrated salts known as various types of saltpeter (only nitrated salts were good for making gunpowder) by the time niter and its derivative nitric acid were first used to name the element nitrogen, in 1790.

See also

References

  1. ^ Niter, WebMineral.com, http://webmineral.com/data/Niter.shtml, retrieved 2009-12-04 .
  2. ^ Niter, MinDat.org, http://www.mindat.org/show.php?id=2917, retrieved 2009-12-04 .
  3. ^ Adiwidjaja, G.; Pohl, D. (2003), "Superstructure of α-phase potassium nitrate", Acta Crystallogr. C 59: 1139–40 .
  4. ^ More conventional soap also appears in the accounts but was more expensive: John Matthews, The Journey of Theophanes, Yale UP 2006

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Niter — Ni ter, Nitre Ni tre, n. [F. nitre, L. nitrum native soda, natron, Gr. ?; cf. Ar. nit[=u]n, natr[=u]n natron. Cf. {Natron}.] 1. (Chem.) A white crystalline semitransparent salt; potassium nitrate; saltpeter. See {Saltpeter}. [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • niter — see NITRE (Cf. nitre) …   Etymology dictionary

  • niter — [nīt′ər] n. [ME nitre < MFr < L nitrum < Gr nitron, native soda, natron < Heb or Egypt: Heb netr < Egypt nṯr] 1. POTASSIUM NITRATE 2. SODIUM NITRATE: Also Chiefly Brit. nitre …   English World dictionary

  • Niter kibbeh — Niter kibbeh, or niter qibe (Ge ez ንጥር ቅቤ niṭer ḳibē), also called tesmi (in Tigrinya), is a seasoned clarified butter used in Ethiopian cooking. Its preparation is similar to that of ghee, but niter kebbeh is simmered with spices such as cumin,… …   Wikipedia

  • Niter bush — Niter Ni ter, Nitre Ni tre, n. [F. nitre, L. nitrum native soda, natron, Gr. ?; cf. Ar. nit[=u]n, natr[=u]n natron. Cf. {Natron}.] 1. (Chem.) A white crystalline semitransparent salt; potassium nitrate; saltpeter. See {Saltpeter}. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Niter Kibbeh — Le Niter kibbeh est un beurre clarifié assaisonné de diverses épices telles que le cumin, la coriandre, le curcuma, la cardamome, la cannelle et le gingembre avant d être filtré. Il est omniprésent dans la cuisine d Éthiopie et d Érythrée. Voir… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Niter kibbeh — o niter qibe (Ge ez ንጥር ቅቤ niṭer ḳibē), denominado también como tesmi (en tigriña), es una mantequilla clarificada muy típica de la cocina etiope. Es una preparación muy similar al ghee indio, pero a diferencia de este último el niter kibbeh… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Niter and Mining Corps — The Niter and Mining Corps was a military unit within the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Their original task was to keep the Confederacy supplied with minerals and metals needed for the war effort, but as the conflict… …   Wikipedia

  • Niter Ice Cave — The Niter Ice Cave is a geological feature approximately 3 miles south of the small southeastern town of Grace, Idaho. History The most probable explanation for the Niter Ice Cave is that thousands of years ago, a volcanic eruption formed a huge… …   Wikipedia

  • Niter kibbeh — Le Niter kibbeh est un beurre clarifié assaisonné de diverses épices telles que le cumin, la coriandre, le curcuma, la cardamome, la cannelle et le gingembre avant d être filtré. Il est omniprésent dans la cuisine d Éthiopie et d Érythrée. Voir… …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”