Arsenic trioxide facts for kids
Arsenic trioxide is a special kind of chemical compound. You might also hear it called white arsenic. Its chemical formula is As2O3. This means it's made up of arsenic and oxygen atoms joined together.
Contents
What is Arsenic Trioxide?
How it Looks and Behaves
Arsenic trioxide is a white, solid substance. It can dissolve in water, creating a slightly acidic liquid. It also dissolves easily in bases, which are the opposite of acids. When it mixes with strong hydrochloric acid, it forms another chemical called arsenic trichloride.
How it Reacts with Other Chemicals
This compound can react with very strong oxidizing agents. These are chemicals that cause other substances to lose electrons. When this happens, arsenic trioxide turns into arsenic pentoxide. It can also react with reducing agents, which cause other substances to gain electrons. This reaction can create pure arsenic or a gas called arsine.
Easy to Separate
Arsenic trioxide can turn directly into a gas from a solid without becoming a liquid first. This process is called sublimation. It sublimes much more easily than many other metal oxides. This makes it simple to separate arsenic trioxide from other mixtures just by heating them up.
Where is Arsenic Trioxide Found and Made?
Natural Occurrence
You won't often find arsenic trioxide as a natural mineral in the Earth. It's quite rare to stumble upon it in its pure form.
How We Make It
Most of the arsenic trioxide we use is made by people. It's usually produced from minerals that contain arsenic sulfide, like orpiment or realgar. Around 50,000 tons of arsenic trioxide are created every year.
There are a few ways to make it:
- Burning arsenic in the air.
- Reacting arsenic with strong sulfuric acid.
- Heating up arsenic sulfide ores in a process called roasting.
What is Arsenic Trioxide Used For?
Making Pure Arsenic
One of its main uses is to create pure, elemental arsenic. This is important for other industrial processes.
Past Uses and Bans
In the past, arsenic trioxide was used as a pigment to give color to things, like in a green paint called Paris green. It was also used to help preserve wood, protecting it from decay. However, because it is very toxic, many countries have now banned these uses.
Fighting Cancer
Today, one of its most important uses is in medicine. Arsenic trioxide is used as a treatment to help fight certain types of cancer. Doctors use it carefully to target and destroy cancer cells.
Is Arsenic Trioxide Safe?
High Toxicity
Arsenic trioxide is very dangerous if it is eaten. It can also be harmful if it stays on the skin for a long time. When swallowed, it affects the digestive system, causing serious health problems.
Workplace Safety
People who work in jobs where they might breathe in fumes of arsenic trioxide can also get sick. It's very important for workers to be protected from these fumes to prevent poisoning.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Historic arsenic mine Sankt Blasen, Austria
See also
In Spanish: Óxido de arsénico (III) para niños
