Potassium bitartrate
Encyclopedia : P : PO : POT : Potassium bitartrate
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| Molar mass
| 188.177 g/mol
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| Appearance
| white crystalline powder
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| CAS number
| [868-14-4]
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! align="center" cellspacing="3" style="border: 1px solid #C0C090; background-color: #F8EABA; margin-bottom: 3px;" colspan="2" | Properties
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| Density and phase
| 1.05 g/cm3, solid
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| Solubility in water
| 0.6 g/100 ml (20 °C)
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| align="center" cellspacing="3" style="border: 1px solid #C0C090; background-color: #F8EABA; margin-bottom: 3px;" colspan="2" | Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
[Chemical infoboxInfobox disclaimer and references]
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Potassium bitartrate also potassium hydrogen tartrate has formula KC4H5O6. It is a byproduct of wine making. It is also known as cream of tartar. It is a potassium acid salt of tartaric acid.
Tartar crystallises in wine casks during the fermentation of grape juice. This crude form (known as beeswing) is collected and purified to produce the white, odourless, acidic powder used for many culinary and other household purposes, such as:
- Stabilising egg whites, increasing their heat tolerance and volume;
- Preventing sugar syrups from crystallising;
- Reducing discolouration of boiled vegetables;
- Frequent combination with baking soda (which needs an acid ingredient to activate it) in formulations of baking powder.
When placed in a Bunsen burner's flame, it turns purple, indicating the presence of potassium.
When cream of tartar is added to water, a suspension results which serves to clean coins very well. The solution loosens surface dirt and grime on the coins. Then, the dirt can be wiped off quite easily.
Cream of tartar and vinegar combine to make a powerful cleaning agent used to clean encrusted pots, pans and stove tops.
See also
External links
- For a full list of external links to MSDSs, spectroscopic data, commercial chemicals suppliers etc. for this compound, see [Chemical sources].
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 edition of The Grocer's Encyclopedia.
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