Water molecules can associate within crystalline inorganic salts in various structural forms. Which — Hydrogen Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Hydrates form via coordinated water (e.g., $[Cr(H_2O)_6]^{3+}$), interstitial water (e.g., $BaCl_2 \cdot 2H_2O$), or hydrogen-bonded water. In Blue Vitriol ($CuSO_4 \cdot 5H_2O$), four water molecules coordinate the $Cu^{2+}$ ion, and the fifth molecule sits outside, hydrogen-bonded to the sulfate anion and coordinated waters.