calcium nitrate
Quick Summary
Calcium nitrate is a colorless, crystalline salt with the chemical formula Ca(NO3)2. It is also known as nitrate of lime, especially when used as a fertilizer. This compound occurs naturally in soil and water, and as the mineral nitrocalcite.123
Calcium nitrate is produced by reacting nitric acid or nitrogen oxides with lime or calcium carbonate. Its primary use is as a fertilizer due to its nitrogen content. While ammonium nitrate is also a widely used fertilizer, it has different properties and applications, including use in explosives.124
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
- saltpetre
…lime saltpetre, wall saltpetre, or calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2. These three nitrates generally occur as efflorescences caused by the oxidation of nitrogenous matter in the presence of the alkalis and alkaline earths.
Read More…lime saltpetre, wall saltpetre, or calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2. These three nitrates generally occur as efflorescences caused by the oxidation of nitrogenous matter in the presence of the alkalis and alkaline earths.
Read More
chemical industryPhosphorusOne of the resulting products, calcium nitrate, is itself a fertilizer, so what is obtained is one of the many varieties of mixed fertilizers. Instead of neutralizing phosphoric acid with calcium, which contributes nothing but dead weight, ammonia can be used, giving ammonium phosphate, in which both constituents contribute fertilizer…
Read MoreOne of the resulting products, calcium nitrate, is itself a fertilizer, so what is obtained is one of the many varieties of mixed fertilizers. Instead of neutralizing phosphoric acid with calcium, which contributes nothing but dead weight, ammonia can be used, giving ammonium phosphate, in which both constituents contribute fertilizer…
Read More