Gypsum

Gypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O.

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Heating gypsum above approximately 150?C (302?F) partially dehydrates the mineral by driving off exactly 75% of the water contained in its chemical structure.

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CaSO4?2H2O + heat → CaSO4?½H2O + 1½H2O (steam)

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The partially dehydrated mineral is called calcium sulfate hemihydrate or calcined gypsum (commonly known as plaster of Paris) (CaSO4?½H2O).

Mineral: This article is about minerals in the geologic sense; for nutrient minerals see dietary mineral; for the band see Mineral (band)....

Calcium: :See also Calcium, New York, United States....

Sulfate: Sulfate is the IUPAC name for the SO42- ion, consisting of a central sulfur atom single bonded to four tetrahedrally oriented oxygen atoms. This anion has a net negative two electric charge....

Gypsum related Images and Photos (experimental)

Shifting Dunes of Gypsum Cover White Sands National Monument