Copper(II) sulfate

Copper(II) sulfate is an inorganic salt with formula CuSO₄. It occurs in anhydrous and hydrated forms, most familiarly as blue copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate.

Copper(II) ion: The Cu²⁺ cation is copper in the +2 oxidation state. Cu²⁺ pairs with sulfate to form the salt and gives its solutions characteristic chemistry.
Dehydration: Dehydration is the removal of water molecules from a substance or chemical structure. Heating the pentahydrate removes its water of crystallization and yields anhydrous copper(II) sulfate.
Electroplating: Electroplating deposits a thin metal coating on an object using electrical current. Copper(II) sulfate solutions provide copper ions for depositing copper onto cathodes.
Anhydrous copper(II) sulfate: Anhydrous copper(II) sulfate is CuSO₄ without water of crystallization and is typically white or gray-white. It is the water-free counterpart to the familiar blue pentahydrate.
Copper toxicity: Copper toxicity is harm caused by excessive exposure to or accumulation of copper in organisms. Dissolved copper from the salt can damage aquatic life and harm people at sufficient exposure.
Sulfate: Sulfate is the polyatomic anion SO₄²⁻, with sulfur in oxidation state +6. This anion balances the charge of copper(II) in CuSO₄.
Crystallization: Crystallization is the formation of an ordered solid from a solution, melt, or vapor. Cooling concentrated aqueous solutions can produce blue copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate crystals.
Electrorefining of copper: Electrorefining purifies a metal by dissolving it at an anode and depositing it at a cathode. Copper(II) sulfate electrolyte carries copper ions between impure and purified copper electrodes.
Copper(II) chloride: Copper(II) chloride is a copper salt with formula CuCl₂, distinct from copper(II) sulfate by its anion. Comparing the chloride and sulfate separates copper-ion behavior from anion-specific chemistry.
Aquatic toxicity: Aquatic toxicity is the harmful effect of a substance on organisms living in water. Copper(II) sulfate can be toxic to fish and invertebrates, especially at elevated concentrations.

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Salt (chemistry)Broader topic: Its hydrated crystals show that salts can incorporate water into their solid structures.