Rochelle salt
Potassium sodium tartrate
Rochelle salt is a crystalline compound of potassium sodium tartrate, historically important in early electronics for its piezoelectric properties—it generates electricity when squeezed.
Named after La Rochelle, France, where it was first prepared.
It also serves as a mild laxative and appears in silver mirror production.
The compound forms large, easily grown crystals popular in chemistry demonstrations.
Charge from deformation
- anisotropicVarying with orientation
- latticeOpenwork of crossed strips
- symmetryInvariance under transformation
- cleavageTendency to split cleanly
efflorescent · twinning · prismatic · crystal growth · polarization · dielectric · crystal structure · hydrated
Salt from grape acid
- carboxylateAcid's anionic form
- alkaline solutionBasic aqueous mixture
- solubleAble to dissolve
- aqueousPertaining to liquid solutions
Energy form converter
- phonographGrooved disc audio player
- microphoneAudio input device
- loudspeakerSound amplification device
- sonarUnderwater detection by echoes
ultrasound · sensor · actuator · oscillator · pressure sensor · vibration · electroacoustic · World War II
Study of molecular shape
- enantiomersMirror-image molecular pairs
- chiral resolutionSeparating mirror-image isomers
- stereoisomerMolecule differing only spatially
- racemic mixtureEqual parts both enantiomers
piezoelectric
Charge from deformation
- anisotropicVarying with orientation
- latticeOpenwork of crossed strips
- symmetryInvariance under transformation
cleavage · efflorescent · twinning · prismatic · crystal growth · polarization · dielectric · crystal structure · hydrated · transparent
tartrate
Salt from grape acid
- carboxylateAcid's anionic form
- alkaline solutionBasic aqueous mixture
- solubleAble to dissolve
transducer
Energy form converter
- phonographGrooved disc audio player
- microphoneAudio input device
- loudspeakerSound amplification device
sonar · ultrasound · sensor · actuator · oscillator · pressure sensor · vibration · electroacoustic · World War II
stereochemistry
Study of molecular shape
- enantiomersMirror-image molecular pairs
- chiral resolutionSeparating mirror-image isomers
- stereoisomerMolecule differing only spatially
- Saltssodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium carbonate
- old chemistryphlogiston, alchemy, caloric, aqua regia, muriatic acid
- Tartratespotassium bitartrate, tartar emetic
Rochelle salttable salt
Common food seasoning
common salt · sea salt · kosher salt · sodium chloride · rock salt