Silicic Acid

Definition

The dissolved form of silica produced when water reacts slowly with silica, written as H4SiO4, Si(OH)4, or SiO2 with bound water.

Silica that enters solution does so by reacting with water to form silicic acid rather than dissociating into ions. Reactive silica can polymerize into larger chains, becoming colloidal and eventually particulate. Its solubility is typically estimated near 150 mg/L but is heavily influenced by temperature, pH, total dissolved solids, and divalent and trivalent cation concentration.

Related concepts

Silica Dissolution · Covalent Network Solid · Silica Polymerization

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Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🧪 chemistry