Question

What is the chemical formula of borax?
A.\[N{{a}_{2}}{{B}_{4}}{{O}_{7}}.10{{H}_{2}}O\]
B.\[N{{a}_{2}}{{B}_{4}}{{O}_{7}}.11{{H}_{2}}O\]
C.\[N{{a}_{2}}{{B}_{4}}{{O}_{7}}.12{{H}_{2}}O\]
D.None of these

Answer 1

Hint: To give the correct chemical formula of borax, we should know that its other name is sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate. We should know that borax is composed of boron, sodium, and oxygen and water molecules.

Step by step answer:
We should know that borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate. We should know that borax is the main component of detergents, cosmetics, and enamel glazes. We also use it as a fire retardant and anti-fungal compound in the manufacture of fiberglass, as a flux in metallurgy. We should know that borax is composed of sodium, borax, oxygen and water.
We should know that borax can be found as anhydrous, pentahydrate or dehydrated salt. We should note that the anhydrous and decahydrate forms are the most common forms of borax. The borax decahydrate chemical formula is \[N{{a}_{2}}{{B}_{4}}{{O}_{7}}.10{{H}_{2}}O\]. So, from this we can say that option A is correct.

So, we should know that the above structure is of Borax.
Additional information:
We should know that borax is mostly extracted from natural sources. We should know that there are few industrial processes to prepare it by synthetic routes. Another important source of borax is the borate minerals found at the same lakes that borax. Borax and related borate minerals are purified by recrystallization. We should know that borax can also be synthesized from boron compounds.

Note:
We should note that borax is not toxic by ingestion and it is not irritating. However, some studies are being done to show its possible carcinogenic effects. It is not flammable and it does not react with other chemical compounds. We should know that they are extensively used as ingredients of many detergents, laundry and cleaning products. Borax is an alternative to mercury use in gold mining and it is also used as a neutron-capture in nuclear reactors.