Cadmium Sulfide Precipitation (Yellow)

CdCl₂ + Na₂S → CdS↓ + 2NaCl

Overview

Cadmium chloride reacts with sodium sulfide to form a bright yellow precipitate of cadmium sulfide (Ksp = 8 × 10⁻²⁷). CdS is known as cadmium yellow and was historically an important artist's pigment. The brilliant yellow color is due to its 2.4 eV bandgap.

Participants

Role	Substance	Coefficient	State
Product	Sodium Chloride NaCl	2	(aq)

Everyday Example

Many of Claude Monet's and Vincent van Gogh's paintings feature cadmium yellow pigment, prized for its brilliance and light-fastness.

Industrial Importance

CdS is used as a pigment, in photocells and light meters, in thin-film solar cells (CdTe/CdS), and as a quantum dot material.

Properties

Type: Precipitation
Reversible: No
Energy: Exothermic
ΔH: -78.0 kJ/mol

Related Reactions

Aluminum Hydroxide Precipitation Barium Carbonate Precipitation Barium Sulfate Precipitation Calcium Carbonate Precipitation Calcium Fluoride Precipitation (Fluorite) Calcium Oxalate Precipitation (Kidney Stones) Calcium Phosphate Precipitation (Bone Mineral) Calcium Sulfate Precipitation (Gypsum) Chromium(III) Hydroxide Precipitation Cobalt(II) Hydroxide Precipitation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the equation for Cadmium Sulfide Precipitation (Yellow)?

The balanced equation is: CdCl₂ + Na₂S → CdS↓ + 2NaCl.

What type of reaction is Cadmium Sulfide Precipitation (Yellow)?

Cadmium Sulfide Precipitation (Yellow) is a precipitation reaction.

Is Cadmium Sulfide Precipitation (Yellow) exothermic or endothermic?

Cadmium Sulfide Precipitation (Yellow) is exothermic (releases energy). The enthalpy change (ΔH) is -78.0 kJ/mol.