Solid phase
Official name
Magnesium(II) sulfate heptahydrate
Secondary names
Magnesium sulphate heptahydrate
CAS number
10034-99-8
Family
ionic solid
Class
normal salt
Compound type
sulfate
Comments
Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate occurs as a mineral: Epsomite
Formula
Mg2+SO247H2O
Chemical formula
MgSO4•7H2O
Elemental formula
(Mg2+) S O9 (O-)2 H14
Isotope mixture type
terrestrial abundance
18.0
  Formula Name Family Number min-max Mole fraction Isotope mole fraction State Relevance
Mg2+ Magnesium(II) cation element 1 0.1111111111111111 1 constituent cation main
(SO4)2 Sulfate anion chemical function 1 0.1111111111111111 1 anionic radical main
H2O Water molecule 7 0.7777777777777778 1 hydration main
Chemical functions
  Function Number
(SO4)2 1
ROH 2
Chemical bonds
  Bond Number
Mg2+O 2
OH 14
OH 2
4
Class
normal salts (07)
Type
hydrated simple normal salts (07.04)
Equivalent mineral
Epsomite
Phase type
crystalline
Crystal system
orthorhombic
Crystal class
disphenoidal
Crystal class symbol
222 (D2)
Crystal spacegroup
P2(1)2(1)2(1)
Molar mass
246.48 g/mol
Density
1.68 g/cm^3
State NTP
solid
Phase transitions
Phase transition type Other phases Temperature - Pressure
solid-solid MgSO4.6H2O + H2O above 48°C (321 K)
solid-solid MgSO4.6H2O + H2O below 51% RH
solid-solid MgSO4.11H2O below 2°C (275 K)
solid-solid MgSO4.11H2O above ? % RH
Refringence type
biaxial
Refringence sign
negative
Birefringence
0.028
Refraction index n_{\alpha}
1.433
Refraction index n_{\beta}
1.455
Refraction index n_{\gamma}
1.461
Dispersion V
none to weak
Pure color
colorless
Color
colorless, white
Diaphaneity
transparent to translucent
Luster
vitreous