Ferricyanate

/ˌfɛrɪˈsaɪənət/ noun

Definition

A salt or compound containing the ferricyanide ion (Fe(CN)₆³⁻), often used in analytical chemistry and as a reagent.

Etymology

Formed from 'ferri-' (iron) plus 'cyan-' (from cyanide, meaning blue) plus the '-ate' suffix indicating a salt or ester of an acid, creating a technical term for a specific iron-cyanide compound.

Kelly Says

Ferricyanate is a molecular compound so common in chemistry labs that generations of students have used it without realizing its deep color comes from one of the most electronically interesting bonding situations in chemistry—the iron and cyanide together create something neither could alone.

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