The Hydrate reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Hydrate

Hydrates are compounds formed by the union of water with some other substance, generally forming a neutral body, as certain crystallized salts.

These substances do not contain water as such, but have their constituents (hydrogen, oxygen, hydroxyl) so arranged that water may be eliminated. Hence, hydrates are derivatives of, or compounds with, hydroxyl.

Such a substance is considered to be anhydrous when it is not in such a union with water.

The notation of anhyrdous compound·nH₂O, where n is the number of water molecules per molecule of anhydrous salt, is commonly used to show that a salt is hydrated. The n is usually an low interger, though it is possible for fractional values to exist.

Examples include: hydroxide, ethyl hydrate (ethanol), clathrate hydrate, calcium hydroxide, and copper (II) sulfate.

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