17.1: Solubility Product Constant, Ksp (2023)

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Learning Objectives
• To calculate the solubility of an ionic compound from its Ksp

We begin our discussion of solubility and complexation equilibria—those associated with the formation of complex ions—by developing quantitative methods for describing dissolution and precipitation reactions of ionic compounds in aqueous solution. Just as with acid–base equilibria, we can describe the concentrations of ions in equilibrium with an ionic solid using an equilibrium constant expression.

The Solubility Product

When a slightly soluble ionic compound is added to water, some of it dissolves to form a solution, establishing an equilibrium between the pure solid and a solution of its ions. For the dissolution of calcium phosphate, one of the two main components of kidney stones, the equilibrium can be written as follows, with the solid salt on the left:

$Ca_3(PO_4)_{2(s)} \rightleftharpoons 3Ca^{2+}_{(aq)} + 2PO^{3−}_{4(aq)} \label{Eq1}$

As you will discover in Section 17.4 and in more advanced chemistry courses, basic anions, such as S2−, PO43, and CO32, react with water to produce OH and the corresponding protonated anion. Consequently, their calculated molarities, assuming no protonation in aqueous solution, are only approximate.

The equilibrium constant for the dissolution of a sparingly soluble salt is the solubility product (Ksp) of the salt. Because the concentration of a pure solid such as Ca3(PO4)2 is a constant, it does not appear explicitly in the equilibrium constant expression. The equilibrium constant expression for the dissolution of calcium phosphate is therefore

$K=\dfrac{[\mathrm{Ca^{2+}}]^3[\mathrm{PO_4^{3-}}]^2}{[\mathrm{Ca_3(PO_4)_2}]} \label{Eq2a}$

$[\mathrm{Ca_3(PO_4)_2}]K=K_{\textrm{sp}}=[\mathrm{Ca^{2+}}]^3[\mathrm{PO_4^{3-}}]^2 \label{Eq2b}$

At 25°C and pH 7.00, Ksp for calcium phosphate is 2.07 × 10−33, indicating that the concentrations of Ca2+ and PO43 ions in solution that are in equilibrium with solid calcium phosphate are very low. The values of Ksp for some common salts are listed in Table $$\PageIndex{1}$$, which shows that the magnitude of Ksp varies dramatically for different compounds. Although Ksp is not a function of pH in Equations $$\ref{Eq2a}$$ and $$\ref{Eq2b}$$, changes in pH can affect the solubility of a compound as discussed later.

As with any K, the concentration of a pure solid does not appear explicitly in Ksp.

Solid Color $$K_{sp}$$ Solid Color $$K_{sp}$$ Acetates Iodides Ca(O2CCH3)2·3H2O white 4 × 10−3 Hg2I2* yellow 5.2 × 10−29 Bromides PbI2 yellow 9.8 × 10−9 AgBr off-white 5.35 × 10−13 Oxalates Hg2Br2* yellow 6.40 × 10−23 Ag2C2O4 white 5.40 × 10−12 Carbonates MgC2O4·2H2O white 4.83 × 10−6 CaCO3 white 3.36 × 10−9 PbC2O4 white 4.8 × 10−10 PbCO3 white 7.40 × 10−14 Phosphates Chlorides Ag3PO4 white 8.89 × 10−17 AgCl white 1.77 × 10−10 Sr3(PO4)2 white 4.0 × 10−28 Hg2Cl2* white 1.43 × 10−18 FePO4·2H2O pink 9.91 × 10−16 PbCl2 white 1.70 × 10−5 Sulfates Chromates Ag2SO4 white 1.20 × 10−5 CaCrO4 yellow 7.1 × 10−4 BaSO4 white 1.08 × 10−10 PbCrO4 yellow 2.8 × 10−13 PbSO4 white 2.53 × 10−8 Fluorides Sulfides BaF2 white 1.84 × 10−7 Ag2S black 6.3 × 10−50 PbF2 white 3.3 × 10−8 CdS yellow 8.0 × 10−27 Hydroxides PbS black 8.0 × 10−28 Ca(OH)2 white 5.02 × 10−6 ZnS white 1.6 × 10−24 Cu(OH)2 pale blue 1 × 10−14 Mn(OH)2 light pink 1.9 × 10−13 Cr(OH)3 gray-green 6.3 × 10−31 Fe(OH)3 rust red 2.79 × 10−39

Definition of a Solubility Product: Definition of a Solubility Product(opens in new window) [youtu.be]

Solubility products are determined experimentally by directly measuring either the concentration of one of the component ions or the solubility of the compound in a given amount of water. However, whereas solubility is usually expressed in terms of mass of solute per 100 mL of solvent, $$K_{sp}$$, like $$K$$, is defined in terms of the molar concentrations of the component ions.

Example $$\PageIndex{1}$$

Calcium oxalate monohydrate [Ca(O2CCO2)·H2O, also written as CaC2O4·H2O] is a sparingly soluble salt that is the other major component of kidney stones [along with Ca3(PO4)2]. Its solubility in water at 25°C is 7.36 × 10−4 g/100 mL. Calculate its Ksp.

Given: solubility in g/100 mL

Strategy:
1. Write the balanced dissolution equilibrium and the corresponding solubility product expression.
2. Convert the solubility of the salt to moles per liter. From the balanced dissolution equilibrium, determine the equilibrium concentrations of the dissolved solute ions. Substitute these values into the solubility product expression to calculate Ksp.
Solution

A We need to write the solubility product expression in terms of the concentrations of the component ions. For calcium oxalate monohydrate, the balanced dissolution equilibrium and the solubility product expression (abbreviating oxalate as ox2) are as follows:

$$\mathrm{Ca(O_2CCO_2)}\cdot\mathrm{H_2O(s)}\rightleftharpoons \mathrm{Ca^{2+}(aq)}+\mathrm{^-O_2CCO_2^-(aq)}+\mathrm{H_2O(l)}\hspace{5mm}K_{\textrm{sp}}=[\mathrm{Ca^{2+}}][\mathrm{ox^{2-}}]$$

Neither solid calcium oxalate monohydrate nor water appears in the solubility product expression because their concentrations are essentially constant.

B Next we need to determine [Ca2+] and [ox2] at equilibrium. We can use the mass of calcium oxalate monohydrate that dissolves in 100 mL of water to calculate the number of moles that dissolve in 100 mL of water. From this we can determine the number of moles that dissolve in 1.00 L of water. For dilute solutions, the density of the solution is nearly the same as that of water, so dissolving the salt in 1.00 L of water gives essentially 1.00 L of solution. Because each 1 mol of dissolved calcium oxalate monohydrate dissociates to produce 1 mol of calcium ions and 1 mol of oxalate ions, we can obtain the equilibrium concentrations that must be inserted into the solubility product expression. The number of moles of calcium oxalate monohydrate that dissolve in 100 mL of water is as follows:

$$\dfrac{7.36\times10^{-4}\textrm{ g}}{146.1\textrm{ g/mol}}=5.04\times10^{-6}\textrm{ mol }\mathrm{Ca(O_2CCO_2)\cdot H_2O}$$

The number of moles of calcium oxalate monohydrate that dissolve in 1.00 L of the saturated solution is as follows:

$$\left(\dfrac{5.04\times10^{-6}\textrm{ mol }\mathrm{Ca(O_2CCO_2\cdot)H_2O}}{\textrm{100 mL}}\right)\left(\dfrac{\textrm{1000 mL}}{\textrm{1.00 L}}\right)=5.04\times10^{-5}\textrm{ mol/L}=5.04\times10^{-5}\textrm{ M}$$

Because of the stoichiometry of the reaction, the concentration of Ca2+ and ox2 ions are both 5.04 × 10−5 M. Inserting these values into the solubility product expression,

$K_{sp} = [Ca^{2+}][ox^{2−}] = (5.04 \times 10^{−5})(5.04 \times10^{−5}) = 2.54 \times 10^{−9} \nonumber$

In our calculation, we have ignored the reaction of the weakly basic anion with water, which tends to make the actual solubility of many salts greater than the calculated value.

(Video) 17.4 Solubility and Ksp | General Chemistry
Exercise $$\PageIndex{1}$$: Calcite

One crystalline form of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is "calcite", found as both a mineral and a structural material in many organisms. Calcite is found in the teeth of sea urchins. The urchins create depressions in limestone that they can settle in by grinding the rock with their teeth. Limestone, however, also consists of calcite, so how can the urchins grind the rock without also grinding their teeth? Researchers have discovered that the teeth are shaped like needles and plates and contain magnesium. The concentration of magnesium increases toward the tip, which contributes to the hardness. Moreover, each tooth is composed of two blocks of the polycrystalline calcite matrix that are interleaved near the tip. This creates a corrugated surface that presumably increases grinding efficiency. Toolmakers are particularly interested in this approach to grinding.

The solubility of calcite in water is 0.67 mg/100 mL. Calculate its Ksp.

4.5 × 10−9

The reaction of weakly basic anions with H2O tends to make the actual solubility of many salts higher than predicted.

Finding Ksp from Ion Concentrations: Finding Ksp from Ion Concentrations(opens in new window) [youtu.be]

Tabulated values of Ksp can also be used to estimate the solubility of a salt with a procedure that is essentially the reverse of the one used in Example $$\PageIndex{1}$$. In this case, we treat the problem as a typical equilibrium problem and set up a table of initial concentrations, changes in concentration, and final concentrations (ICE Tables), remembering that the concentration of the pure solid is essentially constant.

Example $$\PageIndex{2}$$

We saw that the Ksp for Ca3(PO4)2 is 2.07 × 10−33 at 25°C. Calculate the aqueous solubility of Ca3(PO4)2 in terms of the following:

(Video) ALEKS: Writing a solubility product (Ksp) expression

1. the molarity of ions produced in solution
2. the mass of salt that dissolves in 100 mL of water at 25°C

Given: Ksp

Asked for: molar concentration and mass of salt that dissolves in 100 mL of water

Strategy:
1. Write the balanced equilibrium equation for the dissolution reaction and construct a table showing the concentrations of the species produced in solution. Insert the appropriate values into the solubility product expression and calculate the molar solubility at 25°C.
2. Calculate the mass of solute in 100 mL of solution from the molar solubility of the salt. Assume that the volume of the solution is the same as the volume of the solvent.
Solution:
1. A The dissolution equilibrium for Ca3(PO4)2 (Equation $$\ref{Eq2a}$$) is shown in the following ICE table. Because we are starting with distilled water, the initial concentration of both calcium and phosphate ions is zero. For every 1 mol of Ca3(PO4)2 that dissolves, 3 mol of Ca2+ and 2 mol of PO43 ions are produced in solution. If we let x equal the solubility of Ca3(PO4)2 in moles per liter, then the change in [Ca2+] will be +3x, and the change in [PO43] will be +2x. We can insert these values into the table.

Ca3(PO4)2(s) ⇌ 3Ca2+(aq) + 2PO43(aq)

Solutions to Example 17.4.2
Ca3(PO4)2 [Ca2+] [PO43]
initial pure solid 0 0
change +3x +2x
final pure solid 3x 2x

Although the amount of solid Ca3(PO4)2 changes as some of it dissolves, its molar concentration does not change. We now insert the expressions for the equilibrium concentrations of the ions into the solubility product expression (Equation 17.2):

\begin{align}K_{\textrm{sp}}=[\mathrm{Ca^{2+}}]^3[\mathrm{PO_4^{3-}}]^2&=(3x)^3(2x)^2 \\2.07\times10^{-33}&=108x^5 \\1.92\times10^{-35}&=x^5 \\1.14\times10^{-7}\textrm{ M}&=x\end{align}

This is the molar solubility of calcium phosphate at 25°C. However, the molarity of the ions is 2x and 3x, which means that [PO43] = 2.28 × 10−7 and [Ca2+] = 3.42 × 10−7.

1. B To find the mass of solute in 100 mL of solution, we assume that the density of this dilute solution is the same as the density of water because of the low solubility of the salt, so that 100 mL of water gives 100 mL of solution. We can then determine the amount of salt that dissolves in 100 mL of water:

$$\left(\dfrac{1.14\times10^{-7}\textrm{ mol}}{\textrm{1 L}}\right)\textrm{100 mL}\left(\dfrac{\textrm{1 L}}{\textrm{1000 mL}} \right )\left(\dfrac{310.18 \textrm{ g }\mathrm{Ca_3(PO_4)_2}}{\textrm{1 mol}}\right)=3.54\times10^{-6}\textrm{ g }\mathrm{Ca_3(PO_4)_2}$$

Exercise $$\PageIndex{2}$$

The solubility product of silver carbonate (Ag2CO3) is 8.46 × 10−12 at 25°C. Calculate the following:

1. the molarity of a saturated solution
2. the mass of silver carbonate that will dissolve in 100 mL of water at this temperature
1. 1.28 × 10−4 M
2. 3.54 mg

Finding the Solubility of a Salt: Finding the Solubility of a Salt (opens in new window) [youtu.be]

The Ion Product

The ion product (Q) of a salt is the product of the concentrations of the ions in solution raised to the same powers as in the solubility product expression. It is analogous to the reaction quotient (Q) discussed for gaseous equilibria. Whereas Ksp describes equilibrium concentrations, the ion product describes concentrations that are not necessarily equilibrium concentrations.

The ion product Q is analogous to the reaction quotient Q for gaseous equilibria.

As summarized in Figure $$\PageIndex{1}$$, there are three possible conditions for an aqueous solution of an ionic solid:

• Q < Ksp. The solution is unsaturated, and more of the ionic solid, if available, will dissolve.
• Q = Ksp. The solution is saturated and at equilibrium.
• Q > Ksp. The solution is supersaturated, and ionic solid will precipitate.

The process of calculating the value of the ion product and comparing it with the magnitude of the solubility product is a straightforward way to determine whether a solution is unsaturated, saturated, or supersaturated. More important, the ion product tells chemists whether a precipitate will form when solutions of two soluble salts are mixed.

Example $$\PageIndex{3}$$

We mentioned that barium sulfate is used in medical imaging of the gastrointestinal tract. Its solubility product is 1.08 × 10−10 at 25°C, so it is ideally suited for this purpose because of its low solubility when a “barium milkshake” is consumed by a patient. The pathway of the sparingly soluble salt can be easily monitored by x-rays. Will barium sulfate precipitate if 10.0 mL of 0.0020 M Na2SO4 is added to 100 mL of 3.2 × 10−4 M BaCl2? Recall that NaCl is highly soluble in water.

(Video) 17.4 Solubility and Ksp

Given: Ksp and volumes and concentrations of reactants

Asked for: whether precipitate will form

Strategy:
1. Write the balanced equilibrium equation for the precipitation reaction and the expression for Ksp.
2. Determine the concentrations of all ions in solution when the solutions are mixed and use them to calculate the ion product (Q).
3. Compare the values of Q and Ksp to decide whether a precipitate will form.
Solution

A The only slightly soluble salt that can be formed when these two solutions are mixed is BaSO4 because NaCl is highly soluble. The equation for the precipitation of BaSO4 is as follows:

$BaSO_{4(s)} \rightleftharpoons Ba^{2+}_{(aq)} + SO^{2−}_{4(aq)} \nonumber$

The solubility product expression is as follows:

Ksp = [Ba2+][SO42] = 1.08×10−10

B To solve this problem, we must first calculate the ion product—Q = [Ba2+][SO42]—using the concentrations of the ions that are present after the solutions are mixed and before any reaction occurs. The concentration of Ba2+ when the solutions are mixed is the total number of moles of Ba2+ in the original 100 mL of BaCl2 solution divided by the final volume (100 mL + 10.0 mL = 110 mL):

$$\textrm{moles Ba}^{2+}=\textrm{100 mL}\left(\dfrac{\textrm{1 L}}{\textrm{1000 mL}}\right)\left(\dfrac{3.2\times10^{-4}\textrm{ mol}}{\textrm{1 L}} \right )=3.2\times10^{-5}\textrm{ mol Ba}^{2+}$$

$$[\mathrm{Ba^{2+}}]=\left(\dfrac{3.2\times10^{-5}\textrm{ mol Ba}^{2+}}{\textrm{110 mL}}\right)\left(\dfrac{\textrm{1000 mL}}{\textrm{1 L}}\right)=2.9\times10^{-4}\textrm{ M Ba}^{2+}$$

Similarly, the concentration of SO42 after mixing is the total number of moles of SO42 in the original 10.0 mL of Na2SO4 solution divided by the final volume (110 mL):

$$\textrm{moles SO}_4^{2-}=\textrm{10.0 mL}\left(\dfrac{\textrm{1 L}}{\textrm{1000 mL}}\right)\left(\dfrac{\textrm{0.0020 mol}}{\textrm{1 L}}\right)=2.0\times10^{-5}\textrm{ mol SO}_4^{2-}$$

$$[\mathrm{SO_4^{2-}}]=\left(\dfrac{2.0\times10^{-5}\textrm{ mol SO}_4^{2-}}{\textrm{110 mL}} \right )\left(\dfrac{\textrm{1000 mL}}{\textrm{1 L}}\right)=1.8\times10^{-4}\textrm{ M SO}_4^{2-}$$

We can now calculate Q:

Q = [Ba2+][SO42] = (2.9×10−4)(1.8×10−4) = 5.2×10−8

C We now compare Q with the Ksp. If Q > Ksp, then BaSO4 will precipitate, but if Q < Ksp, it will not. Because Q > Ksp, we predict that BaSO4 will precipitate when the two solutions are mixed. In fact, BaSO4 will continue to precipitate until the system reaches equilibrium, which occurs when [Ba2+][SO42] = Ksp = 1.08 × 10−10.

Exercise $$\PageIndex{3}$$

The solubility product of calcium fluoride (CaF2) is 3.45 × 10−11. If 2.0 mL of a 0.10 M solution of NaF is added to 128 mL of a 2.0 × 10−5M solution of Ca(NO3)2, will CaF2 precipitate?

yes (Q = 4.7 × 10−11 > Ksp)

Determining if a Precipitate forms (The Ion Product): Determining if a Precipitate forms (The Ion Product)(opens in new window) [youtu.be]

(Video) 17.8a Writing a solubility product Ksp expression

The Common Ion Effect and Solubility

The solubility product expression tells us that the equilibrium concentrations of the cation and the anion are inversely related. That is, as the concentration of the anion increases, the maximum concentration of the cation needed for precipitation to occur decreases—and vice versa—so that Ksp is constant. Consequently, the solubility of an ionic compound depends on the concentrations of other salts that contain the same ions. Adding a common cation or anion shifts a solubility equilibrium in the direction predicted by Le Chatelier’s principle. As a result, the solubility of any sparingly soluble salt is almost always decreased by the presence of a soluble salt that contains a common ion. The exceptions generally involve the formation of complex ions, which is discussed later.

Consider, for example, the effect of adding a soluble salt, such as CaCl2, to a saturated solution of calcium phosphate [Ca3(PO4)2]. We have seen that the solubility of Ca3(PO4)2 in water at 25°C is 1.14 × 10−7 M (Ksp = 2.07 × 10−33). Thus a saturated solution of Ca3(PO4)2 in water contains 3 × (1.14 × 10−7 M) = 3.42 × 10−7 M Ca2+ and 2 × (1.14 × 10−7 M) = 2.28 × 10−7 M PO43, according to the stoichiometry shown in Equation $$\ref{Eq1}$$ (neglecting hydrolysis to form HPO42 as described in Chapter 16). If CaCl2 is added to a saturated solution of Ca3(PO4)2, the Ca2+ ion concentration will increase such that [Ca2+] > 3.42 × 10−7 M, making Q > Ksp. The only way the system can return to equilibrium is for the reaction in Equation $$\ref{Eq1}$$ to proceed to the left, resulting in precipitation of Ca3(PO4)2. This will decrease the concentration of both Ca2+ and PO43 until Q = Ksp.

The common ion effect usually decreases the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt.

Example $$\PageIndex{4}$$

Calculate the solubility of calcium phosphate [Ca3(PO4)2] in 0.20 M CaCl2.

Given: concentration of CaCl2 solution

Asked for: solubility of Ca3(PO4)2 in CaCl2 solution

Strategy:
1. Write the balanced equilibrium equation for the dissolution of Ca3(PO4)2. Tabulate the concentrations of all species produced in solution.
2. Substitute the appropriate values into the expression for the solubility product and calculate the solubility of Ca3(PO4)2.
Solution

A The balanced equilibrium equation is given in the following table. If we let x equal the solubility of Ca3(PO4)2 in moles per liter, then the change in [Ca2+] is once again +3x, and the change in [PO43] is +2x. We can insert these values into the ICE table.

$Ca_3(PO_4)_{2(s)} \rightleftharpoons 3Ca^{2+}_{(aq)} + 2PO^{3−}_{4(aq)} \nonumber$

Solutions to Example 17.4.4
Ca3(PO4)2 [Ca2+] [PO43]
initial pure solid 0.20 0
change +3x +2x
final pure solid 0.20 + 3x 2x

B The Ksp expression is as follows:

Ksp = [Ca2+]3[PO43]2 = (0.20 + 3x)3(2x)2 = 2.07×10−33

Because Ca3(PO4)2 is a sparingly soluble salt, we can reasonably expect that x << 0.20. Thus (0.20 + 3x) M is approximately 0.20 M, which simplifies the Ksp expression as follows:

\begin{align*}K_{\textrm{sp}}=(0.20)^3(2x)^2&=2.07\times10^{-33} \\x^2&=6.5\times10^{-32} \\x&=2.5\times10^{-16}\textrm{ M}\end{align*} \nonumber

This value is the solubility of Ca3(PO4)2 in 0.20 M CaCl2 at 25°C. It is approximately nine orders of magnitude less than its solubility in pure water, as we would expect based on Le Chatelier’s principle. With one exception, this example is identical to Example $$\PageIndex{2}$$—here the initial [Ca2+] was 0.20 M rather than 0.

Exercise $$\PageIndex{4}$$

Calculate the solubility of silver carbonate in a 0.25 M solution of sodium carbonate. The solubility of silver carbonate in pure water is 8.45 × 10−12 at 25°C.

2.9 × 10−6 M (versus 1.3 × 10−4 M in pure water)

(Video) Unit 17 - Equilibrium - lecture #2, Solubility Product

The Common Ion Effect in Solubility Products: The Common Ion Effect in Solubility Products(opens in new window) [youtu.be]

Summary

The solubility product (Ksp) is used to calculate equilibrium concentrations of the ions in solution, whereas the ion product (Q) describes concentrations that are not necessarily at equilibrium. The equilibrium constant for a dissolution reaction, called the solubility product (Ksp), is a measure of the solubility of a compound. Whereas solubility is usually expressed in terms of mass of solute per 100 mL of solvent, Ksp is defined in terms of the molar concentrations of the component ions. In contrast, the ion product (Q) describes concentrations that are not necessarily equilibrium concentrations. Comparing Q and Ksp enables us to determine whether a precipitate will form when solutions of two soluble salts are mixed. Adding a common cation or common anion to a solution of a sparingly soluble salt shifts the solubility equilibrium in the direction predicted by Le Chatelier’s principle. The solubility of the salt is almost always decreased by the presence of a common ion.

FAQs

What does it mean when Ksp is greater than 1? ›

A Ksp value greater than 1 means that the dissociation of the solid compound into its constituent ions is highly favorable.

How do you know if Ksp is high or low? ›

The more soluble a substance is, the higher its Ksp value. So if there is a relatively high concentration of dissolved particles in solution, Ksp will be higher. But if there's a relatively lower concentration of these dissolved particles, Ksp will be lower.

Does a high or low Ksp mean more soluble? ›

The solubility product constant (Ksp) describes the equilibrium between a solid and its constituent ions in a solution. The value of the constant identifies the degree to which the compound can dissociate in water. The higher the Ksp, the more soluble the compound is.

What happens if Ksp is less than Q? ›

1: The Relationship between Q and Ksp. If Q is less than Ksp, the solution is unsaturated and more solid will dissolve until the system reaches equilibrium (Q = Ksp). If Q is greater than Ksp, the solution is supersaturated and solid will precipitate until Q = Ksp.

What is considered a high Ksp? ›

For example the higher the Ksp the more soluble the compound is. Ksp is defined in terms of activity rather than concentration because it is a measure of a concentration that depends on certain conditions such as temperature, pressure, and composition.

What is a high Ksp value? ›

The solubility product constant, Ksp​, is the equilibrium constant for a solid substance dissolving in an aqueous solution. It represents the level at which a solute dissolves in solution. The more soluble a substance is, the higher the Ksp value it has.

What does a small Ksp mean? ›

Small values for Ksp mean that the solute does not dissolve a lot into the solution. Molar solubility is the moles of solute that can dissolve into 1 L of solution, and a substance is considered non-soluble if it dissolves at values less than 1g per 100g of solvent.

How can you tell if something is more soluble? ›

Substances with similar polarities tend to be soluble in one another ("like dissolves like"). Nonpolar substances are generally more soluble in nonpolar solvents, while polar and ionic substances are generally more soluble in polar solvents.

What Ksp is least soluble in water? ›

The salt with the smallest Ksp value is Bi2S3 B i 2 S 3 . Therefore, Bi2S3 B i 2 S 3 is the least soluble in water.

What is large vs small Ksp? ›

If the Ksp for a substance is large then it is quite soluble. If it is very small then we would call the substance insoluble. The Ksp for AgCl is 1.6 x 10-10 at 25°C, a very insoluble compound.

When can Ksp values be compared? ›

For compounds that dissolve to produce the same number of ions, we can directly compare their Kₛₚ values to determine their relative solubilities. If we know the solubility of a salt, we can use this information to calculate the Kₛₚ value for the compound.

What does a low solubility product constant mean? ›

Ksp - Solubility product constant definition

Its value indicates the degree to which a compound dissociates in water. The higher the solubility product constant, the more soluble the compound.

Which has lowest value of KSP? ›

So Be hydroxide will have the lowest value of Ksp.

Will a higher or lower KSP value precipitate first? ›

Solution. If the solution contained about equal concentrations of Cl and Br, then the silver salt with the smaller Ksp (AgBr) would precipitate first. The concentrations are not equal, however, so the [Ag+] at which AgCl begins to precipitate and the [Ag+] at which AgBr begins to precipitate must be calculated.

What is a good solubility value? ›

A drug is considered highly soluble when the highest dose strength is soluble in 250 mL or less of aqueous media over the pH range of 1 to 7.5.
...
Table 1.
Descriptive termPart of solvent required per part of solute
Sparingly solubleFrom 30 to 100
Slightly solubleFrom 100 to 1000
5 more rows
Jul 5, 2012

How do you compare Ksp values? ›

The greater the Ksp the more ions are in solution, hence the greater the molar solubility. However, you can only directly compare salts that give equivalent numbers of ions in solution. For example, you can compare the Ksp's of all salts with a 1:1 ion ratio like: AgBr, BaSO4 etc.

What does high solubility mean? ›

Use the noun solubility to refer to how easily something dissolves in water or another liquid. Salt has high solubility, easily dissolving in water, while oil has low solubility in water, and sand is not at all soluble in water.

What does a negative Ksp mean? ›

K sp is often written in scientific notation like 2.5 x 10−3. The larger the negative exponent the less soluble the compound is in solution.

Which Ksp is least soluble? ›

From the list, it is clear that AgI is the least soluble species. Ksp are extensively tabulated, especially for salts of precious metals.

What affects Ksp value? ›

For a given chemical species and solvent system, the main factor which affects the value of Ksp is the temperature. Most often, an increase in the temperature causes an increase in the solubility and value.

Why is my Ksp value different? ›

K s p represents how much of the solute will dissolve in solution. The value of K s p varies depending on the solute. The more soluble a substance is, the higher its K s p chemistry value.

What does Ksp solubility product depend on? ›

The solubility product is a kind of equilibrium constant and its value depends on temperature. Ksp usually increases with an increase in temperature due to increased solubility. Solubility is defined as a property of a substance called solute to get dissolved in a solvent in order to form a solution.

How do you know which solution is more soluble in water? ›

Greater is the number of hydrogen bonds, greater is the extent of hydrogen bonding and greater is the solubility in water.

Does a higher number mean more soluble? ›

The magnitude of Ksp is a measure of the solubility of a compound – the larger the value, the more soluble the compound is in water.

Which of the following has maximum solubility KSP? ›

Therefore, PbSO4(Ksp=1. 3×10−8) has the maximum solubility.

What is poor water solubility? ›

Low water solubility:

less than 10 mg/L or 10 ppm1.

Which of the following is most soluble KSP? ›

Hence, ZnS is the most soluble.

Does size matter solubility? ›

Solubility decreases as the molecular size increases. The larger the size of molecules in a solute, the more difficult it is for solvent molecules to wrap around them in order to dissolve them.

What is the size of KSP? ›

Hard Drive:4 GB HD space.

How do you reduce KSP? ›

1)Ksp will decrease by addition of Pb in the form of Pb(NO3)2 P b ( N O 3 ) 2 or by additin of Cl− in the form of KCl.

Does Ksp change with different solvents? ›

Ksp for a compound is solvent specific and can change depending on the pH of solution and on the intrinsic properties of the materials involved. As Mg(OH)2 is a base, it will not be in the form of OH− in HCl; it will instead be either H3O+ or H2O.

How do you know which salt is more soluble using Ksp? ›

The salt with the largest Ksp is most soluble. If they didn't have the same number of ions then you would need to calculate molar solubility.

Can the magnitude of Ksp be used to predict solubility? ›

The magnitude of Ksp is a measure of the solubility of a compound – the larger the value, the more soluble the compound is in water. However, we cannot compare the Ksp values of any two compounds to tell which is more soluble because of the concentrations raised to the power of coefficients.

How do you write a KSP expression? ›

The equilibrium expression, Ksp, is a ratio of products over reactants and can be written as Ksp = [products]/[reactants]. This expression represents the equilibrium between an ionic solid and its ions in solution. We are given the concentration of Ag2CrO4(s), which is 7.8*10-5 M.

What is solubility of product? ›

The solubility product, Ks, of an ionic compound is defined as the product of the concentration of the ions that exist in equilibrium with the solid compound in a saturated solution.

What is molar solubility and how is it related to KSP? ›

That means; the molar solubility gives the amount of a substance that we can dissolve in a solution before the solution gets saturated from that particular substance. We can calculate this amount using the product solubility constant or Ksp and the stoichiometry. The unit for the molar solubility is mol/L.

What is the lowest solubility? ›

C) pentane will have the lowest solubility in water.

Due to the non-polar nature of pentane, we expect pentane to have the lowest solubility. All of the other substances are organic molecules that possess O atoms.

Which compound will have the smallest value of Ksp Ksp? ›

1 Answer. Compound AX2 will have the smallest Ksp value.

When the ion product is less than Ksp? ›

If the ion product is smaller than the solubility product, the system is not in equilibrium and no solid can be present. Such a solution is said to be undersaturated . A supersaturated solution is one in which the ion product exceeds the solubility product.

Does higher solubility mean more precipitation? ›

If dissolution happens faster, than the solid will dissolve. As the solution becomes more concentrated, the rate of precipitation will increase and the rate of dissolution will decrease, so that eventually the concentration will stop changing, and this is equilibrium.

How do you predict precipitates using solubility rules? ›

If the rules state that an ion is soluble, then it remains in its aqueous ion form. If an ion is insoluble based on the solubility rules, then it forms a solid with an ion from the other reactant. If all the ions in a reaction are shown to be soluble, then no precipitation reaction occurs.

What happens when ionic product is greater than Ksp? ›

Updated On: 27-06-2022

supersaturated and precipitation of salt occurs. When ionic product >Ksp , the solution becomes supersaturated and thus precipitated of salt occurs.

What happens when a reaction quotient exceeds Ksp? ›

If Q > Ksp, a precipitate will form. Note that precipitation may not happen immediately if Q is equal to or greater than Ksp. A solution could be supersaturated for some time until precipitation occurs. Fractional precipitation is a technique that separates ions from solution based on their different solubilities.

Will a higher or lower Ksp value precipitate first? ›

Solution. If the solution contained about equal concentrations of Cl and Br, then the silver salt with the smaller Ksp (AgBr) would precipitate first. The concentrations are not equal, however, so the [Ag+] at which AgCl begins to precipitate and the [Ag+] at which AgBr begins to precipitate must be calculated.

When the solution exceed the Ksp value it means that the solution is? ›

exceeds Ksp, so the ratio Ksp /Qsp>1 and the solution is supersaturated in CaSO4.

What happens if you exceed the solubility limit? ›

Once the solubility limit of a substance is surpassed, deposition will take place. This is typically the case when solubility decreases when the steam expands (Fig. 4.4).

How do you know if Q is greater than K? ›

Q can be used to determine which direction a reaction will shift to reach equilibrium. If K > Q, a reaction will proceed forward, converting reactants into products. If K < Q, the reaction will proceed in the reverse direction, converting products into reactants.

What happens when solubility is exceeded? ›

(b) When the maximum possible amount of solute has dissolved, the solution becomes saturated. If excess solute is present, the rate at which solute particles leave the surface of the solid equals the rate at which they return to the surface of the solid.

What does small Ksp mean? ›

Small values for Ksp mean that the solute does not dissolve a lot into the solution. Molar solubility is the moles of solute that can dissolve into 1 L of solution, and a substance is considered non-soluble if it dissolves at values less than 1g per 100g of solvent.

What affects the solubility product constant Ksp? ›

The solubility product is a kind of equilibrium constant and its value depends on temperature. Ksp usually increases with an increase in temperature due to increased solubility. Solubility is defined as a property of a substance called solute to get dissolved in a solvent in order to form a solution.

How do you read solubility values? ›

Now let's take a closer look at how to read a solubility curve.
...
Trace the solubility of a substance with increasing temperature.
1. The curved line represents saturation.
2. Below the curve, the solution is unsaturated.
3. Above the curve the solution is supersaturated. This means there is more solute than the solution can hold.

How do you determine solubility value? ›

In order to calculate the solubility, the mass of the compound will be divided by the mass of the solvent and then multiplied by 100 g. This calculation will represent the solubility of that compound in g/100g.

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