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Multiple Choice
Which of the following compounds will have a different solubility with a change in pH?
A
CaCO_3
B
KNO_3
C
BaSO_4
D
NaCl
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand that solubility of a compound can be affected by pH if the compound contains an ion that can react with H\textsuperscript{+} or OH\textsuperscript{−} ions in solution, such as carbonate (CO\textsubscript{3}\textsuperscript{2−}) or sulfate (SO\textsubscript{4}\textsuperscript{2−}).
Step 2: Identify the ions in each compound: CaCO\textsubscript{3} contains Ca\textsuperscript{2+} and CO\textsubscript{3}\textsuperscript{2−}, KNO\textsubscript{3} contains K\textsuperscript{+} and NO\textsubscript{3}\textsuperscript{−}, BaSO\textsubscript{4} contains Ba\textsuperscript{2+} and SO\textsubscript{4}\textsuperscript{2−}, and NaCl contains Na\textsuperscript{+} and Cl\textsuperscript{−}.
Step 3: Recognize that carbonate ions (CO\textsubscript{3}\textsuperscript{2−}) can react with H\textsuperscript{+} ions to form bicarbonate (HCO\textsubscript{3}\textsuperscript{−}) or carbonic acid (H\textsubscript{2}CO\textsubscript{3}), which affects solubility with pH changes.
Step 4: Note that nitrate (NO\textsubscript{3}\textsuperscript{−}), sulfate (SO\textsubscript{4}\textsuperscript{2−}), and chloride (Cl\textsuperscript{−}) ions do not significantly react with H\textsuperscript{+} or OH\textsuperscript{−} ions, so their solubility is generally independent of pH.
Step 5: Conclude that CaCO\textsubscript{3} will have solubility that changes with pH due to the carbonate ion's acid-base chemistry, while KNO\textsubscript{3}, BaSO\textsubscript{4}, and NaCl will not show significant solubility changes with pH.