Table of contents

1. Intro to General Chemistry3h 48m
2. Atoms & Elements4h 16m
3. Chemical Reactions4h 10m
4. BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
5. BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions48m
6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions3h 53m
7. Gases3h 49m
8. Thermochemistry2h 37m
9. Quantum Mechanics2h 58m
10. Periodic Properties of the Elements3h 9m
11. Bonding & Molecular Structure3h 29m
12. Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory1h 57m
13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces2h 23m
14. Solutions3h 1m
15. Chemical Kinetics2h 53m
16. Chemical Equilibrium2h 29m
17. Acid and Base Equilibrium5h 1m
18. Aqueous Equilibrium4h 47m
19. Chemical Thermodynamics1h 50m
20. Electrochemistry2h 42m
21. Nuclear Chemistry2h 36m
22. Organic Chemistry5h 7m
23. Chemistry of the Nonmetals2h 39m
24. Transition Metals and Coordination Compounds3h 16m

6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions

Solubility Rules

General Chemistry

6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions

Solubility Rules

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements best explains how lowering the pH affects the solubility of a salt containing a basic anion, such as CaCO3?

Lowering the pH decreases the solubility because more H+ ions cause the salt to precipitate.

Lowering the pH increases the solubility because the added H+ reacts with the basic anion to form a weak acid.

Lowering the pH increases the solubility because it increases the concentration of the salt's cation.

Lowering the pH has no effect on the solubility of salts containing basic anions.

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Verified step by step guidance

Identify the salt and its basic anion: In this case, the salt is CaCO\_3, which contains the carbonate ion (CO\_3^{2-}), a basic anion.

Understand the effect of pH on basic anions: Lowering the pH means increasing the concentration of H\^+ ions in solution. These H\^+ ions can react with the basic anion (CO\_3^{2-}) to form its conjugate acid (HCO\_3\^- or H\_2CO\_3), which are weak acids.

Write the relevant equilibrium reaction showing how H\^+ interacts with the basic anion: $\mathrm{CO\_3^{2-} + H\^+ \rightleftharpoons HCO\_3\^-}$ and further $\mathrm{HCO\_3\^- + H\^+ \rightleftharpoons H\_2CO\_3}$

Explain how this reaction affects solubility: By consuming CO\_3^{2-} ions, the equilibrium of the salt dissolution shifts to dissolve more CaCO\_3 to replace the lost CO\_3^{2-}, thus increasing the solubility of the salt.

Conclude that lowering the pH increases the solubility of salts containing basic anions because the added H\^+ ions react with the anion to form weak acids, driving the dissolution equilibrium forward.