(a) Which will have the highest concentration of potassium ions: 0.20 M KCl, 0.15 M K₂CrO₄, or 0.080 M K₃PO₄?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the number of potassium ions (K^+) each compound releases in solution: KCl releases 1 K^+, K_2CrO_4 releases 2 K^+, and K_3PO_4 releases 3 K^+.
2. Calculate the concentration of potassium ions for each solution by multiplying the molarity of the compound by the number of potassium ions it releases: For KCl, it's 0.20 M * 1; for K_2CrO_4, it's 0.15 M * 2; for K_3PO_4, it's 0.080 M * 3.
3. Compare the calculated concentrations of potassium ions from each solution.
4. Determine which solution has the highest concentration of potassium ions based on the comparison.
5. Conclude which compound provides the highest concentration of potassium ions in solution.

Key Concepts

Dissociation of Ionic Compounds

Ionic compounds, when dissolved in water, dissociate into their constituent ions. For example, KCl dissociates into K⁺ and Cl⁻ ions, while K₂CrO₄ dissociates into 2 K⁺ and CrO₄²⁻ ions. Understanding how many ions each compound produces upon dissociation is crucial for determining the concentration of potassium ions in solution.

Molarity and Ion Concentration

Molarity (M) is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. To find the concentration of potassium ions in each solution, one must multiply the molarity of the compound by the number of potassium ions produced per formula unit during dissociation. This calculation allows for a direct comparison of potassium ion concentrations across different solutions.

Comparative Concentration Analysis

To determine which solution has the highest concentration of potassium ions, one must compare the total potassium ion concentration derived from each solution's molarity and dissociation. This involves calculating the effective concentration of K⁺ ions for each compound and identifying the highest value, which reflects the solution with the greatest availability of potassium ions.