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Ch.17 - Aqueous Ionic Equilibrium
Chapter 17, Problem 106b

Determine the minimum concentration of the precipitating agent on the right to cause precipitation of the cation from the solution on the left. b. 0.085 M CaI2; K2SO4

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Precipitation Reaction

A precipitation reaction occurs when two soluble salts react in solution to form an insoluble solid, known as a precipitate. This process is driven by the formation of a compound that has low solubility in the solvent, leading to the separation of the solid from the liquid phase. Understanding the solubility product constant (Ksp) is crucial, as it helps predict whether a precipitate will form based on the concentrations of the reactants.
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Solubility Product Constant (Ksp)

The solubility product constant (Ksp) is an equilibrium constant that quantifies the solubility of a sparingly soluble ionic compound. It is defined as the product of the molar concentrations of the ions, each raised to the power of their coefficients in the balanced equation. For a precipitation reaction to occur, the product of the ion concentrations must exceed the Ksp value, indicating that the solution is supersaturated and a precipitate will form.
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Concentration and Stoichiometry

Concentration refers to the amount of a substance in a given volume of solution, typically expressed in molarity (M). In precipitation reactions, stoichiometry is used to relate the concentrations of reactants and products based on their molar ratios in the balanced chemical equation. Calculating the minimum concentration of the precipitating agent requires understanding these relationships to ensure that the conditions for precipitation are met.
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