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What factors influence the solubility of inorganic salts in water and how can we predict the solubility of certain salts?

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The solubility of inorganic salts in water is influenced by several factors, including:1. Lattice energy: The energy required to separate the ions in the crystal lattice of the salt. Salts with higher lattice energy are generally less soluble in water because it takes more energy to break the ionic bonds.2. Hydration energy: The energy released when the ions of the salt are surrounded by water molecules. Salts with higher hydration energy are generally more soluble in water because the energy released during hydration compensates for the energy required to break the ionic bonds.3. Temperature: The solubility of most inorganic salts increases with increasing temperature. This is because the increased kinetic energy of the water molecules helps to overcome the lattice energy and promote dissolution.4. Pressure: The solubility of inorganic salts is generally not affected by pressure, except for gases that dissolve in water to form salts  e.g., carbonates and sulfides .5. Common ion effect: The presence of a common ion in the solution can decrease the solubility of a salt. This is due to the Le Chatelier's principle, which states that a system at equilibrium will shift to counteract any changes in the system.6. pH: The solubility of some salts is affected by the pH of the solution. For example, the solubility of salts containing basic anions  e.g., carbonates, hydroxides  increases in acidic solutions, while the solubility of salts containing acidic cations  e.g., aluminum, iron  increases in basic solutions.To predict the solubility of certain salts, chemists often use solubility rules or guidelines based on empirical observations. Some common solubility rules include:1. Most alkali metal salts  e.g., sodium, potassium  and ammonium salts are soluble in water.2. Most nitrates, acetates, and perchlorates are soluble in water.3. Most chlorides, bromides, and iodides are soluble in water, except for those of silver, lead, and mercury.4. Most sulfates are soluble in water, except for those of calcium, strontium, barium, and lead.5. Most carbonates, phosphates, and silicates are insoluble in water, except for those of alkali metals and ammonium.6. Most sulfides are insoluble in water, except for those of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and ammonium.These rules can help predict the solubility of a given salt, but there are exceptions, and solubility can also be influenced by the factors mentioned above.
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