C2.

8c Solubility problems

Name Class Date

The table shows the approximate solubilities of various substances in g/100 cm3 of water at 20 °C. For
example, the solubility of sodium chloride is 36 g/100 cm3 of water. A substance with a solubility below
about 2.5 g/100 cm3 is likely to be insoluble in water. Use the table to help you answer the questions.

Solubility in g/100 cm3 of water

nitrate chloride sulfate hydroxide carbonate
ammonium 210 39 76 53 10
sodium 92 36 28 42 11
potassium 38 36 12 96 110
silver 200 0.0002 0.57 – 0.0033
lead 150 1 0.0045 15 0.0001
barium 10 30 0.0002 5.6 0.0018
calcium 100 59 2.3 0.18 0.0013

1 a Name the most soluble compound in the table. Ammonium nitrate

b Name the least soluble compound in the table. Lead carbonate
2 What do you notice about the solubilities of all the ammonium, sodium and potassium compounds in
the table?
__________________________________________________________________________

3 What do you notice about the solubilities of all the compounds in the table containing ‘nitrate’?
They are all soluble
__________________________________________________________________________

4 Which two chlorides are insoluble?

Silver chloride and lead chloride
5 Which four sulfates are insoluble?
Calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, lead sulfate and silver sulfate
__________________________________________________________________________

6 Name three soluble hydroxides.

Ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide
__________________________________________________________________________

7 Name three soluble carbonates.

Ammonium carbonate, sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate
__________________________________________________________________________

8 What do you notice about all the lead compounds, apart from lead nitrate?
All of the other compounds are insoluble or barely soluble
__________________________________________________________________________

9 Silver hydroxide decomposes to form insoluble silver oxide. What do you notice about all the silver
compounds, apart from silver nitrate?
All the other compounds are insoluble
__________________________________________________________________________

10 Calcium sulfate is sometimes described as ‘slightly soluble’. Suggest why this might be.
It__________________________________________________________________________
is slightly below 2.5/cm3

© Pearson Education Ltd 2011. Edexcel GCSE Additional Science Activity Pack
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