Introduction |
This
will be a very short page. It could also be a very important page
in that it applies to all the other pages on this site.
As is most fields or endeavors there are certain rules that apply.
In many cases, I don't like rules. Rules that are imposed for no
good reason are, in my opinion, not only worthless, but also despicable.
As we used to say in the military, rules are for damn fools and
second lieutenants. This referred to useless or counter-productive
rules.
There are, however, other kinds of rules. Rules that govern how
things work. Man did not make these rules. He just discovered them.
They were made and employed by whatever force created the physical
world.
I want to provide you with a few simple rules concerning chemicals
and how they behave when they are mixed up with water. With these
rules you can predict whether or not any inorganic chemical is going
to dissolve in the water or whether it is going settle to the bottom
and just lie there. If it settles and you want it to dissolve, you
must change it's salt form. If your Silver Chloride is lying in
the bottom of a flask and you want it to dissolve, these rules will
allow you to dissolve it without having to even e-mail me. The rules
will tell you that if you simply convert it to a nitrate instead
of a chloride, it will dissolve. We all know that all you have to
do is add a little nitric acid to make this conversion. The Silver
will now dissolve in water.
Ha!!, you say, so that's how ol KEN in cr does it! He just has
a few rules that are not generally available to the rest of us.
That is absolutely correct! Read on and I will impart to you the
secrets of inorganic solubility that were made before the first
glob of molten Gold was spewed from a volcano
The beauty of it is that you don't have to memorize the rules. Just
print a hard copy; stick it up on the basement wall for quick reference.
Might put a copy in your pocket too, so that you can impress less-knowledgeable
friends.
O.K., here it comes, deez ah de rules!!
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Rules of Solubility |

- Nitrates, chlorates, and acetates of all metals are water-soluble.
No exceptions.
- All Sodium, Potassium, and ammonium salts are soluble in water.
No exceptions.
- Chloride salts of all metals except Lead, Silver, and Mercury
1 (ous) are water-soluble. E.g., Mercurous Iodide is insoluble.
Water insoluble Chlorides, Bromides, and Iodides are also insoluble
in dilute acids.
- Carbonates, Phosphates, Borates, Sulfites, Chromates, and Arsenates
of all metals except for sodium, Potassium, and Ammonia are water-soluble.
- Sulfides of all metals except for Barium, Calcium, Magnesium,
Sodium, Potassium, and Ammonia are water-soluble.
- Oxides and Hydroxides are water insoluble except for Sodium,
Potassium, and ammonia. (Hydroxides of Calcium and Barium are
moderately soluble in water.
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Well guys, that’s about it. There is a little more info about
how to convert these salts from Chloride to Nitrate, Nitrate to Hydroxide,
Hydroxide to Iodide etc. Gonna do that on another page that will be
about “mass action”.
All this Stuff is Fun, and Educational Too!!
Where else can you get that?
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