Q.What is the maximum concentration of equimolar solutions of ferrous sulphate and sodium sulphide so that when mixed in equal volumes, there is no precipitation of iron sulphide? (For iron sulphide, K sp = 6.3 × 10⁻¹⁸).
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Solubility Product Constant
Solubility Product Constant: From Intuition to Precision
Imagine you drop a pinch of salt into a glass of water. The salt crystals disappear — they dissolve. But what if you keep adding salt, spoonful after spoonful? At some point, the water can't hold any more; the extra salt just sits at the bottom, undissolved. That's a saturated solution — the maximum amount of solute has dissolved at that temperature.
Now, here's the key question: even in that saturated solution, is everything static? Not at all. At the microscopic level, salt ions are constantly leaving the solid crystal and entering the solution (dissolving), while other ions in solution bump into the crystal and stick back (precipitating). At saturation, these two processes happen at exactly the same rate. The system is in dynamic equilibrium.
A saturated solution is not "full" in a static sense — it's a busy, balanced dance between dissolving and precipitating.
The Intuition: A Crowded Dance Floor
Think of a dance hall with a capacity limit. The "dancers" are ions (like Na⁺ and Cl⁻ from table salt). The dance floor is the solution. When the floor is empty, dancers easily find space — dissolution is fast. As more dancers arrive, they start bumping into each other and some leave the floor (precipitate). At the maximum capacity, the number of dancers entering equals the number leaving. That equilibrium number of dancers is what we call solubility.
But here's the twist: for many salts, the "dancers" come in different types — say, positive ions and negative ions. The equilibrium isn't just about the total number; it's about the product of their concentrations. Why product? Because the chance of a positive and a negative ion meeting to form a solid depends on both their concentrations. If you double the concentration of positive ions, the chance of a collision doubles. If you double both, it quadruples.
That product — at equilibrium, for a saturated solution — is a constant. That's the solubility product constant, Ksp.
The Precise Statement
For a sparingly soluble salt that dissociates in water as:
AmBn(s)⇌mAn+(aq)+nBm−(aq)
the solubility product constant is defined as:
Ksp=[An+]m⋅[Bm−]n
where the square brackets denote molar concentrations (mol/L) at saturation (equilibrium with the solid).
The solid AmBn does not appear in the expression. Its concentration is constant (pure solid) and is absorbed into Ksp. Never write [AmBn] in the Ksp expression.
What Ksp Tells You
- Small Ksp (e.g., 10−30): The salt is very insoluble. Only a tiny amount dissolves.
- Large Ksp (e.g., 10−2): The salt is relatively soluble.
- Ksp is temperature-dependent — always quote the temperature (usually 25°C).
Ksp is an equilibrium constant. It only applies to saturated solutions in contact with undissolved solid. If no solid is present, the solution may be unsaturated (Q<Ksp) or supersaturated (Q>Ksp), but Ksp itself doesn't change.
A Concrete Example: Silver Chloride
Silver chloride, AgCl, is a classic sparingly soluble salt. Its dissolution:
AgCl(s)⇌Ag+(aq)+Cl−(aq)
The Ksp expression:
Ksp=[Ag+][Cl−]
At 25°C, Ksp=1.8×10−10. This tiny number means that in a saturated solution, the product of the two ion concentrations is only 1.8×10−10.
If you know the solubility of AgCl is s mol/L, then [Ag+]=s and [Cl−]=s, so: …
Concept: Solubility product constant (Ksp) — the threshold ionic product above which precipitation begins.
Reasoning:
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When equal volumes of equimolar solutions are mixed, each concentration is halved. Let the initial concentration of each solution be c mol/L. After mixing, [Fe2+]=[S2−]=c/2.
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For no precipitation, the ionic product must be ≤ Ksp:
[Fe2+][S2−]≤Ksp
(2c)(2c)≤6.3×10−18 …
On mixing equal volumes, each concentration is halved. Setting the ionic product equal to Ksp gives a maximum concentration of 5.0×10−9 M for each solution before FeS begins to precipitate.
Concept
FeSO4 supplies Fe2+ and Na2S supplies S2−. Precipitation of FeS just begins when the ionic product equals Ksp:
[Fe2+][S2−]=Ksp=6.3×10−18
Solution
Let the concentration of each equimolar solution before mixing be C. Mixing equal volumes dilutes each species to half:
[Fe2+]=2C,[S2−]=2C
No precipitation as long as the ionic product does not exceed Ksp: …
Showing the 12 most recent of 13 on this concept.
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-12-AN1 markMCQQ.The mass of CaC2O4 (in g) to be dissolved in distilled water to make 1.0 L of saturated solution is (KSP of CaC2O4=2.5×10−9 mol2L−2, molar mass of CaC2O4=128 gmol−1) (A) 0.0064 (B) 0.0032 (C) 0.0128 (D) 0.0640
›Reveal solutionSolution
A standard solubility-product calculation for a 1:1 salt; the mass dissolved in 1.0 L is 0.0064 g.
Concept and Intuition
For a sparingly soluble salt MX that dissociates 1:1, the solubility product Ksp=[M2+][X2−]=s2, where s is the molar solubility. Once s is known, converting to mass just needs the molar mass and the volume of solution.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Dissociation: CaC2O4(s)⇌Ca2+(aq)+C2O42−(aq); both ions appear with coefficient 1, so Ksp=s2.
- s=Ksp=2.5×10−9=25×10−10=5×10−5 mol/L.
- Moles in 1.0 L =5×10−5×1.0=5×10−5 mol. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-15-AN1 markMCQQ.The minimum volume of water (in L) needed to dissolve 1.5 g of CaSO4 (molar mass = 136 gmol−1) at 298 K is (Ksp(CaSO4) at 298 K = 9×10−6) (A) 6.37 (B) 7.37 (C) 3.67 (D) 3.73
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests using Ksp to find molar solubility, then using solubility as a concentration ceiling to find the minimum volume needed to dissolve a given mass without exceeding saturation. The minimum volume is 3.67 L.
Concept and Intuition
"Minimum volume needed to dissolve" a given mass of a sparingly soluble salt means: what's the smallest volume in which this mass, fully dissociated, still doesn't exceed the saturation concentration set by Ksp? At exactly this volume, the solution is saturated (just at the point of precipitation) — any less volume and the salt could not stay fully dissolved.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Moles of CaSO4: n=136 gmol−11.5 g=0.011029 mol.
- For a 1:1 dissociation CaSO4⇌Ca2++SO42−, if molar solubility is s, then Ksp=[Ca2+][SO42−]=s2.
- Solve for s: s=Ksp=9×10−6=3×10−3 molL−1. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-26-AN1 markMCQQ.The molar solubility of PbI2 in 0.2 M Pb(NO3)2 solution in terms of Ksp (solubility product) is (A) (0.2Ksp)1/2 (B) (0.4Ksp)1/4 (C) (0.8Ksp)1/2 (D) (0.8Ksp)1/3
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests the common-ion effect on solubility product calculations; molar solubility works out to (0.8Ksp)1/2.
Concept and Intuition
When a sparingly soluble salt like PbI2 is dissolved into a solution that already contains one of its constituent ions (here, Pb2+ from Pb(NO3)2), Le Chatelier's principle tells us the equilibrium shifts to suppress dissolution — this is the common-ion effect. Since the pre-existing Pb2+ concentration (0.2 M) is much larger than the tiny extra amount contributed by the sparingly soluble PbI2, we can treat [Pb2+] as essentially fixed at 0.2 M.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Dissolution equilibrium: PbI2(s)⇌Pb2+(aq)+2I−(aq).
- Let molar solubility of PbI2 in this solution be s. This contributes s mol/L of Pb2+ and 2s mol/L of I−.
- Since 0.2 M Pb2+ already exists in solution and s is very small compared to 0.2, total [Pb2+]≈0.2+s≈0.2 M.
- [I−]=2s. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-27-FN1 markMCQQ.At T(K) Ksp of two ionic salts MX2 and MX is 5×10−13 and 1.6×10−11 respectively. The ratio of molar solubility of MX2 and MX is (A) 12.5 (B) 1.25 (C) 6.25 (D) 7.50
›Reveal solutionSolution
Molar solubility must be derived from each salt's own dissociation stoichiometry (Ksp=4s3 for MX2, Ksp=s2 for MX) before comparing — doing that gives a solubility ratio of 12.5.
Concept and Intuition
Ksp values of two salts with different dissociation patterns cannot be compared directly to get a solubility ratio — the exponent and stoichiometric factor in the Ksp expression depend on how many ions of each type are released. MX2⇌M2++2X− gives Ksp=[M2+][X−]2=s(2s)2=4s3, while MX⇌M++X− gives Ksp=s⋅s=s2.
Step-by-Step Solution
- For MX2: Ksp=4s13=5×10−13⇒s13=1.25×10−13=125×10−15.
- s1=3125×10−15=5×10−5 mol/L.
- For MX: Ksp=s22=1.6×10−11⇒s2=16×10−12=4×10−6 mol/L. …
- AP EAPCET 2024Set eng-2024-05-21-AN1 markMCQQ.The solubility of barium phosphate of molar mass 'M' g mol−1 in water is x g per 100 mL at 298 K. Its solubility product is 1.08×(Mx)a×(10)b. The values of a and b respectively are (A) 7, 5 (B) 5, 7 (C) 5, 5 (D) 7, 7
›Reveal solutionSolution
Writing the Ksp expression for Ba3(PO4)2 in terms of molar solubility and converting units carefully gives exponents a=5, b=7.
Concept and Intuition
Ksp depends on the stoichiometric powers of the ions in the dissolution equilibrium. The trick in this problem is purely unit conversion: solubility is given as grams per 100 mL, but Ksp needs molar concentration (mol/L).
Step-by-Step Solution
- Dissolution: Ba3(PO4)2(s)⇌3Ba2++2PO43−.
- If molar solubility is s mol/L: [Ba2+]=3s, [PO43−]=2s.
- Ksp=(3s)3(2s)2=27s3×4s2=108s5.
- Given solubility =x g per 100 mL with molar mass M: moles per 100 mL =x/M, so moles per litre s=Mx×1001000=M10x.
- Substitute: Ksp=108(M10x)5=108×105×(Mx)5. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set ap-2023-05-23-AN1 markMCQQ.At T(K), Ksp of AgCl, AgBr and AgI is 1.8×10−10, 5×10−13 and 8.3×10−17 respectively. A 1L solution contains 10−5 moles each of NaCl, NaBr and NaI. This solution was titrated with 10−6 M AgNO3 solution, till all the Cl−, Br− and I− are precipitated as silver salts. The order of precipitation of these respectively are (A) AgCl, AgBr, AgI (B) AgI, AgBr, AgCl (C) AgI, AgCl, AgBr (D) All the three salts are precipitated simultaneously
›Reveal solutionSolution
Comparing [Ag+] required to reach each salt's Ksp at the same anion concentration shows AgI needs the least silver ion and precipitates first, followed by AgBr, then AgCl.
Concept and Intuition
For a set of sparingly soluble salts sharing the same cation being slowly titrated in, and starting with equal anion concentrations, the salt that requires the smallest [Ag+] to reach its solubility-product threshold will start precipitating first. This required concentration is [Ag+]required=Ksp/[anion] — so the salt with the smallest Ksp (given equal anion concentrations) precipitates earliest.
Step-by-Step Solution
- [Ag+] needed for AgCl to start precipitating: 10−51.8×10−10=1.8×10−5 M.
- [Ag+] needed for AgBr: 10−55×10−13=5×10−8 M.
- [Ag+] needed for AgI: 10−58.3×10−17=8.3×10−12 M. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-18-FN1 markMCQQ.Observe the following solutionsi) 1L of 10−6 M AgNO3 ii) 1L of 10−7 M AgNO3 iii) 1L of 10−9 M AgNO3iv) 1L of 10−3 M AgNO3 v) 1L of 10−5 M NaCl Which of the above two solutions when mixed will give a white precipitate, AgCl? (Given Ksp of AgCl = 1×10−10) (A) (i),(v) (B) (ii),(v) (C) (iv),(v) (D) (iii), (v)
›Reveal solutionSolution
A precipitate forms only when the ionic product [Ag+][Cl−] (after mixing and dilution) exceeds Ksp; checking each pairing shows only 10−3 M AgNO3 mixed with 10−5 M NaCl exceeds Ksp=10−10.
Concept and Intuition
Whether a precipitate forms when two solutions are mixed is decided by comparing the "ionic product" (reaction quotient Qsp) of the relevant ions, at the moment of mixing, to the solubility product Ksp. If Qsp>Ksp, the solution is supersaturated and precipitation occurs; if Qsp≤Ksp, no precipitate forms — the solution remains unsaturated (or just saturated).
Step-by-Step Solution
- When 1 L of an AgNO3 solution is mixed with 1 L of the NaCl solution (v), the total volume becomes 2 L, so each original concentration is halved on mixing.
- Compute Qsp=[Ag+][Cl−] after mixing for each AgNO3 option with (v) 10−5 M NaCl (halved to 0.5×10−5 M):
- (i) 10−6 M AgNO3 → [Ag+]=0.5×10−6: Qsp=0.5×10−6×0.5×10−5=2.5×10−12 — less than Ksp=10−10, no ppt.
- (ii) 10−7 M → [Ag+]=0.5×10−7: Qsp=2.5×10−13 — no ppt.
- (iii) 10−9 M → even smaller Qsp — no ppt. …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-07-AN1 markMCQQ.The solubility products of NiS, ZnS, CdS and HgS are 4.7×10−5, 1.6×10−24, 8×10−27 and 4×10−53 respectively. An aqueous solution contains Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Hg2+ of equal concentration. H2S gas was passed into this solution very slowly. The first and the last ions that precipitate as sulphides are respectively (A) Ni2+, Hg2+ (B) Hg2+, Cd2+ (C) Zn2+, Hg2+ (D) Hg2+, Ni2+
›Reveal solutionSolution
When H2S is passed slowly into a mixture of metal ions at equal concentration, the sulfide with the smallest Ksp precipitates first and the one with the largest Ksp precipitates last. Here: Hg2+ first, Ni2+ last.
Concept and Intuition
As H2S dissolves slowly, [S2−] rises gradually from near zero. A given sulfide MS starts to precipitate as soon as the ion product [M2+][S2−] exceeds its Ksp. Since all the metal ions start at the same concentration, the sulfide requiring the least [S2−] to reach its Ksp threshold — i.e., the one with the smallest Ksp — crosses that threshold first. The largest-Ksp sulfide needs the most [S2−] and so precipitates last.
Step-by-Step Solution
- List Ksp: NiS =4.7×10−5, ZnS =1.6×10−24, CdS =8×10−27, HgS =4×10−53.
- Order from smallest to largest: HgS < CdS < ZnS < NiS. …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-08-AN1 markMCQQ.A 1.0 L of aqueous solution contains 1×10−8 M NaBr, 1×10−8 M NaCl and 1×10−8 M NaI. To this solution, 1×10−10 M aqueous AgNO3 solution is added drop wise. The order of precipitation of Ag X (X = Cl, Br, I) is (KSP(AgCl)=1.8×10−10; KSP(AgBr)=5×10−13; KSP(AgI)=8.3×10−17) (A) AgBr, AgCl, AgI (B) AgCl, AgBr, AgI (C) AgI, AgBr, AgCl (D) AgBr, AgI, AgCl
›Reveal solutionSolution
With equal halide concentrations, the salt with the smallest solubility product needs the least added Ag⁺ to precipitate, giving the order AgI, then AgBr, then AgCl.
Concept and Intuition
When Ag⁺ is added slowly to a solution containing several halide ions at known concentrations, each silver halide begins to precipitate once the ion product [Ag+][X−] exceeds that salt's Ksp. Since all three halides here start at the same concentration (10−8 M), the required [Ag+] to trigger precipitation is Ksp/[X−] — directly proportional to Ksp. The salt with the smallest Ksp needs the smallest [Ag+], so it precipitates first as Ag⁺ concentration slowly rises; the salt with the largest Ksp needs the most Ag⁺ and precipitates last.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Required [Ag+] for AgI to start precipitating: 10−88.3×10−17=8.3×10−9 M.
- Required [Ag+] for AgBr: 10−85×10−13=5×10−5 M.
- Required [Ag+] for AgCl: 10−81.8×10−10=1.8×10−2 M. …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-20-FN1 markMCQQ.The solubility of AgBr(s), having solubility product 5×10−10 in 0.2 M NaBr solution, equals (A) 5×10−10 M (B) 25×10−10 M (C) 0.5 M (D) 0.002 M
›Reveal solutionSolution
The common-ion effect from 0.2 M NaBr fixes [Br−]≈0.2 M, so AgBr's solubility (=[Ag+]) works out to 2.5×10⁻⁹ M = 25×10⁻¹⁰ M. Answer (B).
Concept and Intuition
When a sparingly soluble salt dissolves in a solution already containing one of its constituent ions (here Br− from NaBr), the common-ion effect suppresses the salt's own dissociation, sharply reducing its solubility below the value in pure water. Because NaBr fully dissociates and is present at a concentration vastly larger than AgBr's own solubility, [Br−] can be taken as essentially fixed at the NaBr concentration.
Step-by-Step Solution
- AgBr(s)⇌Ag(aq)++Br(aq)−, with Ksp=[Ag+][Br−]=5×10−10.
- In 0.2 M NaBr, [Br−]≈0.2 M (the tiny extra Br⁻ from AgBr's own dissolution is negligible next to 0.2 M).
- Solubility of AgBr =[Ag+] (each formula unit that dissolves releases one Ag+). …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-24-FN1 markMCQQ.If the concentration of Ag+ ions in the saturated solution of Ag2CO3 is 1.20×10−4 mol.L−1, then find the solubility product of Ag2CO3. (A) 5.30×10−12 (B) 4.50×10−11 (C) 2.66×10−12 (D) 6.90×10−12
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using the molar solubility of Ag2CO3 (s=1.2×10−4) with the dissociation stoichiometry Ag2CO3→2Ag++CO32− gives Ksp=4s3≈6.9×10−12.
Concept and Intuition
Ag2CO3 dissociates as Ag2CO3⇌2Ag++CO32−. If s is the molar solubility of the compound, each formula unit that dissolves releases 2 silver ions and 1 carbonate ion, so [Ag+]=2s and [CO32−]=s — the factor of 2 (squared, since it enters Ksp as [Ag+]2) is the key stoichiometric detail this problem tests.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Dissociation: Ag2CO3→2Ag++CO32−.
- Let molar solubility =s=1.20×10−4 mol/L.
- [Ag+]=2s=2.4×10−4, [CO32−]=s=1.2×10−4. …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-25-AN1 markMCQQ.If the molar solubility (in mol.L−1) of a sparingly soluble salt AB4 is 'S', and the corresponding solubility product is 'Ksp', then S in terms of Ksp is given by the relation ______ (A) S=(128Ksp)1/4 (B) S=(256Ksp)1/5 (C) S=(256Ksp)1/5 (D) S=(128Ksp)1/4
›Reveal solutionSolution
Writing the dissociation of AB4 in terms of molar solubility S and substituting into the solubility-product expression gives S=(Ksp/256)1/5.
Concept and Intuition
For a sparingly soluble salt ABn that dissociates into one An+ ion and n B− ions, the solubility product Ksp is the product of ion concentrations, each raised to its stoichiometric coefficient. Since each mole of salt that dissolves produces 1 mole of An+ but n moles of B−, the B− concentration is n times the molar solubility, and this multiplicative factor gets raised to the nth power in the Ksp expression — producing a large numerical coefficient.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Dissociation: AB4⇌A4++4B−
- If molar solubility is S (mol/L of AB4 dissolved), then:
[A4+]=S,[B−]=4S
- Solubility product expression:
Ksp=[A4+][B−]4=S×(4S)4
- Expand (4S)4=256S4:
Ksp=S×256S4=256S5
- Solve for S: …
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