Question

Part A - Calculate the molar solubility in water

Mg(OH)2 is a sparingly soluble salt with a solubility product, Ksp, of 5.61×10?11. It is used to control the pH and provide nutrients in the biological (microbial) treatment of municipal wastewater streams.

Based on the given value of the Ksp, what is the molar solubility of Mg(OH)2 in pure H2O?

Express your answer with the appropriate units.

molar solubility =

2.41×10?4 M

Calculate the molar solubility in NaOH

Based on the given value of the Ksp, what is the molar solubility of Mg(OH)2 in 0.120 M NaOH?

Express your answer with the appropriate units.

molar solubility =

3.90×10?9 M

Part C: Calculate how many times more soluble Mg(OH)2 is in pure water

Based on the given value of the Ksp, calculate the ratio of solubility of Mg(OH)2 dissolved in pure H2O to Mg(OH)2 dissolved in a 0.120 M NaOH solution.

A buffer is a mixed solution of a weak acid or base, combined with its conjugate. Note that this can be understood essentially as a common-ion problem: The conjugate is a common ion added to an equilibrium system of a weak acid or base. The addition of the conjugate shifts the equilibrium of the system to relieve the stress of the added concentration of the common ion. In a solution consisting of a weak acid or base, the equilibrium shift also results in a pH shift of the system.

It is the presence of the common ion in the system that results in buffering behavior, because both added H+ or OH? ions can be neutralized.

Part D

What is the pH change of a 0.240 M solution of citric acid (pKa=4.77) if citrate is added to a concentration of 0.175 M with no change in volume?