Equilibria of sparingly Soluble Salts

A salt will continue to dissolve until___is reached

equilibrium

the common ion effect

the addition of a common ion to a solution decreases the solubility of an ionic compound (Le Chatelier’s principle)

Qsp=Ksp

solution is already at equilibrium

Qsp<Ksp

solution is unsaturated, no precipitate will form

Qsp>Ksp

solution is supersaturated, precipitate will form to establish equilibrium

selective precipitation

useful technique for separating ions

which compound will precipitate first in a solution?

the compound with the lower solubility