Rules of Solubility

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Despotic

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
56
Location
Georgia
I ran across this and thought it should be shared.

O.K., here it comes, deez ah de rules!!

Rules of Solubility

1. Nitrates, chlorates, and acetates of all metals are water-soluble. No exceptions.
2. All Sodium, Potassium, and ammonium salts are soluble in water. No exceptions.
3. 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.
4. Carbonates, Phosphates, Borates, Sulfites, Chromates, and Arsenates of all metals except for sodium, Potassium, and Ammonia are water-soluble.
5. Sulphates of all metals except for Barium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, and Ammonia are water-soluble.
6. Oxides and Hydroxides are water insoluble except for Sodium, Potassium, and ammonia. (Hydroxides of Calcium and Barium are moderately soluble in water.

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”.

Credit goes to Dr. A.K. Williams, Ph.D
EDIT: Changed #5 from sulfides to sulphates
 
That is not correct,

5. Sulfides of all metals except for Barium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, and Ammonia are water-soluble.

Iron sulphide is the same as pyrite and the last time I checked it did not dissolve in water, neither did my samples of chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, molybdite.... and so on.

I have a hard time to think that some one that is Dr and Ph.D making such a mistake so maybe there was a transcription error on the way. Maybe it is sulphates the list talks about.
 
I tried to e-mail the Dr. to clear this matter but the e-mail addy I have for him would not go through. I have no inorganic chemistry background except for the little I learned in high school so I have no ground to change the mistake if indeed it is.

I consider Lou's remarks as the holy grail of inorganic chemistry so I guess we will wait on him to correct this matter.
here is the link to the "Rules of Solubility"
http://tinyurl.com/c4qkck
 
g_axelsson said:
That is not correct,

5. Sulfides of all metals except for Barium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, and Ammonia are water-soluble.

Iron sulphide is the same as pyrite and the last time I checked it did not dissolve in water, neither did my samples of chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, molybdite.... and so on.

I have a hard time to think that some one that is Dr and Ph.D making such a mistake so maybe there was a transcription error on the way. Maybe it is sulphates the list talks about.

Note that his comments were for "ates", not "ides".

Harold
 
Harold_V said:
Note that his comments were for "ates", not "ides".
yes, after a study of wiki, it does seem the good doctor has made a mistake.

To me some of the "ates" and "ides" descriptions might as well be in Chinese so I'm diffident in this matter. I'll wait for a definite, "the doctor's statement is wrong," answer.
 
Despotic said:
Harold_V said:
Note that his comments were for "ates", not "ides".
yes, after a study of wiki, it does seem the good doctor has made a mistake.

To me some of the "ates" and "ides" descriptions might as well be in Chinese so I'm diffident in this matter. I'll wait for a definite, "the doctor's statement is wrong," answer.

One example I might cite is iron. Ferrous sulfide (pyrite) isn't soluble in water, yet ferrous sulfate is (copperas, a reagent that can be used to precipitate gold).

Just trying to point out that g_axelsson's statement was flawed.

Harold
 
Harold_V said:
One example I might cite is iron. Ferrous sulfide (pyrite) isn't soluble in water, yet ferrous sulfate is (copperas, a reagent that can be used to precipitate gold).

Just trying to point out that g_axelsson's statement was flawed.
Harold

And I thought that was exactly what I wrote. Pyrite isn't soluble in water and that the original list maybe listed sulphates, not sulphides.
Did you read the quote and thought that I wrote it? That was the part from the original list that I objected against.

If point 5 on the list was about sulphates it would make sense, barium sulphate is the mineral baryte, non soluble, calcium sulphate is anhydrite, non soluble, and so on.

Sorry if I'm not clear enough, English isn't my first language.
 
g_axelsson said:
Sorry if I'm not clear enough, English isn't my first language.
I believe both you and Harold have been very clear on this.
#5 has been changed to read:
5. Sulphates of all metals except for Barium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, and Ammonia are water-soluble.

Is this statement correct?
 
g_axelsson said:
Harold_V said:
One example I might cite is iron. Ferrous sulfide (pyrite) isn't soluble in water, yet ferrous sulfate is (copperas, a reagent that can be used to precipitate gold).

Just trying to point out that g_axelsson's statement was flawed.
Harold

And I thought that was exactly what I wrote. Pyrite isn't soluble in water and that the original list maybe listed sulphates, not sulphides.
Did you read the quote and thought that I wrote it? That was the part from the original list that I objected against.

If point 5 on the list was about sulphates it would make sense, barium sulphate is the mineral baryte, non soluble, calcium sulphate is anhydrite, non soluble, and so on.

Sorry if I'm not clear enough, English isn't my first language.

You're doing fine with your English, _axelsson. I failed to notice the one word in line 5 (which has now been changed to sulfate), and I agree with you-----in that instance he did mention sulfides, and he was wrong about that. Sorry! :oops:

Harold
 
No problem Harold. :D

I admit when I am wrong, which have been proved several times already on this board. :oops: But as long as I feel that I'm right I stand my ground until proven wrong.

I always enjoy your writings and respect your experience, to see that even you can make a mistake sometime is only making you human, even if it just was a reading error.

May your beakers be full of gold!

:D

Göran
 
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