Yes, calcium is soluble in water. 1 Calcium is soluble in water because it forms hydrated calcium ions Ca2+ when it reacts with water molecules. These hydrated calcium ions become surrounded by water molecules, allowing them to disperse and remain in solution.
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Key Takeaways: Is Calcium Soluble in Water?
- Calcium is soluble in water because it forms hydrated calcium ions Ca2+ when it reacts with water molecules.
- The solubility of calcium in water is influenced by factors such as temperature and pH.
- Calcium can dissolve in other solvents besides water, but its solubility is generally lower compared to its solubility in water.
Explanation: Why is Calcium soluble in water?
Calcium dissolves in water because water molecules surround the calcium ions, forming hydration shells. The positive calcium ions are attracted to the negative oxygen atoms in water, and this attraction helps calcium dissolve in water and spread evenly throughout it.
When calcium is added to water, the water molecules surround the calcium ions due to their polar nature. Water is a polar molecule, meaning it has regions of partial positive and partial negative charges. The oxygen atom in water has a partial negative charge, while the hydrogen atoms have partial positive charges. 2 3
The positive calcium ions are attracted to the negative oxygen atoms of water molecules, forming hydration shells around the calcium ions. This interaction disrupts the ionic bonds holding the calcium ions together, causing them to dissolve in water.
The solubility of calcium in water is also influenced by factors such as temperature and pH. 4 Higher temperatures and lower pH levels tend to increase the solubility of calcium in water, while lower temperatures and higher pH levels can decrease its solubility.
These factors affect the strength of the hydration shells and the overall interaction between calcium ions and water molecules.
What factors affect the solubility of calcium in water?
The solubility of calcium in water can be influenced by several factors, including temperature and pH.
- Temperature: Generally, higher temperatures increase the solubility of calcium in water. When the temperature rises, the kinetic energy of the water molecules increases, allowing for more effective collisions with calcium ions, which promotes their dissolution. 5
- pH: The pH of water refers to its acidity or alkalinity. 6 7 Lower pH levels (acidic conditions) tend to increase the solubility of calcium in water. However, extremely low pH levels can lead to the formation of insoluble calcium salts. Higher pH levels (alkaline conditions) can decrease the solubility of calcium, causing it to precipitate out of the water as solid calcium carbonate. 8
- Other factors: The presence of other dissolved ions or compounds can also impact the solubility of calcium. For example, the presence of carbonate ions can form insoluble calcium carbonate, reducing its solubility.
It is important to note that these factors interact with each other, and their specific effects on calcium solubility may vary depending on the specific conditions.
Further reading
Why is KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) Soluble in Water?
Is PbCl2 Soluble in Water?
Why is Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) Soluble in Water?
Why is NH4Cl (Ammonium Chloride) Soluble in Water?
Why is AgNO3 (Silver Nitrate) Soluble in Water?
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References
- Boudreaux, K. A. (n.d.). Demonstrations – Calcium + Water. Demonstrations – Calcium + Water. https://www.angelo.edu/faculty/kboudrea/demos/calcium_H2O/calcium_H2O.htm
- Polarity https://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/biology/handouts/polar2.html
- Water molecules and their interaction with salt | U.S. Geological Survey. (n.d.). Water Molecules and Their Interaction With Salt | U.S. Geological Survey. https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/water-molecules-and-their-interaction-salt
- Solubility and Factors Affecting Solubility. (2013, October 2). Chemistry LibreTexts. https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Equilibria/Solubilty/Solubility_and_Factors_Affecting_Solubility
- Office of Marketing and Communications, G. E. (n.d.). Temperature and Water Molecules. Temperature and Water Molecules | Physics Van | UIUC. https://van.physics.illinois.edu/ask/listing/1497
- pH and Water | U.S. Geological Survey. (2019, October 22). pH And Water | U.S. Geological Survey. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/ph-and-water
- pH | US EPA. (2015, November 4). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/caddis-vol2/ph
- Mecc.edu https://water.mecc.edu/concepts/corrosioncauses.html