To add more ions, but not get any precipitate?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenge of adding more ions to a solution without causing precipitation, specifically in the context of silver ions (Ag+) and chloride ions (Cl-). Participants explore various methods to manipulate ion concentrations while maintaining equilibrium and avoiding precipitate formation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest removing Cl- ions to allow for the addition of more Ag+ ions, while noting that this is limited by solubility.
  • Others argue that removing ions requires replacing them with other ions to maintain electrical neutrality, and the choice of replacement ions matters.
  • There is a proposal to use an anion exchange resin to replace Cl- with another anion, such as nitrate (NO3-), to achieve a solution of AgNO3.
  • Participants express uncertainty about the practical aspects of removing Cl- ions and the implications for the equilibrium of the solution.
  • Some participants question the underlying goal of the proposed actions, suggesting that the discussion may relate to a homework problem without a clear statement of the problem.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that removing Cl- ions could allow for the addition of Ag+, but there is no consensus on the best method to achieve this or the implications of doing so. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the practical execution of these ideas.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions about ion removal methods and the specific conditions under which the proposed solutions would be effective. The participants do not fully explore the mathematical or chemical details necessary to clarify the proposed approaches.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals interested in chemistry, particularly those exploring concepts related to ion exchange, solubility, and equilibrium in solutions.

angela107
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TL;DR
I'm given an equilibrium, what can I do if I wanted to add more silver ions and not get more precipitate?
Here's an image of the equilibrium
Screen Shot 2020-06-10 at 5.50.38 PM.png

I'm not sure how that's possible, but I'm thinking maybe I could remove Cl- ion so that the Ag+ ions don't have much to combine with.
 
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Not sure what you really mean. Yes, you are limited by the solubility and you can't add more Ag+ than defined by the concentration of Cl-. Yes, removing Cl- will allow adding more Ag+. But I have a feeling that can be only tangential to what you are really trying to achieve/solve/answer.
 
angela107 said:
I'm thinking maybe I could remove Cl- ion

You can't just remove ions - no matter how you plan to do that in practice (some details would be helpful). You need to replace them with other ions in order to keep the solution electrically neutral and it makes a difference if you replace Cl- with I- or with NO3- (for example).
 
Borek said:
Not sure what you really mean. Yes, you are limited by the solubility and you can't add more Ag+ than defined by the concentration of Cl-. Yes, removing Cl- will allow adding more Ag+. But I have a feeling that can be only tangential to what you are really trying to achieve/solve/answer.
I wasn't told to perform an action that could disrupt the equilibrium, I just need to find a way to add ions by any means necessary as long as I don't produce any precipitate. Removing Cl- ions could do the job...
 
angela107 said:
I just need to find a way to add ions by any means necessary as long as I don't produce any precipitate.

Does that mean you may also add something else in addition to Ag+ (e.g. NH3)?

angela107 said:
Removing Cl- ions could do the job...

Yes it could. But it matters how you do it. How do you plan to remove Cl- ions?
 
DrStupid said:
Does that mean you may also add something else in addition to Ag+ (e.g. NH3)?
Yes it could. But it matters how you do it. How do you plan to remove Cl- ions?
If I remove the Cl- ions, I would have to replace them with something else, as long as there is no precipitate involved.
 
angela107 said:
If I remove the Cl- ions, I would have to replace them with something else, as long as there is no precipitate involved.

Yes, but what would you replace them with and how would you do that in practice? I have no clear picture of what you want to do and why.
 
You could pass the solution through an anion exchange resin charged with the anion you want to add in place of Cl-. If it’s nitrate, charge the resin with ammonium nitrate, rinse well and then pass the AgCl solution through and exchange the Cl- with NO3-. Now you have a solution of AgNO3. You have changed the equilibrium because [Cl-] is essentially zero.

Add all the Ag+ you want to at that point (as the nitrate, of course).

I have no idea why you would want to do this...
 
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This sounds like a homework problem, without the included problem statement...
@angela107 is there a problem statement you could include?
 

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