Question

Monuments made of marble or limestone, such as the Taj Mahal in India and the Mayan temples in Mexico, are suffering erosion by acid rain. The carbonate stone is converted by the acid rain into the relatively more soluble sulfate. CaCO(s) + H,SO (aq) + Caso (s) + H,O(l) +CO(g) (a) Write an expression for the solubility product, K, of CaSO., stating its units. (b) The K, of Caso, has a numerical value of 3 x 10. Use your expression in (i) to calculate [CaSO) in a saturated solution (c) Hence calculate the maximum loss in mass of a small statue if 100 dm'of acid rain falls on it. Assume the statue is made of pure calcium carbonate, and that the acid rain becomes saturated with CaSO.. 3 The solubility product, K. of magnesium hydroxide has a numerical value of 2.0 x 10" (a) Write an expression for the K, of magnesium hydroxide, stating its units. (b) Use the value of K, given to calculate the concentration of Mg(OH), in a saturated solution. (c) Explain whether magnesium hydroxide would be more or less soluble in 0.1 mol dm MgSO (aq) than in water.

Answer 1