How does the pH of a solution influence the rate that it will dissolve a chemical compound?
Answer In any posts, per the instructions, add why you are asking the question. Helps tell the students for the working people. You could be a 63 year old student, but ok. There are several ways this can happen. It is usually not a change in rate, but a change in the reaction taking place. Let’s look at something like calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). When it dissolves the equation is Ca(OH)2 = Ca+2 + 2OH- If the solution is made very basic, lots of OH- already present, the dissolving step is slowed, because the reaction above is out of balance. The dissolving is governed by physical law (and thus math) which says that if one of the components is already present, you can’t dissolve as much. Note that this says not as much CAN dissolve. The “rate” of the dissolving that does happen is the same no matter the pH. That is a basic concept that should be remembered and is mixed up alot. Because it takes longer to turn all the solid into dissolved matter, we say it is slower. But the actual step w
