Question
Question: Why are \( BeS{{O}_{4}} \) and \( MgS{{O}_{4}} \) readily soluble in water while \( CaS{{O}_{4}} \) ...
Why are BeSO4 and MgSO4 readily soluble in water while CaSO4 , SrSO4 and BaSO4 are insoluble?
Solution
The alkaline earth metals are a set of six chemical elements in the periodic table's group 2. At normal temperature and pressure, the elements have extremely similar properties: they are all lustrous, silvery-white, and slightly reactive metals. They (together with helium) share a complete outer s-orbital structurally; that is, this orbital includes its full complement of two electrons, which the alkaline earth metals quickly lose to form cations with charge +2 and oxidation state +2.
Complete answer:
Hydroxide has the chemical formula OH− and is a diatomic anion. It has a negative electric charge and is made up of an oxygen and hydrogen atom bound together by a single covalent bond. It is a significant but typically insignificant component of water. It has the properties of a base, ligand, nucleophile, and catalyst. Some of the salts formed by the hydroxide ion dissolve in aqueous solution, releasing solvated hydroxide ions.
The change in enthalpy when one mole of gaseous ion dissolves in a sufficient amount of water to create an infinitely dilute solution under a typical setting of 1 bar pressure is known as hydration enthalpy. Enthalpy of hydration is defined as the quantity of energy produced when one mole of gaseous ions is diluted. It may be thought of as the enthalpy of solvation, using water as the solvent. The hydration enthalpy, commonly known as hydration energy, is always negative.
The hydroxides of the lighter alkaline earth metals are insoluble in water, but as the atomic number of the metal grows, so does their solubility. The solubility of group 2 sulphates is determined by their hydration energy, which decreases as the group progresses. Group 2 sulphates have nearly identical lattice energies. The hydration enthalpy of Be2+ and Mg2+ ions is extremely high, and their sulphates are soluble. Ca2+,Sr2+,Ba2+ , on the other hand, cannot overcome their lattice enthalpy and remain insoluble in water.
Note:
All of the alkaline earth metals react with halogens to produce ionic halides like calcium chloride ( CaCl2 ), as well as with oxygen to form oxides like strontium oxide (SrO). Calcium, strontium, and barium react with water to generate hydrogen gas and their respective hydroxides (magnesium interacts as well, although at a slower rate), as well as transmetalation reactions to exchange ligands.