Ions in Solution - MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

The Vant Hoff factor indicates how many particles a solid produces when dissolved in solution. When Li3PO4dissolves in solution, there are three Li+ molecules and one molecule of PO4-3. The Vant Hoff factor is equal to the sum of molecules: .

Osmotic pressure is defined as the tendency for water to diffuse into a solution via osmosis. Since the membrane is not permeable to ions, the salt ions are unable to cross the membrane and make the concentrations equal on both sides of the tube. Instead, water will flow to the side that has salt until the pressure in the tube with salt equals the forces of entropy. This will result in a higher level of water on the side of the tube with salt in it.

Solutions can occur in all three phases of matter. They can also occur between two compounds in a single phase. For example, brass is a solution of two metals: zinc and copper.

Start by writing the total ionic equation, using the following steps.

1. Break all soluble strong electrolytes, denoted by "(aq)," into their ions, indicating the number and charge of each ion.

2. Bring along unchanged any compounds denoted as "(s)," "(l)," or "(g)."

Remove any ions appearing on both sides of the reaction (any "spectator" ions) to get the net ionic equation.

Spectator ions:

Remember that there are two types of ions: cations and anions. Cations are produced when a atom of a molecule loses an electron. A neutral atom will contain no charge; however, when the atom loses an electron the atom becomes positively charged because it will contain more protons than electrons. In reaction 2, the nitrogen in ammonia loses an electron (because it shares the electron with the new hydrogen atom), which produces a positively charged ammonium ion. The ammonium ion is a cation because of this positive charge.

Anions are formed when an atom gains an electron, which makes the overall charge of an atom negative. The hydroxide ions from reaction 2 are anions.

The copper ion is able to form four covalent bonds. This can be explained with electron configurations.

The copper atom configuration:

The copper ion configuration:

The copper ion can accept electrons that fill empty and levels. In this example, the chemical equation is as follows:

Complex ions typically form when coordinate covalent bonds are formed between ligands, such as water or chloride, and metal ions that have lost electrons and have available orbitals. While one answer choice, "Both compounds are able to form coordinate covalent bonds with a metal ion," may seem correct, this happens within the compound. The compounds themselves are ions that will form ionic compounds.

The central iron in hemoglobin is the middle of a complex compound and is involved in six covalent bonds (coordination number of 6). It is bonded to five nitrogen atoms, one of which is part of an amino acid in the globin protein. This leaves one remaining bond, which can be with water, oxygen, or carbon monoxide (which forms a very stable bond, making it toxic).

The question states that the patient has a low blood pressure, suggesting that the patient has a low concentration of electrolytes in his blood. To counter this, the doctor must prescribe a solution that will increase the concentration of electrolytes in blood. The best solution would be to increase the consumption of salt, or sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is a strong electrolyte and will dissociate into sodium ions and chlorine ions. This will increase the blood pressure of the patient and will remedy the problem.

Spending an hour a day in a hot sauna will cause excessive sweating. Remember that salts are excreted through sweat; therefore, the electrolyte concentration, and the patient's blood pressure, will decrease further if the patient spends time in a sauna. Although lithium chloride is a strong electrolyte (like sodium chloride), the doctor will not prescribe lithium chloride because it is a toxic substance.

Electrolyte solutions are formed when a compound creates ions once in solution. Carbon dioxide will not create ions in solution, so it is not a good electrolyte.

(This is the acid dissociation for acetic acid.)

The Vant Hoff factor indicates how many particles a solid produces when dissolved in solution. When Li3PO4dissolves in solution, there are three Li+ molecules and one molecule of PO4-3. The Vant Hoff factor is equal to the sum of molecules: .

Osmotic pressure is defined as the tendency for water to diffuse into a solution via osmosis. Since the membrane is not permeable to ions, the salt ions are unable to cross the membrane and make the concentrations equal on both sides of the tube. Instead, water will flow to the side that has salt until the pressure in the tube with salt equals the forces of entropy. This will result in a higher level of water on the side of the tube with salt in it.

Solutions can occur in all three phases of matter. They can also occur between two compounds in a single phase. For example, brass is a solution of two metals: zinc and copper.

Start by writing the total ionic equation, using the following steps.

1. Break all soluble strong electrolytes, denoted by "(aq)," into their ions, indicating the number and charge of each ion.

2. Bring along unchanged any compounds denoted as "(s)," "(l)," or "(g)."

Remove any ions appearing on both sides of the reaction (any "spectator" ions) to get the net ionic equation.

Spectator ions:

Remember that there are two types of ions: cations and anions. Cations are produced when a atom of a molecule loses an electron. A neutral atom will contain no charge; however, when the atom loses an electron the atom becomes positively charged because it will contain more protons than electrons. In reaction 2, the nitrogen in ammonia loses an electron (because it shares the electron with the new hydrogen atom), which produces a positively charged ammonium ion. The ammonium ion is a cation because of this positive charge.

Anions are formed when an atom gains an electron, which makes the overall charge of an atom negative. The hydroxide ions from reaction 2 are anions.

The copper ion is able to form four covalent bonds. This can be explained with electron configurations.

The copper atom configuration:

The copper ion configuration:

The copper ion can accept electrons that fill empty and levels. In this example, the chemical equation is as follows:

Complex ions typically form when coordinate covalent bonds are formed between ligands, such as water or chloride, and metal ions that have lost electrons and have available orbitals. While one answer choice, "Both compounds are able to form coordinate covalent bonds with a metal ion," may seem correct, this happens within the compound. The compounds themselves are ions that will form ionic compounds.

The central iron in hemoglobin is the middle of a complex compound and is involved in six covalent bonds (coordination number of 6). It is bonded to five nitrogen atoms, one of which is part of an amino acid in the globin protein. This leaves one remaining bond, which can be with water, oxygen, or carbon monoxide (which forms a very stable bond, making it toxic).

The question states that the patient has a low blood pressure, suggesting that the patient has a low concentration of electrolytes in his blood. To counter this, the doctor must prescribe a solution that will increase the concentration of electrolytes in blood. The best solution would be to increase the consumption of salt, or sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is a strong electrolyte and will dissociate into sodium ions and chlorine ions. This will increase the blood pressure of the patient and will remedy the problem.

Spending an hour a day in a hot sauna will cause excessive sweating. Remember that salts are excreted through sweat; therefore, the electrolyte concentration, and the patient's blood pressure, will decrease further if the patient spends time in a sauna. Although lithium chloride is a strong electrolyte (like sodium chloride), the doctor will not prescribe lithium chloride because it is a toxic substance.