Here's a breakdown of what Ksp represents and how it applies to aluminum hydroxide:
* Ksp (Solubility Product Constant): This is an equilibrium constant that describes the solubility of a sparingly soluble ionic compound in water. It's essentially a measure of how much of the compound can dissolve before the solution becomes saturated.
* Solubility of Aluminum Hydroxide: Al(OH)₃ is a very sparingly soluble compound, meaning it doesn't dissolve much in water.
* Equilibrium Reaction: When Al(OH)₃ dissolves, it dissociates into aluminum ions (Al³⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻):
Al(OH)₃(s) ⇌ Al³⁺(aq) + 3OH⁻(aq)
* Ksp Expression: The Ksp for Al(OH)₃ is expressed as:
Ksp = [Al³⁺][OH⁻]³
Where:
* [Al³⁺] is the molar concentration of aluminum ions in a saturated solution
* [OH⁻] is the molar concentration of hydroxide ions in a saturated solution
Therefore, the value of Ksp = 2 x 10⁻³² indicates that aluminum hydroxide is extremely insoluble in water.