The Concept Of Solubility And Its Relation To Stone Formation In Our Bodies
Is dissolution just about getting a solid to be one with its solvent?
The word “solubility” can be thought of as a blending of the words “soluble” (dissolve) and “ability”. The solubility of a substance (or solute), therefore, refers to its ability to dissolve in a certain liquid (or solvent). The solubility of a substance can be visually represented as in the Youtube video below:
How do we know, then, when a solvent is saturated with a certain solute?
We can see excess undissolved solute precipitating out as solids.
That’s the mechanism as to how different stones will start forming in our bodies, whether they be kidney or gallstones!
The concept of the solubility product
It is said in this online textbook that:
The solubility product constant, Ksp, is the equilibrium constant for a solid substance dissolving in an aqueous solution. It represents the level at which a solute dissolves in solution. The more soluble a substance is, the higher the Ksp value it has.
The solubility product is further explained in this Youtube video:
We know that there are certain salts that dissolve well in water, while others don’t really dissolve well.
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