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Multiple Choice
The solubilities of CaCrO4 and PbCrO4 in water at 25°C are approximately 0.111 g/L and 0.0905 g/L in H2O respectively. Based on this information, which compound do you think has the smaller lattice energy?
A
CaCrO4
B
PbCrO4
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that lattice energy is the energy required to separate one mole of an ionic solid into its gaseous ions. It is related to the solubility of the compound: the lower the solubility, the higher the lattice energy, because the compound is more stable in its solid form.
Note the given solubilities: CaCrO4 has a solubility of 0.111 g/L, and PbCrO4 has a solubility of 0.0905 g/L. This means that CaCrO4 is more soluble in water than PbCrO4.
Since CaCrO4 is more soluble, it implies that it has a lower lattice energy compared to PbCrO4. This is because it requires less energy to dissolve in water, indicating weaker ionic bonds in the solid state.
Compare the solubility values: CaCrO4's higher solubility suggests it has weaker ionic interactions in the solid state, leading to a smaller lattice energy compared to PbCrO4.
Conclude that based on the solubility data, CaCrO4 has the smaller lattice energy because it is more soluble in water, indicating weaker ionic bonds in the solid form compared to PbCrO4.