Three things to learn from this section 1. How chemical equilibrium applies to natural systems 2. Carbonate equilibrium of Natural systems 3. 3 2- and H 2 CO 3 when the pH is known.
Lets quickly review solubility rules.
In practice, this means that substances that dissolve in water would be expected to have a molecular structure like water. As a general rule, a substance that is not Ionic will not dissolve in water and a substance that is ionic does dissolve in water. The equilibrium expression that governs this reaction is called the solubility product, or K sp . K sp is a constant value for any substance, and if known, can be used to calculate the solubility of that substance in water. Calculating the solubility of calcium carbonate for a system open tot he air is more difficult than the simple example we just did.