Final answer:
Calcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) dissociates into three calcium ions (Ca2+) with a 2+ charge and two phosphate ions (PO4)3- with a 3- charge in water, maintaining electrical neutrality.
Step-by-step explanation:
When calcium phosphate, with the empirical formula Ca3(PO4)2, is added to water, it dissolves to some extent into ions. According to the solubility product equilibrium:
Ca3(PO4)2(s) ⇌ 3Ca2+ + 2PO43-
For every molecule of calcium phosphate that dissolves, three calcium ions (Ca2+) are formed, each with a 2+ charge, and two phosphate ions (PO43-) are formed, each with a 3- charge. This is because the compound must remain electrically neutral, thus the ratio of calcium to phosphate must balance the charges. The formula mass of calcium phosphate is found by adding the atomic masses of three calcium atoms, two phosphorus atoms, and eight oxygen atoms.