Final answer:
The statement is false; the reaction of gypsum involves more than just dissolution and precipitation. Precipitation reactions, which gypsum can be a part of, occur when dissolved substances form solid products after ionic exchange in double replacement reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the chemical reaction of gypsum products involves only dissolution and precipitation is false. While dissolution and precipitation are indeed chemical processes that can occur with gypsum, a complete description of the chemical reaction of gypsum products typically includes hydration or dehydration processes as well. For example, the manufacture of plaster of Paris involves heating gypsum to about 150°C to drive off part of the water of crystallization, resulting in the partially dehydrated product.
A precipitation reaction is important to understand. It occurs when dissolved substances in an aqueous solution react to form solid products, often due to the exchange of ions between ionic compounds, known as double replacement or metathesis reactions. These reactions can result from a solubility imbalance, where a slightly soluble electrolyte begins to precipitate once the magnitude of the reaction quotient exceeds the solubility product and will continue until both are equal.