Final answer:
The amount of salt that will dissolve in a liter of pure water given the Ksp cannot be directly determined as Ksp represents ion concentration at saturation. The dissolution amount is calculated from the molar solubility and molar mass of the substance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The amount of a salt that will dissolve in a liter of pure water when given the Ksp (solubility product constant) cannot be determined solely by the Ksp value. This is because Ksp is the product of the concentrations of the ions at saturation, not the amount of salt that will dissolve. The actual amount that dissolves must be determined through a calculation involving molar solubility and molar mass.
To calculate how much of a substance will dissolve using the Ksp, one must write the dissolution reaction and the associated expression for Ksp. From there, the molar solubility can be deduced, which can then be converted into grams per liter using the molar mass of the substance. This process is essential for determining the solubility of a salt in water.
For example:
If a substance, AX, has a Ksp and dissociates into A+ and X- in water, the Ksp would be expressed as:
Ksp = [A+][X-]
From the Ksp, the molar solubility (s) can then be calculated. If AX is the solid and it dissolves to form A+ and X-, then when s moles dissolve, the concentration of both ions will be s, thus Ksp = s2. Solving for s gives the molarity of the saturated solution, which can be converted to grams per liter (g/L) using the molar mass of AX.