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9.6A: Physical Properties

  • Page ID
    33835
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    Despite low boiling point (-33.4 ºC), easy to handle.

    Solubilities, relatively high dielectric constant (ammonia, eo= 26.7 @ -60ºC; water, eo = 82 @ 18 ºC).

    Hence, ionic compounds can be soluble but the lower eo compared to water means that salt with highly charged, non-polarisable anions such as carbonates, sulphates, and phosphates are insoluble.

    NH3 is more polarizable than H2O, so salts with more polarizable anions are more soluble, hence the solubility trends.

    \[\ce{ F- < Cl- < Br- < I-}\]

    \[\ce{PO43- < SO42- < OAc- < NO3}\]

    specific solvation

    NH3 is a better a-donor than H2O and ammine complexes are formed, especially with the later transition (Ni2+, Cu2+) and B metals (Ag+, Zn2+). Hence higher solubilities for compounds of these metals than those of the A-metals.


    9.6A: Physical Properties is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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