Question

What ions are present when `"aluminum sulfate"`, `"ammonium carbonate"`, and `"calcium nitrate"` are dissolved in water?

Answer 1

Well, you tell us.........

Explanation:

We can write the individual chemical equations..........

`Al_2(SO_4)_3(s) stackrel(H_2O)rarr 2Al^(3+) + 3SO_4^(2-)`

`(NH_4)_2CO_3(s) stackrel(H_2O)rarr2NH_4^(+) + CO_3^(2-)`

`Ca(NO_3)_2(s) stackrel(H_2O)rarrCa^(2+) + 2NO_3^(-)`

Now clearly, the dissolution of one of the salts should give rise to the greatest number of ions. Hydrolysis of the individual ions should here be minimal. We assume (reasonably) that equimolar quantities of each salt are dissolved.