Calculating concentration of ions in solution

• The concentration of ions in solution depends on the

mole ratio between the dissolved substance and the
cations and anions in solution.
• NaCl(aq) Na+(aq) + Cl- (aq)
• Sodium chloride dissociates into Na+ cations and Cl- ions
when dissolved in water. Notice that 1 mole of NaCl will
produce 1 mole of Na+ and 1 mole of Cl-
• Thus, if you have a NaCl solution with a concentration
of 1.0M, the concentration of the Na+ ion will be 1.0M
and the concentration of the Cl- ion will be 1.0M as well.
• Assume you have a 1.0M Na2SO4 solution.
• Na2SO4 (aq) 2Na+(aq) +SO42-(aq)
• The mole ratio between Na2SO4 is 1:2 which
means that 1 mole of the former will produce
2 moles of the latter in solution. This means
that the concentration of the Na+ ions will be
• 1.0M x 2 moles Na+ = 2.0M
1 mole Na2SO4
• Ccompound = nCompound/V
• V = nCompound/Ccompound
• Cion = nion/V =nion x I/V =nion x Ccompound/ncompound
• Cion = Ccompound x nion/ncompound
15.7 Stoichiometry of Solution Reactions
•Write a balanced equation
•Calculate the # of moles of reactants
•Determine limiting reactant
•Calculate # of moles of other reactant or product, as required
•Convert to grams (or other units)
Example: Calculate the mass of solid NaCl that must be added to 1.50 L of a
0.100 M AgNO3 solution to precipitate all of the Ag+ ions in the form of AgCl.
And, calculate the mass of AgCl formed.
AgNO3 + NaCl  AgCl(s) + NaNO3
1.50 L x 0.100 mol/1 L = 0.150 mol Ag+ ions
We need 0.150 mol Cl- ions.
We need 0.150 mol of NaCl(s):
0.150 mol NaCl x 58.4 g/1 mol = 8.76 g NaCl needed
0.150 mol AgCl x 143.3 g AgCl/1 mol = 21.5 g AgCl will precipitate
(Note: copy error in this problem!!)
Problem: When Ba(NO3)2 and K2CrO4 react in aqueous
solution, the yellow solid BaCrO4 is formed. Calculate
the mass of BaCrO4 that forms when 3.50 x 10-3 mole of
Ba(NO3)2 is dissolved in 265 mL of 0.0100 M K2CrO4
solution.
Ba(NO3)2 + K2CrO4  BaCrO4 (s) + 2KNO3 (aq)
3.50 x 10-3 mol
Mol of CrO42-: 0.265 L x 0.0100 mol/1 L = 0.00265

Reacts in a 1:1 ratio (hint: which is the LR?)

You will make 2.65 x 10-3 mol of BaCrO4.
2.65 x 10-3 mol x 253.3 g/1 mol = 0.671 g
Calculating Ion Concentrations from Molarity
Give the concentrations of all the ions in each of the
following solutions:
a. 0.50 M Co(NO3)2 (0.50 M Co2+, 1.0 M NO3-)

b. 1 M FeCl3 (1 M Fe3+, 3 M Cl-)

c. 0.10 M Na2CO3