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Is lithium bicarbonate an aqueous solution of lithium carbonate?
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Adrian Dominguez
Is lithium bicarbonate an aqueous solution of lithium carbonate?
In a nutshell:
Depends how you define the solubility. The solubility product constants for lithium carbonate $\ce{Li2CO3}$ and magnesium carbonate $\ce{MgCO3}$ are $\ce{8.15×10^{-4}}$ and $\ce{6.82×10^{-6}}$ respectively. Thus, the solubility of magnesium carbonate in water at RT two orders of magnitude lower comparing to the solubility of lithium carbonate... approximately $\ce{0.014g/100ml}$ vs. $\ce{1.29g/100 mL}$.
It is a combination or synthesis reaction.
... basically lithium bicarbonate is aqueous solution of lithium carbonate.
Not really. It will be a mixture of lithium cations, carbonate and bicarbonate anions.
However, when the two reaction are compared, we observe that lithium carbonate reacts with water to form lithium bicarbonate. It seems contradictory with the above statement. How is this possible?
All salts of either weak base and/or weak acid will hydrolyze (react with water). For most cases its not important, thus no needs to complicate it. Where it is important, there is no need to name it, it is clear as it is. BTW what would be the proper name in your opinion?
The same logic - simplicity. That's why we have bromine water (: Can you come up with alternative names? Would be interesting to find out what do you have on your mind on this subject.
Depends how you define the solubility. The solubility product constants for lithium carbonate $\ce{Li2CO3}$ and magnesium carbonate $\ce{MgCO3}$ are $\ce{8.15×10^{-4}}$ and $\ce{6.82×10^{-6}}$ respectively. Thus, the solubility of magnesium carbonate in water at RT two orders of magnitude lower comparing to the solubility of lithium carbonate... approximately $\ce{0.014g/100ml}$ vs. $\ce{1.29g/100 mL}$.
It is a combination or synthesis reaction.
... basically lithium bicarbonate is aqueous solution of lithium carbonate.
Not really. It will be a mixture of lithium cations, carbonate and bicarbonate anions.
However, when the two reaction are compared, we observe that lithium carbonate reacts with water to form lithium bicarbonate. It seems contradictory with the above statement. How is this possible?
All salts of either weak base and/or weak acid will hydrolyze (react with water). For most cases its not important, thus no needs to complicate it. Where it is important, there is no need to name it, it is clear as it is. BTW what would be the proper name in your opinion?
The same logic - simplicity. That's why we have bromine water (: Can you come up with alternative names? Would be interesting to find out what do you have on your mind on this subject.
Lithium bicarbonate solution is something like a lithium carbonate solution in the sense that precipitation would produce the carbonate instead of the bicarbonate. But what is in solution is mostly lithium and bicarbonate ions. Precipitation is accompanied by a reaction in which the highly polarizing lithium ions react with bicarbonate:
Lithium bicarbonate solution is something like a lithium carbonate solution in the sense that precipitation would produce the carbonate instead of the bicarbonate. But what is in solution is mostly lithium and bicarbonate ions. Precipitation is accompanied by a reaction in which the highly polarizing lithium ions react with bicarbonate:
In a nutshell:
Depends how you define the solubility. The solubility product constants for lithium carbonate $\ce{Li2CO3}$ and magnesium carbonate $\ce{MgCO3}$ are $\ce{8.15×10^{-4}}$ and $\ce{6.82×10^{-6}}$ respectively. Thus, the solubility of magnesium carbonate in water at RT two orders of magnitude lower comparing to the solubility of lithium carbonate... approximately $\ce{0.014g/100ml}$ vs. $\ce{1.29g/100 mL}$.
It is a combination or synthesis reaction.
Not really. It will be a mixture of lithium cations, carbonate and bicarbonate anions.
All salts of either weak base and/or weak acid will hydrolyze (react with water). For most cases its not important, thus no needs to complicate it. Where it is important, there is no need to name it, it is clear as it is. BTW what would be the proper name in your opinion?
In a nutshell:
Depends how you define the solubility. The solubility product constants for lithium carbonate $\ce{Li2CO3}$ and magnesium carbonate $\ce{MgCO3}$ are $\ce{8.15×10^{-4}}$ and $\ce{6.82×10^{-6}}$ respectively. Thus, the solubility of magnesium carbonate in water at RT two orders of magnitude lower comparing to the solubility of lithium carbonate... approximately $\ce{0.014g/100ml}$ vs. $\ce{1.29g/100 mL}$.
It is a combination or synthesis reaction.
Not really. It will be a mixture of lithium cations, carbonate and bicarbonate anions.
All salts of either weak base and/or weak acid will hydrolyze (react with water). For most cases its not important, thus no needs to complicate it. Where it is important, there is no need to name it, it is clear as it is. BTW what would be the proper name in your opinion?
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Lithium bicarbonate solution is something like a lithium carbonate solution in the sense that precipitation would produce the carbonate instead of the bicarbonate. But what is in solution is mostly lithium and bicarbonate ions. Precipitation is accompanied by a reaction in which the highly polarizing lithium ions react with bicarbonate:
$2\ce {Li+}+2\ce {HCO_3-}\rightarrow \ce {Li2CO_3}(s)+\ce {H2O}+\ce {CO2}$
Other alkali metals give less polarizing ions and do not react in the same way; they just precipitate the bicarbonate salt.
Lithium bicarbonate solution is something like a lithium carbonate solution in the sense that precipitation would produce the carbonate instead of the bicarbonate. But what is in solution is mostly lithium and bicarbonate ions. Precipitation is accompanied by a reaction in which the highly polarizing lithium ions react with bicarbonate:
$2\ce {Li+}+2\ce {HCO_3-}\rightarrow \ce {Li2CO_3}(s)+\ce {H2O}+\ce {CO2}$
Other alkali metals give less polarizing ions and do not react in the same way; they just precipitate the bicarbonate salt.
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