Aluminum hydroxide forms a positively charged sol. Which of the following ionic substances should be most effective in coagulating the sol?

NaCl
CaCl2
Fe2(SO4)3
K3PO4

The idea behind coagulating sols is to use those salts that have the highest + and - charges and the most ions.

so how do i tell which has the highest + and - charges

Answered below.

To determine which salt has the highest positive and negative charges, you need to look at the charges of the ions within each salt compound. The higher the charge of the ions, the more effective the salt will be in coagulating the sol.

Let's break down each salt and examine the charges of their respective ions:

1. NaCl: Sodium chloride consists of sodium ions (Na+) with a charge of +1, and chloride ions (Cl-) with a charge of -1.

2. CaCl2: Calcium chloride consists of calcium ions (Ca2+) with a charge of +2, and chloride ions (Cl-) with a charge of -1.

3. Fe2(SO4)3: Iron(III) sulfate consists of iron(III) ions (Fe3+) with a charge of +3, and sulfate ions (SO42-) with a charge of -2.

4. K3PO4: Potassium phosphate consists of potassium ions (K+) with a charge of +1, and phosphate ions (PO43-) with a charge of -3.

Based on the charges of the ions, it's clear that Fe2(SO4)3 has the highest overall charge. The iron(III) ions have a charge of +3, while the sulfate ions have a charge of -2. This combination of high positive and negative charges makes Fe2(SO4)3 the most effective salt among the options for coagulating the sol.

Therefore, the answer is Fe2(SO4)3.