Equilibrium for CaSO4 written as follows:
CaSO4⇌Ca2++SO42−
Assume [Ca2+] is same as [SO42−] equal to x.
Corresponding Ksp expression in terms of activity coefficients is as written as follows:
Ksp=[Ca2+][SO42−] (1)
Substitute 2.4×10−5 for Ksp and x for both [Ca2+] and [SO42−] in equation (1).
2.4×10−5=x2x=4.8989×10−3 M
Formula to compute ionic strength is as follows:
μ=12(c1z12+c2z22) (2)
Substitute +2 for z1, 4.8989×10−3 M for c1, −2 for z2, 4.8989×10−3 M for c2 in equation (2).
μ=12((4.8989×10−3 M)(+2)2+(4.8989×10−3 M)(−2)2)=19.6×10−3 M≈0.0196 M
For Ca2+ ion, interval for μ that includes 0.0196 M is 0.485 to 0.675 and corresponding interval for γ is from 0.05 to 0.01.
Expression for linear interpolation is given as follows:
unknown γ intervalΔγ=unknown μ intervalΔμ (3)
Substitute 0.485−0.675 for Δγ, 0.485−γ for unknown γ interval, 0.05−0.01 for Δμ and 0.05−0.0196 for known μ interval equation (3).
0.485−γ0.485−0.675=0.05−0.01960.05−0.01γ=0.629
Thus activity coefficient of Ca2+ ion is 0.629.
Substitute 0.445−0.660 for Δγ, 0.445−γ for unknown γ interval, 0.05−0.01 for Δμ and 0.05−0.0196 for known μ interval equation (3) to calculate γ for SO42− ion.
0.445−γ0.445−0.660=0.05−0.01960.05−0.01γ=0.6084
Thus activity coefficient of SO42− ion is 0.6084.
Corresponding Ksp expression in terms of activity coefficients is as written as follows:
Ksp=[Ca2+](γCa2+)[SO42−](γSO42−) (4)
Substitute 0.629 for γCa2+, 0.608 for γSO42−, and 2.4×10−5 for Ksp and x for both [Ca2+] and [SO42−] in equation (4).
2.4×10−5=x2(0.629)(0.608)x=7.92×10−3 M
For the next iteration,
Substitute +2 for z1, 7.92×10−3 M for c1, −2 for z2, 7.92×10−3 M for c2 in equation (2).
μ=12((7.92×10−3 M)(+2)2+(7.92×10−3 M)(−2)2)=31.7×10−3 M≈0.0317 M
For Ca2+ ion, interval for μ that includes 0.0317 M is 0.485 to 0.675 and corresponding interval for γ is from 0.05 to 0.01.
Substitute 0.485−0.675 for Δγ, 0.485−γ for unknown γ interval, 0.05−0.01 for Δμ and 0.05−0.0317 for known μ interval equation (3).
0.485−γ0.485−0.675=0.05−0.03170.05−0.01γ=0.572
Thus activity coefficient of Ca2+ ion is 0.572.
Substitute 0.445−0.660 for Δγ, 0.445−γ for unknown γ interval, 0.05−0.01 for Δμ and 0.05−0.0317 for known μ interval equation (3) to calculate γ for SO42− ion.
0.445−γ0.445−0.660=0.05−0.03170.05−0.01γ=0.543
Thus activity coefficient of SO42− ion is 0.543.
Substitute 0.572 for γCa2+, 0.543 for γSO42−, and 2.4×10−5 for Ksp and x for both [Ca2+] and [SO42−] in equation (4).
2.4×10−5=x2(0.572)(0.573)x=8.79×10−3 M
For the next iteration,
Substitute +2 for z1, 8.79×10−3 M for c1, −2 for z2, 8.79×10−3 M for c2 in equation (2).
μ=12((8.79×10−3 M)(+2)2+(8.79×10−3 M)(−2)2)=35.16×10−3 M≈0.03516 M
For Ca2+ ion, interval for μ that includes 0.03516 M is 0.485 to 0.675 and corresponding interval for γ is from 0.05 to 0.01.
Substitute 0.485−0.675 for Δγ, 0.485−γ for unknown γ interval, 0.05−0.01 for Δμ and 0.05−0.03516 for known μ interval equation (3).
0.485−γ0.485−0.675=0.05−0.03170.05−0.01γ=0.555
Thus activity coefficient of Ca2+ ion is 0.572.
Substitute 0.445−0.660 for Δγ, 0.445−γ for unknown γ interval, 0.05−0.01 for Δμ and 0.05−0.03516 for known μ interval equation (3) to calculate γ for SO42− ion.
0.445−γ0.445−0.660=0.05−0.03170.05−0.01γ=0.525
Thus activity coefficient of SO42− ion is 0.525.
Substitute 0.555 for γCa2+, 0.525 for γSO42−, and 2.4×10−5 for Ksp and x for both [Ca2+] and [SO42−] in equation (4).
2.4×10−5=x2(0.555)(0.525)x=9.08×10−3 M
For the next iteration,
Substitute +2 for z1, 9.08×10−3 M for c1, −2 for z2, 9.08×10−3 M for c2 in equation (2).
μ=12((9.08×10−3 M)(+2)2+(9.08×10−3 M)(−2)2)=36.32×10−3 M≈0.0363 M
For Ca2+ ion, interval for μ that includes 0.0363 M is 0.485 to 0.675 and corresponding interval for γ is from 0.05 to 0.01.
Substitute 0.485−0.675 for Δγ, 0.485−γ for unknown γ interval, 0.05−0.01 for Δμ and 0.05−0.0363 for known μ interval equation (3).
0.485−γ0.485−0.675=0.05−0.03630.05−0.01γ=0.550
Thus activity coefficient of Ca2+ ion is 0.550.
Substitute 0.445−0.660 for Δγ, 0.445−γ for unknown γ interval, 0.05−0.01 for Δμ and 0.05−0.0363 for known μ interval equation (3) to calculate γ for SO42− ion.
0.445−γ0.445−0.660=0.05−0.03630.05−0.01γ=0.519
Thus activity coefficient of SO42− ion is 0.519.
Substitute 0.550 for γCa2+, 0.519 for γSO42−, and 2.4×10−5 for Ksp and x for both [Ca2+] and [SO42−] in equation (4).
2.4×10−5=x2(0.550)(0.519)x=9.16×10−3 M≈9.2 mM
At this stage no more iteration is required as concentration has not changed much.