What is the process of dissolution for ionic compounds?

The process of dissolution for ionic compounds involves breaking ionic bonds and hydration of ions.

Dissolution is the process by which a solute, in this case an ionic compound, integrates into a solvent, such as water, to form a solution. This process involves two main steps: breaking of ionic bonds in the solute and hydration of the ions by the solvent.

The first step in the dissolution process is the breaking of ionic bonds within the ionic compound. Ionic compounds are made up of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions held together by strong electrostatic forces known as ionic bonds. To dissolve an ionic compound, these strong ionic bonds must be broken. This requires energy, which is provided by the solvent. The energy required to break these bonds is known as the lattice energy.

The second step in the dissolution process is the hydration of the ions. Once the ionic bonds are broken, the individual ions are free to interact with the solvent. In the case of water, a polar solvent, the positive end of the water molecule is attracted to the anions, and the negative end of the water molecule is attracted to the cations. This attraction between the water molecules and the ions is known as hydration. The energy released during this process is known as the hydration energy.

The overall energy change in the process of dissolution is the difference between the lattice energy and the hydration energy. If the hydration energy is greater than the lattice energy, the process is exothermic and heat is released. If the lattice energy is greater than the hydration energy, the process is endothermic and heat is absorbed. This energy change determines whether the dissolution process is favourable or not.