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Related Concept Videos

Ionic Strength: Effects on Chemical Equilibria01:19

Ionic Strength: Effects on Chemical Equilibria

The addition of an inert ionic compound increases the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt. For example, adding potassium nitrate to a saturated solution of calcium sulfate significantly enhances the solubility of calcium sulfate. Le Châtelier's principle cannot predict this shift in the equilibrium. Instead, this could be explained in terms of changes in the effective concentration of the ions in solution in the presence of added inert salt.
In this solution, the primary cation—the calcium...
Common Ion Effect03:24

Common Ion Effect

Compared with pure water, the solubility of an ionic compound is less in aqueous solutions containing a common ion (one also produced by dissolution of the ionic compound). This is an example of a phenomenon known as the common ion effect, which is a consequence of the law of mass action that may be explained using Le Châtelier’s principle. Consider the dissolution of silver iodide:
Ionic Strength: Overview01:12

Ionic Strength: Overview

The ionic strength of a solution is a quantitative way of expressing the total electrolyte concentration of a solution. This concept was first introduced in 1921 by two American physical chemists, Gilbert N. Lewis and Merle Randall, while describing the activity coefficient of strong electrolytes. During the calculation of ionic strength (I or μ), all the cations and anions are considered. However, the concentration (c) of an ion with a greater charge number (z) has a greater contribution to...
Determining the pH of Salt Solutions04:08

Determining the pH of Salt Solutions

The pH of a salt solution is determined by its component anions and cations. Salts that contain pH-neutral anions and the hydronium ion-producing cations form a solution with a pH less than 7. For example, in ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) solution, NO3− ions do not react with water whereas NH4+ ions produce the hydronium ions resulting in the acidic solution. In contrast, salts that contain pH-neutral cations and the hydroxide ion-producing anions form a solution with a pH greater than 7. For...
Ions as Acids and Bases02:54

Ions as Acids and Bases

Salts with Acidic Ions
Salts are ionic compounds composed of cations and anions, either of which may be capable of undergoing an acid or base ionization reaction with water. Aqueous salt solutions, therefore, may be acidic, basic, or neutral, depending on the relative acid-base strengths of the salt’s constituent ions. For example, dissolving the ammonium chloride in water results in its dissociation, as described by the equation:
Electrolytes: van't Hoff Factor03:08

Electrolytes: van't Hoff Factor

Colligative Properties of ElectrolytesThe colligative properties of a solution depend only on the number, not on the identity, of solute species dissolved. The concentration terms in the equations for various colligative properties (freezing point depression, boiling point elevation, osmotic pressure) pertain to all solute species present in the solution. Nonelectrolytes dissolve physically without dissociation or any other accompanying process. Each molecule that dissolves yields one dissolved...

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Easy Manipulation of Architectures in Protein-based Hydrogels for Cell Culture Applications
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THE EFFECT OF SALTS ON THE IONISATION OF GELATIN.

K V Thimann1

  • 1Kerckhoff Biological Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.

The Journal of General Physiology
|October 30, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Adding sodium chloride to gelatin solutions increases gelatin ionization, particularly in acidic conditions. This phenomenon is linked to complex ion formation, impacting protein structure and solubility.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Protein Chemistry

Background:

  • Gelatin, a protein derived from collagen, exhibits complex behavior in solution.
  • Understanding protein ionization is crucial for explaining solubility and structural properties.
  • The Donnan relationship describes ion distribution across membranes, applicable to charged macromolecules like proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of sodium chloride concentration on gelatin ionization.
  • To explore the role of complex ion formation in gelatin's behavior.
  • To correlate these findings with protein zwitter-ionic structure and solubility.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing the Donnan relationship to analyze ion distribution in gelatin solutions.
  • Experimenting with varying concentrations of sodium chloride.
  • Comparing the effects of different chloride salts (calcium, copper) on gelatin.

Main Results:

  • Sodium chloride addition increases gelatin ionization, with a peak effect around 1/1000 M.
  • This ionization increase is attributed to the formation of complex ions.
  • Calcium and copper chlorides demonstrate similar effects, indicating gelatin's capacity for complex positive ion formation.

Conclusions:

  • Complex ion formation significantly influences gelatin ionization.
  • The findings provide insights into the zwitter-ionic nature of proteins.
  • This study sheds light on the mechanisms governing protein solubility phenomena.