The Chemistry of Drinking Water

Solubility is often taught through the rote memorization of rules and tables. In water chemistry, the dissolution of chemicals has broad implications, from the development and application of analytical techniques, to the problems under investigation themselves (e.g., the breakdown and dissolution of lead in Flint, Michigan). In this work we show a novel approach to teaching solubility through the use of Coulomb’s law, and hydration and solvation enthalpies. This ETP outlines a five-week project-based learning experience investigating three unknown chemicals relevant to modern water infrastructure. In addition, one full 90-minute lesson was built around the application of Coulomb’s law to predicting the relative attraction and solubilities of ionic compounds in water.