International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Chemistry Practice Exam

Which of the following is true regarding the solubility of chloride salts?

1. All are soluble

2. All are insoluble except silver chloride

3. All are soluble except silver chloride

4. None are soluble

The correct answer is: All are soluble except silver chloride

Chloride salts generally have varied solubility in water. The statement selected as correct specifies that all chloride salts are soluble except for silver chloride. This is accurate because most chloride salts, including sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and calcium chloride, dissolve readily in water. However, silver chloride is an exception as it is known to be poorly soluble in water. The low solubility of silver chloride is attributed to the strong ionic bonds between the silver ions and chloride ions, which do not easily dissociate in aqueous solutions. Other exceptions among chloride salts are rare, making the identification of silver chloride as an insoluble compound significant in the study of solubility rules in inorganic chemistry. Thus, the statement reflects the common solubility behavior of chloride salts accurately, highlighting that, with the noted exception, most are indeed soluble.